VIETNAM

The Nguyen Phuoc Dynasty
GENEALOGY
1847 - 1883 H.M. [Nguyễn-Phúc Hồng Nhậm] Hương Thi [Tự Đức] [Dực Tông Anh Hoàng Đế], Emperor of Dai Viet. b. at the Imperial Purple Forbidden City, Huế, 22nd September 1829, as Nguyễn-Phúc Thi, second son of H.M. [Nguyễn-Phúc Tuyền] Thiệu Trị [Hiến Tổ Chương Hoàng Đế], Emperor of Đai Nam, by his second wife, H.M. the Grand Empress Dowager Từ Dũ [Nghi-Thien Chuong Hoàng Hâu] [Co-Hang], educ. privately. Granted the title of Phươc Tuy Công (Duke of Phươc Tuy) 1843. Proclaimed on the death of his father, 4th November1847. Enthroned at the Thái Ḥa Palace, Huế, with the era name of Hường Nhậm and the title of Đai Nam Hoàng-Đe, 10th November 1847. Assumed the reign name of Hường Th́, 29th October 1848. Concluded the first treaty of cession with France on 5th June 1862, by which the provinces of Biên Ḥa, Sài G̣n and Mỹ Tho were ceded to France. Forced to to transfer Vĩnh Long, Châu Đốc and Hà Tiên to France in 1867. Concluded a second treaty on 15th March 1874 in which he recognised French sovereignty over Lower Indo-China. Raised to the posthumous title of Dực Tông Thể Thiên Hanh Vận Chí Thành Đạt Hiếu Thể Kiện Đôn Nhân Khiêm Cung Minh Lược Duệ Văn Anh Hoàng Đế. A scholarly and intellectual personality who wrote a large number of works in both Nôm and Chinese, including “Bộ Việt Sử Tống Vịnh Thư Tập” on history, “Từ Huấn Lục” on morality and duty, “Luận Ngữ Diễn Ca” on language, “Thập Điều Diễn” a book on commandments and “Tự Đức Thánh Chế Thư Tập” (sacred poems). m. (first) at Huế, 1831, H.M. Empress Lệ Thiên Anh (Lệ Thiên Anh Hoàng Hậu) (b. 30th June 1828; d. at Huế, 24th May 1902, bur. Khiêm Thọ Mausoleum, Nguyệt Biều, Hương Thủy, in Thừa Thiên province), styled Cung Tần 1848, prom. to Phi Tần 1850, Thuần Phi 1860, Trung Phi 1860, Hoàng Quí Phi 1870, Trang Ư Hoàng Thái Hậu April 1887, Trang Ư Thuận Hiếu Thái Hoàng Thái Hậu 1889, and posthumously prom. to Lệ Thiên Phụ Thánh Trang Ư Thuận Hiếu Cần Thứ ôn Từ Hiền Minh Tĩnh Thọ Anh Hoàng Hậu 1902, née Vũ Thị Duyên, daughter of H.E. Vũ Xuân Cẩn, Lệ Quốc Công, sometime Minister for Justice, from Hài, Lệ Thủy, in Quảng B́nh province. m. (second) Nguyễn Thị Cẩm, Thiện phi (cre. 1860), who adopted Prince Ưng Thi, daughter of H.E. Nguyễn Đ́nh Tân, from Quảng Điền, in Thừa Thiên province, sometime Kinh Lược (High Commissioner) of Hải An and Tổng đốc (Governor) of Định An province. m. (third) Nguyễn Thị Hương, Học phi, who adopted Prince Ưng Hổ. m. (fourth) Lê Thị ... , Cung phi. m. (fifth) Bang phi. m. (sixth) at Huế, 1848, Nguyễn Nhược Thị Bích, Lễ Tần (d. 1909, aged about eighty years), styled Tài Nhân 1850, prom. to Mỹ Nhân, Quí Nhân and Tiệp Dư in 1860, later advanced to Tiệp Dư Phu Tử, and finally Lễ Tần in 1892, a noted poetess, daughter of Nguyễn Nhược Sơn, from Lương Đoàn, An Phước, in Ninh Thuận province, sometime Bộ chính of Thanh Hóa. He d.s.p.m. at Huế, 19th July 1883 (bur. Khiêm Lăng Mausoleum, Dương Xuân Thượng, Hương Thủy, in Thừa Thiên province), reputed to have had one hundred and three wives and concubines, but sired an only known daughter:
1884 - 1885 H.M. [Nguyễn-Phúc Ưng Lịch] Hàm Nghi [Hien-Tong Chuong Hoàng Đế], King of Annam. b. at the Imperial Purple Forbidden City, Huế, 3rd August 1871, as Nguyễn-Phúc Minh, youngest son of H.H. Prince Nguyễn-Phúc Hồng Cai, Kiên Thái Vương, by Phan Thị Nhàn educ. privately. Styled Nguyễn-Phúc Ưng Lịch before his accession. Succeeded on the death of his brother, 31st July 1884. Enthroned at the Thái Ḥa Palace, in the Imperial Purple Forbidden City, Huế, with the reign name of Minh, 2nd August 1884. Assumed the era name of Hàm Nghi, 15th February 1885. At his accession, the French authorities ordered that the Imperial title (Dai Nam Hoàng Đế) be translated as King of Annam (Hoàng Đế An Nam), in order to demonstrate more clearly that he was a ruler under the protection of France and that the country was nolonger a great power. Deposed by the French in favour of Đơng Khánh, 23rd July 1885, captured and exiled to Algeria 13th December 1888. Thereafter styled His Highness and Prince of Annam (Hoàng thân An Nam). Settled in the village of El-Bair, in the hills above Algiers, where he became a skilled artist and sculptor, within a wide circle of French artistic and intellectual friends. m. at the Cathedral of St Philip, Algiers, 4th November 1904, H.H. Marcelle Aimée Léonie, Princess of Annam (b. at Algiers, 2nd July 1884; d. at the Château de Losse, Thonac, Dordogne, France, 5th September 1974, bur. there), styled Princess of Annam (Công chúa An Nam), daughter of François Ferrer Laloë, sometime magistrate and judge of the Court of Appeal in Algiers, by his Eurasian wife, Suzanne, née Ving, daughter of Aimée Souham. He d. at the Villa Gia Long, El-Biar, near Algiers, 14th January 1943 (bur. there, transferred to France in 1965 and reburied at the Château de Losse, Thonac, Dordogne), having had issue, one son and two daughters by his wife (and one other son by an irregular union, now resident in France with issue, but on whom there are no publicly available details):
Copyright© Christopher Buyers, January 2002 - August 2010