Nguyen Hoang defenced Thuan Quang, starting the division of the land of Dang Trong - Dang Ngoai
In November 1558, Nguyen Hoang was ordered to enter Thuan Hoa with much authority "all things in the locality, not to mention big or small, are arbitrarily handled". Nguyen Hoang left both to preserve his life and plan to develop a long-term career, so when he left the North, he attracted a large force including many generals (Van Nham, Thach Xuyen, Tien Trung, Tuong Loc), soldiers (1000 marines), and people of villages in Song Son district, Thanh Hoa and some officials and soldiers in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. This is a real migration.
During the time of conquering Thuan Quang land (1558 - 1613), Nguyen Hoang worked hard to consolidate his power and win people's hearts with a soft rule to lay the foundation for the construction of his own family's land. And Thuan Hoa became the land of the Nguyen family.
Nguyen Lord's capitals in Thua Thien Hue
Nguyen Lord came to the South to build their own fortune and create their own mountain, which is a process of arduous and constantly changing movement in many aspects, including the construction, consolidation, and establishment of the capital, the political, economic, cultural and social center of the land of Dang Trong. During 200 years of Nguyen's reign from Doan Quan Cong Nguyen Hoang to Thuan Hoa town (1558), until the Nguyen family had to leave Phu Xuan (1775), the capital of the government had undergone 8 changes of position:
- Ai Tu (1558 – 1570);
- Tra Bat (1570-1600);
- Dinh Cat (1600 – 1626);
- Phuoc Yen (1626 – 1636);
- Kim Long (1636 – 1687);
- Phu Xuan the first time (1687 – 1712);
- Bac Vong (1712 – 1738)
- Phu Xuan for the second time (1738 -1775).
Each time the scale of construction and the role of the capital are increasingly raised, gradually affirming the military, political, economic and cultural aspects, and also associated with the development and important role of Thua Thien Hue land for the cause of Lord Nguyen as well as for Dang Trong.
The ruling apparatus of Nguyen Lord
With the intention of separating Dang Trong from the dominance of Le King - Trinh Lord, Nguyen Hoang and his successors on the one hand strengthened the defense of Thuan Quang land, effectively resisted the attacks of Trinh's army, on the other hand, tried to expand the territory to the south. Through a flexible internal policy and skillful diplomacy, Nguyen Hoang succeeded in building up his strength, and in 1570, he was in charge of the whole Thuan Quang land.
In the beginning with the head of defense position, Nguyen Hoang's mandarins were under the control of the Le - Trinh court. Mandarins are still appointed by Le King. In 1613, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen succeeded his father, decided to dismiss the mandarins appointed by the Le Dynasty, restructured the government apparatus, moved the royal court to Phuoc Yen, and organized the apparatus in Chinh Dinh including 3 branches: Ty Xa (documents, litigation), Ty Tuong Than (tax collection) and Ty Lenh Su (keeping the ordination and issuing salaries to soldiers). In addition, Chinh Dinh also has Ty Noi to manage taxes, Ty Ta and Huu were in charge of the collection and payment of money (personal tax). Ty Lenh Su Do Gia was in charge of the material transceiver and warehouse management. In 1669, Nguyen Phuc Tan added Ty Nong to in charge of land tax collection.
Until the middle of the 18th century, the Nguyen family owned a large area from Nam Hoanh Son to Ca Mau Cape, Dang Trong divided into 12 palaces: Bo Chinh, Quang Binh, Luu Don, Cuu Dinh, Chinh Dinh (Phu Xuan), Quang Nam, Phu Yen, Binh Khang, Binh Thuan, Tran Bien, Phan Tran, Long Ho and a town called Ha Tien. Each Palace was in charge of a district (only in Quang Nam, there were 3 districts), under districts there are communes (or wards). Only Chinh Dinh has enough structure of 3 branches, other places have 1 or 2 branches:
After the death of Lord Nguyen Hoang, his descendants were still ordained by the Le Dynasty, until 1744, Nguyen Phuc Khoat was crowned king, established the court, changed Ky Luc to Lai Bo, Nha uy to Le Bo, Do Tri to Hinh Bo, Cai Ba to Ho Bo, added Ho Bo and Cong Bo, and at the same time changed the literature mandarins to Han Lam Vien. So the major changes in government all took place on Thua Thien Hue land as the Chinh Dinh.
The grassroots units in Thua Thien Hue and Dang Trong at that time fluctuated and changed due to the strong process of village reclamation.
Regarding the appointment of mandarins, in the first half of the seventeenth century, mandarins were appointed by recommendation and kinship. In 1646, Lord Nguyen Phuc Lan began to define the examination in two levels: Chinh Do (the exam for people to pass as mandarins) and Hoa Van (the exam for students to write good letters to do again). In addition, Nguyen Lords also offered the buy and sell title and does not grant benefits to the mandarins, the benefits of the mandarins are largely contributed by the people.
Building up the land of Dang Trong in the context of having to confront the Trinh family in Dang Ngoai and expanding more territory to create power, Nguyen Hoang and his successors built a strong military institution, taking the army as a support and prioritizing the army. From the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Dang Trong people learned how to cast guns and equip warships.
The method of organizing the government and the military has helped Dang Trong to make a rapid change, achieving the goal of building the Nguyen family's fortune. However, it also quickly revealed the limitations that made the regime cumbersome, becoming a burden on the people and society.
Under the rule of the Nguyen lords, the land of Thua Thien Hue was quickly exploited. Cultivated land expanded further, and villages were formed throughout the coastal plains, lagoon areas, and hills. Compared to the Le – Mac period, the area of land and villages has increased greatly. Thua Thien Hue at that time was three districts of Huong Tra, Phu Vang and Quang Dien in Trieu Phong province with 23 areas, 234 communes, 23 villages, 77 wards, 1 Giap, 1 Chau and 3 Sach.
The face of Hue gradually developed at a remarkable speed, especially when Nguyen Lords moved the royal palace from Phuoc Yen to Kim Long, and built the capital of Dang Trong on a large scale on Phu Xuan land. Hue land transfers people from rural villages to market cities and urban ports, busy with ships from regions and countries to trade, which serves as a basis for the development of handicrafts and trade. The socioeconomic transformation has affected Hue culture, with its position as the "capital", noble upper-class style also requires the demand corresponding to social status. The luxury and elegant lifestyle, deeply affects all classes, becoming a cultural feature of Hue land, manifested in behavior, cuisine, clothing and art.
The weakening of the Nguyen family and Thua Thien Hue governments during the Le - Trinh administrations
The Nguyen Dynasty built its fortune on the land of Dang Trong, which had a positive impact on the development of Dang Trong in general and Thua Thien Hue in particular in the 16th - 17th and early 18th centuries. However, with the cumbersome administrative apparatus due to the implementation of the regime of buying and selling mandarins, it means that people have to work to feed the mandarins. The more mandarins, the more corruption, the worse, and the more bribery weighs on people's lives, making social divisions fierce. In 1744, when Nguyen Phuc Khoat became the king, he organized the state apparatus and built a large scale, splendid palace. Noble families and high-ranking officials lived in luxury, the life of the people was more and more difficult. After Nguyen Phuc Khoat died (1765), Nguyen Phuc Thuan ascended to the throne at the age of 12 the power fell into the hands of Truong Phuc Loan, the corruption, looting and turbulence of the people became more serious.
In order to provide for the court and the luxurious life of officials, the court applied a heavy tax regime. By the second half of the eighteenth century, the main palace contained instability because “there were hungry seasons continuously, people were forced to join the army, people's hearts fell apart, eager to make a disturbance” (Le Quy Don, volume I). Social conflicts became acute, and the feudal regime entered a period of deep crisis.
In that context, in 1771, in Quy Nhon, there was a Tay Son uprising under the leadership of Nguyen Nhac, Nguyen Hue, and Nguyen Lu under the slogan "Overthrow the power of Truong Phuc Loan, support the Emperor Nguyen Phuc Duong" occupying half of the land of Dang Trong, isolated Thuan Hoa. Seizing the chaotic situation in Dang Trong, in 1774 Lord Trinh Sam sent Viet Quan Hoang Ngu Phuc and Bui The Dat to fight Nguyen Lords. Before the attack of the Trinh army, Lord Nguyen Phuc Thuan fled to Gia Dinh. On January 30, 1775, the Trinh army occupied the Phu Xuan palace, Hoang Ngu Phuc was concurrently the chief of Thuan Hoa, beginning the ruling period of the Le - Trinh government for more than 10 years.
The army of the Trinh Lords adopted a strict military-style rule. From the general to the soldiers, they quickly revealed the evil nature of the ruling feudal class during the decline of the previous Nguyen army. After more than 10 years of rule by the Le - Trinh government, both Thuan Hoa still did not overcome the crisis situation. The lives of the people were increasingly miserable. Socio-economic decline. The class conflict is even more acute. People turned to the Tay Son movement in the hope that the situation would change.