Nguyen

Nguyen 

a feudal family that ruled what is now central and southern Vietnam from 1558 to 1802 and became the imperial dynasty of all of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, holding power from 1884 as a colonial government under a French protectorate. The Tay Son Uprising during the last third of the 18th century overthrew both the Nguyen family and the Trinh family in the north. In 1802 the power of the Nguyens was restored by Nguyen Anh (Gia Long), who defeated the Tay Sons and united all of Vietnam. In the 1860’s southern Vietnam was seized from the Nguyens by the French. Defeated in a war with France in 1884, the Nguyens accepted a French protectorate. The August Revolution of 1945 in Vietnam ended the Nguyen dynasty.