Nguyễn Phúc Chu

Map of Vietnam showing the expansion of territory over 800 years

Nguyễn Phúc Chu (chữ Hán: 阮福淍, 1675–1725) was a Vietnamese warlord who ruled the southern provinces of Vietnam from 1691 to 1725.[1]

Phuc Chu was one of the Nguyễn lords who ruled southern Vietnam from the city of Phú Xuân (modern-day Huế). During his time in power, he had to deal with a Champa rebellion and the first major war against the Cambodians. Nguyễn Phúc Chu was the eldest son of Nguyễn Phúc Trăn. He gained the throne on his father's early death, at just 15 years old. He took for himself the title Tong Quan-Cong (Duke of Tong).

Early in his reign the Champa ruler of Panduranga (in present-day Ninh Thuận), Po Sot, began a rebellion against the Nguyễn. The revolt was at first unsuccessful and after the Nguyễn army put down the revolt there was an outbreak of plague in Panduranga. Three years later, a Cham aristocrat, Oknha Dat, obtained the help of General A Ban (a somewhat mysterious figure).

Together they defeated a Nguyễn military force in 1695. The new Champ king, Po Saktiray Da Patih (younger brother of Po Sot), made a treaty with Nguyễn Phúc Chu. The result was the Cham rulers in Panduranga were recognised as Trấn Vương (local lords) for the next 135 years, though they had no authority over Vietnamese living in the area. In 1714, Nguyễn Phúc Chu sent an army into Cambodia to support Keo Fa who claimed the throne against Prea Srey Thomea (see also the article on the Dark ages of Cambodia). The army of Siam also got involved in the war, the Siamese sided with the Prea Srey Thomea against the Vietnamese (this was during the time of the Ayutthaya Kings of Siam). The Vietnamese won several battles against the Siamese (including the battle of Banteay Meas) but shifting fortunes led to the war ending with negotiations rather than military defeat on either side.

Last years

In 1720, near the end of his reign, Nguyễn Phúc Chu, took formal control over the last lands of the Champa. Whether this was a violation of the peace treaty he signed with the Cham 25 years earlier is not known. On 1 June 1725, Nguyễn Phúc Chu died and was succeeded by his second son, Nguyễn Phúc Trú.

Preceded by
Nguyễn Phúc Trăn		 Ruler of South Vietnam
1691–1725 		Succeeded by
Nguyễn Phúc Tru

See also

Sources

  1. ↑ Anh Thư Hà, Hồng Đức Trần A Brief Chronology of Vietnam's History 2000 Page 163 "Nguyễn Phúc Tăn was previouly wrongly referred to as Nguyễn Phúc Trãn6. Lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu (Quốc Chúa) (1691-1725) Nguyễn Phúc Chu was born in 1675. He was the eldest son of Nguyễn Phúc Thái."