Từ Dụ
Từ Dụ or Từ Dũ (Hán tự: 慈裕, 20 June 1810 – 12 May 1902), born Phạm Thị Hằng, was the wife of Thiệu Trị and mother of Tự Đức.
| Nghi Thiên Chương Hoàng hậu 儀天章皇后 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empress Nghi Thiên | |||||||||
| Empress Mother of Nguyễn Dynasty | |||||||||
| Tenure | 1847–1883 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Empress Mother Thuận Thiên | ||||||||
| Successor | Empress Mother Trang Ý | ||||||||
| Grand Empress Mother of Nguyễn Dynasty | |||||||||
| Tenure | 1885–1902 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Grand Empress Mother Thuận Thiên | ||||||||
| Successor | Grand Empress Mother Trang Ý | ||||||||
| Empress consort of Nguyễn Dynasty | |||||||||
| Tenure | Empress title granted posthumously | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Empress Tá Thiên | ||||||||
| Successor | Empress Lệ Thiên | ||||||||
| Born | 20 June, 1810 Tân Hòa, Vietnam (in modern Tiền Giang Province) | ||||||||
| Died | May 12, 1902 (aged 91) Huế, Vietnam | ||||||||
| Burial | Xương Thọ Lăng | ||||||||
| Spouse | Emperor Thiệu Trị | ||||||||
| Issue | Princess Diên Phúc Nguyễn Phúc Hồng Nhậm (Emperor Tự Đức) Princess Uyên Ý | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| House | Nguyễn (by marriage) | ||||||||
| Father | Phạm Đăng Hưng | ||||||||
| Mother | Lady Phạm | ||||||||
Hằng was a daughter of Phạm Đăng Hưng. She was granted the title Empress Dowager Từ Dụ (Vietnamese: Từ Dụ hoàng thái hậu) after Tự Đức ascended the throne.
Tự Đức died in 1883. Three regents, Nguyễn Văn Tường, Tôn Thất Thuyết and Trần Tiễn Thành, declared Dục Đức, the eldest adoptive-son of Tự Đức, as the new emperor. Three days later, they deposed Dục Đức and enthroned Hiệp Hòa. Từ Dụ was elevated to the position of one of the "Tam Cung" (三宮) together with Trang Ý and Học phi.[1] Từ Dụ played a significant role in the dethronement of Hiệp Hòa, whom was a pro-French emperor, and enthroned Kiến Phúc.[2]
In 1885, she was granted the title Grand Empress Dowager Từ Dụ (Vietnamese: Từ Dụ thái hoàng thái hậu). Tôn Thất Thuyết decided to launch the Cần Vương movement against French colonists. "Tam Cung" fled to Tomb of Tự Đức together with Emperor Hàm Nghi. Thuyết decided to take them to a mountain base at Tân Sở, and then went to China to hide and seek reinforcements.[3] "Tam Cung" refused, and came back to Huế.[4]
She was granted the title Great Grand Empress Dowager Từ Dụ (Vietnamese: Từ Dụ thái thái hoàng thái hậu) by Thành Thái in 1889. She died in 1902, and was given the posthumous name Empress Nghi Thiên.
A hospital in Ho Chi Minh City was named after her.
References
- Chapuis, p. 15.
- Việt Nam sử lược, Quyển 2, Cận kim thời đại, Chương 12
- Chapuis, pp. 18, 22.
- Việt Nam sử lược, Quyển 2, Cận kim thời đại, Chương 14
- Chapuis, Oscar (2000). The Last Emperors of Vietnam: from Tu Duc to Bao Dai. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31170-6.