Gia Long

(born Nguyen Phuc Anh). Born 1762; died 1820. Became emperor of Vietnam in 1802; founder of the Nguyen dynasty.

Gia Long belonged to the Nguyen feudal house, which ruled in southern Vietnam from the 16th through the 18th centuries. He led the feudal lords of southern Vietnam in the war against the rebelling Tay Son peasants in the 18th century. He concluded the first unequal treaty with France in 1787, striving to obtain its military assistance in the struggle against the popular uprising. After the Tay Son Uprising was suppressed throughout the entire territory of Vietnam (by 1802), Gia Long united the country under the authority of the Nguyen house. He carried out a series of progressive reforms.