Nguyễn Kim

Nguyễn Kim (also called Nguyễn Krai) 1476–1545; ruled part of Vietnam from 1533 to 1545.

Nguyễn Kim is the founder of the famous Nguyễn Lords who later ruled south Vietnam (and much later, all of Vietnam). During his rule, the war with the Mạc Dynasty started.

Nguyễn Kim claimed descent from Nguyễn Trãi, one of the top aides of Lê Lợi. He was the son of Nguyễn Hoang Du, one of the leaders of the first revolt against Mạc Đăng Dung). After the first revolt was crushed and his father executed, a second revolt against Mạc Đăng Dung took place in response to Dung's usurpation of the throne in 1527. This second revolt was led by Nguyễn Kim and his son-in-law, Trịnh Kiểm.

At first, the Mạc army was too powerful and the rebels had to flee to Laos. From their base in Laos they managed to raise an army and they attacked into Vietnam. This attack was successful to the point where the Nguyễn-Trịnh army captured the Western Palace ("Tay Do") and enthroned their own King, "Lê Trang Tông", in 1533.

The Nguyễn-Trịnh alliance then sent a formal embassy to China in 1535 on behalf of the new king. The embassy denounced the usurpation of Mạc Đăng Dung and asked for help. In 1536, the Chinese delegation concluded that Dung had usurped the throne of the Lê king. After hearing the report, the Jiajing Emperor dispatched an army to set things right, it arrived on the border of Vietnam in 1537. However, with protestations of loyalty to the Ming Dynasty and the offer of a piece of north Vietnam to the Chinese, Mạc Đăng Dung was able to get the Chinese army to leave. The official position of the Chinese government was, the Mạc should rule in the north, and the Lê should rule in the south. The Nguyễn-Trịnh alliance refused to accept this settlement, and so the war continued. By 1540, the Nguyễn-Trịnh army had captured Nghệ An Province.

In 1545, Nguyễn Kim was assassinated by a governor of a province who had surrendered to the Nguyễn-Trịnh army under secret orders from Mạc Đăng Dung. Nguyễn Kim had two young sons (Nguyễn Hoàng and Nguyễn Uông) but it was Trịnh Kiểm who took control of the Royal army.

ee also

* Lê Dynasty

ources

* Encyclopedia of Asian History, Volumn 3 ("Nguyễn Lords") 1988. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Vietnam/annam2.htm Genealogy of the Royal Nguyễn Family]
* [http://art-hanoi.com/toda/16.html Annam and it Minor Currency] Chapter 16 (downloaded May 2006)

List of Vietnamese dynasties