Hà Tiên province
Hà Tiên
Tỉnh Hà Tiên | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Hà Tiên | |
| Country | Nguyễn dynasty French Indochina South Vietnam |
| City | Hà Tiên |
| Established | 1832 |
| Dissolved | 1956 |
Hà Tiên (Vietnamese: tỉnh Hà Tiên; chữ Hán: 河僊) was a former province of Vietnam, originally formed in 1832 under the Nguyễn dynasty, and was finally disestablished in 1956 under the South Vietnam. Its capital was the town of Hà Tiên.
History
Under Nguyễn lords
In the early 18th century, on the former territory of Chân Lạp, the small market town of Hà Tiên was established by Mạc Cửu (Mok Kiu ), a Ming émigrée, who did not surrender to the newly formed Qing dynasty, but chose migrating to Chân Lạp (Cambodia) instead.[1]: 119–120
Many works incorrectly referred to Hà Tiên as "Panthaimas", confusing Hà Tiên with Banteay Meas.[2] It was variously spelled as Panday-mas (Khmer), Ponteamass (English), Phutthaimat (Thai: พุทไธมาศ) or Banthaimat (Thai: บันทายมาศ), Ponthiamas or Pontheaymas (French), Pontiano (Robert's Map, 1751), Panthai-mas, Bantaimas, Pontiamas, Pontaimas, Bantay-mas, Banteay M’eas, Pontiamas, Pontiamasse, Po-taimat, and infinite other variations.[3]
Mạc Cửu later switched allegiance to the Nguyễn lords of Đại Việt (Vietnam). In 1708, the region became Vietnamese Hà Tiên Protectorate, and Mạc Cửu was appointed as the first governor by Lord Minh.[4][5]: 122 [6]: 81
In 1735, Mạc Cửu died, his eldest son Mạc Thiên Tứ (Mạc Tung) was appointed as the successor by Lord Ninh. In 1757, Thiên Tứ supported Cambodian exiled prince Nặc Tôn (Ang Ton) to crown the new king of Cambodia as Outey II. In return, Nặc Tôn ceded his five prefectures: Hương Úc, Cần Bột, Trực Sâm, Sài Mạt and Linh Quỳnh to Thiên Tứ. Lord Võ accepted these new territories and left them under Hà Tiên administration. Thiên Tứ also established two new districts: Kiên Giang (Rạch Giá), and Long Xuyên (Cà Mau)[1]: 121 [5]: 166–7
In 1773, Siamese king Phi Nhã Tân (Taksin) captured Hà Tiên and appointed Trần Liên as the governor. Thiên Tứ had to fled to Long Hồ palace. In 1773, with the support of general Nguyễn Cửu Đàm forces, Thiên Tứ retook Hà Tiên.[1]: 124–6 [5]: 175–7
In 1777, the Tây Sơn general Nguyễn Huệ defeated the Nguyễn lords forces, occupied Gia Định, captured then executed Lord Tân Chính and Lord Định, Thiên Tứ fled to Xiêm La (Siam) to seek military aid. Initially, Phi Nhã Tân welcomed Thiên Tứ, but later he suspected Thiên Tứ of plotting to overthrow him. In 1780, Phi Nhã Tân imprisoned Thiên Tứ and his companion Tôn Thất Xuân for interrogation. Thiên Tứ committed suicide in prison while most of the Vietnamese envoys were executed.[1]: 128–9 [5]: 189–191 Only three Thiên Tứ's teenage sons (Tử Sanh, Tử Tuấn, Tử Thiêm) and his four grandsons were survived. In 1784, Lord Nguyễn appointed Tử Sanh the governor of Hà Tiên.[5]: 209
Under Nguyễn dynasty
Hà Tiên protectorate was changed to Hà Tiên province when Emperor Minh Mạng divided Lower Cochinchina into Six Provinces in 1832. Hà Tiên province contained one prefecture: Khai Biên, divided into three districts: Hà Châu, Kiên Giang, and Long Xuyên.[7]: 392–5 Lê Đại Cương was appointed the governor-general of An – Hà (An Giang – Hà Tiên) cum viceroy of Chân Lạp. Under Cương administration were: Ngô Bá Nhân – An Giang provincial governor, and Phạm Xuân Bích - Hà Tiên provincial governor, both were apointed shortly before.[7]: 426, 402
After the Cochinchina Campaign it was ceded to the French by the Huế court and later became a part of French Cochinchina. On 1 January 1900, Hà Tiên province was divided into the 3 provinces: Hà Tiên, Rạch Giá, Bạc Liêu. In 1901, Hà Tiên province contained two prefectures (phủ), including An Biên and Quảng Biên.[8]
After August Revolution
In 1950, Hà Tiên province and Long Châu Hậu province were merged into the newly established Long Châu Hà Province. In 1954, Long Châu Hà province was disestablished and divided into three provinces; Hà Tiên, Châu Đốc, Long Xuyên.
On 22 October 1956, Hà Tiên province and Rạch Giá province merged to Kiên Giang province. The former Hà Tiên province was thus divided into two districts; Hà Tiên and Phú Quốc. Both districts were parts of Kiên Giang Province.
Notable people
- Mạc Cửu, the founder and first governor of Hà Tiên.[5]: 122
- Mạc Thiên Tứ, the second governor of Hà Tiên.[5]: 145
- Mạc Tử Sanh, the fourth governor of Hà Tiên.[5]: 221
References
- ^ a b c d Trịnh Hoài Đức. "Gia Định thành thông chí" (PDF). Translator: Đỗ Mộng Khương & Nguyễn Ngọc Tỉnh, Editor: Đào Duy Anh – Viện Sử học & NXB Giáo dục – Published 1998. Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ Cooke, Nola; Li, Tana (2004), Water frontier: commerce and the Chinese in the Lower Mekong Region, 1750-1880, Rowman & Littlefield, p. 44, ISBN 978-0-7425-3083-6
- ^ Nicholas Sellers, The Princes of Hà-Tiên (1682-1867): the Last of the Philosopher-Princes and the Prelude to the French Conquest of Indochina: a Study of the Independent Rule of the Mac Dynasty in the Principality of Hà-Tiên, and the Establishment of the Empire of Vietnam, Brussels, Thanh-long, 1983, p. 164.
- ^ Coedes, George (1966), The making of South East Asia, University of California Press, p. 213, ISBN 978-0-520-05061-7
- ^ a b c d e f g h Quốc Sử quán triều Nguyễn. "Đại Nam Thực Lục – Tiền Biên & Kỷ Thứ Nhất (1558 – 1819)". scribd.com. Translator: Nguyễn Ngọc Tỉnh, Editor: Đào Duy Anh – Viện Sử học & NXB Giáo dục – First Reprint 2002. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Quốc Sử quán triều Nguyễn. "Đại Nam Nhất Thống Chí – Lục Tỉnh Nam Việt – Tập Hạ". archive.org. Translator: Tu Trai Nguyễn Tạo, Editor: Á Nam Trần Tuấn Khải – Nha Văn hóa, Bộ Quốc gia Giáo dục – Published 1959. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Quốc Sử quán triều Nguyễn. "Đại Nam Thực Lục - Chính Biên - Tập 3" (PDF). thuvienhoasen.org. Translator: Đỗ Mộng Khương, Editor: Đào Duy Anh – Viện Sử học & NXB Giáo dục – First Reprint 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Trương, Jean Baptiste Pétrus Vĩnh Ký (1875). Petit cours de géographie de la Basse-Cochinchine (Small Course on Lower Cochinchina Geography). Bibliothèque nationale de France (National Library of France). Retrieved 4 January 2014.