Nguyễn Thị Hoàn


Empress Dowager Ý Tĩnh, born Lady Nguyễn Thị Hoàn, was the first Empress Dowager of Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam. She is mother of Emperor Gia Long, the first monarch of Nguyễn Dynasty.

Life

She was born as daughter of Duke Nguyễn Phúc Trung of Minh Linh Nguyễn clan and Lady Phùng of An Du Phùng Clan, Thừa Thiên district. She married Nguyễn Phúc Luân and gave birth to three sons and one daughter. After Lord Nguyễn Phúc Khoát died, royal official Trương Phúc Loan changed his last will, put the young prince Nguyễn Phúc Thuần to the throne, and sent Nguyễn Phúc Luân, who was the real successor stated in will, to prison. Nguyễn Phúc Luân died in 1765 at the age of 33. After Nguyễn Phúc Thuần lost throne by Tây Sơn rebellion, Lady Nguyễn Thị Hoàn spent an relatively uneasy life, she escaped to the very far south of Vietnam and mostly spent her stay in Phú Quốc and Thổ Châu. In 1778, Gia Long defeated Tây Sơn and unify Vietnam, Lady Nguyễn Thị Hoàn was invited to go back to Gia Định. In 1801, she went back to royal capital and stayed there until her death in 1811. In 1807, she was elevated to Empress Dowager. She died in 1811, and in 1812, she was elevated to the title as Hiếu Khang Empress Dowager. Her tomb is Thuy Thanh tomb at Hương Trà district.

Family

  1. Nguyễn Phúc Đồng, prince of Dong Hai
  2. Nguyễn Phúc Ngọc Tú
  3. Nguyễn Phúc Ánh
  4. Nguyễn Phúc Điển