Trương Minh Giảng

TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng Minh GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng (, 1792 Ã¢ÂÂ 1841) was a general and official of Vietnam during the NguyÃ¡Â»Ân dynasty.

Early life

TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng-Minh GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng was born in Gia ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh (modern Ho Chi Minh City). He came from an important aristocratic family of southern Vietnam, the TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng-Minh family from which also comes the scholar TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng Minh KÃÂ½ (1855-1900). His father, TrÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng-Minh ThÃÂ nh was the minister of ceremony (LÃ¡Â»Â bÃ¡Â»ÂÃÂ ThÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â£ng thÃÂ°) of Emperor Gia Long. GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng passed the triennial exam with the grade of ' in 1819. He became a military mandarin in the service of Emperor Minh-Mang and was appointed major general.

Career

A rebellion was launched by LÃÂª VÃÂn KhÃÂ´i in Gia ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh in 1833. This was an important revolt in southern Vietnam, GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng was sent to put down the rebellion together with TÃ¡Â»Âng PhÃÂºc LÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng, NguyÃ¡Â»Ân XuÃÂ¢n, Phan VÃÂn ThÃÂºy and TrÃ¡ÂºÂ§n VÃÂn NÃÂng.

Two Siamese generals, Bodindecha and Phra Klang, led troops to attack the Vietnamese provinces of HÃÂ TiÃÂªn and An Giang and Vietnamese imperial forces in Laos and Cambodia. GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng and his 10,000 soldiers defeated the Siamese army in Cambodia, and installed Ang Chan II as a client king of Cambodia. GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng was appointed Governor-General of Cambodia and stayed in Phnom Penh to watch the king.

In 1835 Ang Chan II died without heir. GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng installed Ang Mey as a client queen. He ordered all Cambodian women to wear Vietnamese-style pyjamas instead of the khmer sampot (similar to the sarong), grow their hair long in Vietnamese style. Phnom Penh was renamed with a Vietnamese name: TrÃ¡ÂºÂ¥n TÃÂ¢y ThÃÂ nh (Ã©ÂÂ®Ã¨Â¥Â¿Ã¥ÂÂ), or "Western Commandery". Many Wats (temples) were destroyed during this period, and numerous ethnic Vietnamese came to Cambodia.

Cambodia became a part of Vietnam in 1841, and Ang Mey was deposed and exiled to Gia ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh. Many Cambodian were infuriated, and revolted against the Vietnamese rule. Seizing the opportunity, Siam invaded Cambodia in an attempt to install Ang Duong on the throne as their own puppet, triggering the SiameseÃ¢ÂÂVietnamese War (1841Ã¢ÂÂ45). GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng tried to resist but failed. The new emperor ThiÃ¡Â»Âu TrÃ¡Â»Â suddenly decided to withdraw all Vietnamese troops from Cambodia following the advice of TÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ Quang CÃ¡Â»Â±.

GiÃ¡ÂºÂ£ng died suddenly on his way back to HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿. Sources stated that he committed suicide by taking poison together with other two senior generals to avoid punishment from the emperor.

References