Tây Sơn dynasty

Đại Việt
大越國
Đại Việt Quốc
1778–1802
Map of Đại Việt in the late 18th century.
  Tây Sơn-controlled territory
  Nguyễn Ánh's reclaimed territory in the south
Political division of Vietnam at the end of the 18th century:
  Territory controlled by Nguyễn Huệ
  Territory controlled by Nguyễn Nhạc
  Territory controlled by Nguyễn Lữ, later captured by Nguyễn Ánh in 1789
StatusDuchy within Lê dynasty of Đại Việt (1778–1788)
Internal imperial system within Qing tributary (1789–1802)
Rump state (1801–1802)
CapitalĐồ Bàn (1776–1788)
Phú Xuân (1788–1801)
Bắc Thành (1801–1802)
Common languagesVietnamese
Written Chữ Nôm script (official)
Religion
Vietnamese folk religion, Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Islam
GovernmentRebel governance (1771–1778)
Absolute monarchy (1778–1802)
Emperor 
 1778–1788
Thái Đức
 1788–1792
Quang Trung
 1792–1802
Cảnh Thịnh (last)
LegislatureNone (rule by decree)
History 
 Tây Sơn rebellion emerged
1771
 Nguyễn Nhạc established Tây Sơn dynasty
1778
 Lê dynasty collapsed
3 February 1789
 Nguyễn Ánh captured Đông Kinh
18 June 1802
Population
 1800
unknown, circa 10 million
CurrencyCopper-alloy and zinc cash coins
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Lê dynasty
Nguyễn lords
Trịnh lords
Nguyễn dynasty
Today part ofVietnam
China
Laos
Cambodia
Nguyễn Tây Sơn
CountryKingdom of Đại Việt (Vietnam)
Founded18th century
FounderNguyễn Nhạc
Final rulerNguyễn Quang Toản
Titles
Estate(s)Quy Nhơn, Phú Xuân, Phượng Hoàng Trung Đô
Deposition1802

The Tây Sơn dynasty (Vietnamese: [təj ʂəːn]; Vietnamese: "Nhà Tây Sơn" or "Triều Tây Sơn", (chữ Hán: 朝西山; Chữ Nôm: 茹西山), officially Đại Việt (Chữ Hán: 大越), was an imperial dynasty of Vietnam. It originated in a revolt led by three peasant brothers with the surname Nguyễn, rebelling against the Lê dynasty, Trịnh lords and Nguyễn lords (no relation). The Tây Sơn would later be succeeded by the Nguyễn dynasty.

The Tây Sơn dynasty ended the century-long war between the Trịnh and Nguyễn families, overthrew the Lê dynasty, and united the country for the first time in 200 years. They acknowledged Qing suzerainty and gained recognition from the Qianlong Emperor as the legitimate rulers of Vietnam. Under the most prominent of the Tây Sơn brothers Nguyễn Huệ Vietnam experienced several years of relative peace and prosperity. But Quang Trung died relatively young at the age of 40 and his successor Cảnh Thịnh, aged 9, was unable to prevent civil conflict among the Tây Sơn court which allowed the last Nguyễn lord Nguyễn Ánh to retake the south of Vietnam, extinguish the Tây Sơn and establish the Nguyễn dynasty.