Trịnh–Nguyễn War - Apart

Apart

The prime mover in the period from 1525 onwards was Nguyễn Kim. His daughter married the young head of the Trịnh family Trịnh Kiểm. Around 1530, the rebels were forced into exile in Lan Xang (modern-day Laos) but they gathered a new army and captured some southern provinces. In 1545, Nguyễn Kim was assassinated and his son-in-law, Trịnh Kiểm, took control over the Royal army. 13 years later (in 1558) Trịnh Kiểm gave the rulership over the southern-most province of Quảng Nam to Nguyễn Hoàng, the son of Nguyễn Kim and his wife's brother. The ill-will between the two families dates from around this time. For the next 55 years, Nguyễn Hoàng ruled Quảng Nam. He gradually asserted his control over the province and extended his control south into the remaining Champa lands. Periodically, he sent military forces north to help the Trịnh in their long fight against the Mạc Dynasty. In 1570 Trịnh Kiểm died and was succeeded by his second son Trịnh Tùng, a vigorous leader who captured Hanoi from the Mạc king in 1572. However, the Mạc king (Mạc Mau Hiep) recaptured the city the next year. 20 years later, Trịnh Tùng, again captured Hanoi and executed Mạc Mau Hiep in 1592.

In 1593, Nguyễn Hoàng went personally to the court, bringing money and an army to help destroy the remaining Mạc armies. Once the Mạc were defeated, the Trịnh became increasingly unhappy with the independence of Nguyễn Hoang who ruled as an independent prince in the south. For reasons that are unclear, in 1600 the old Nguyen ruler broke relations with the Trịnh court and titled himself as the Vương (a term meaning prince or king). Hoang died in 1613. The new leader of the Nguyễn, Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, continued his father's policy of defiance, but also initiated friendly relations with the Europeans sailing into the area. A foreign trading post was set up in Hội An. By 1615 the Nguyễn were producing their own bronze cannons with the aid of Portuguese engineers.