# Accession of Trịnh Sâm (1767)

URL: https://allhistories.com/vietnam/timeline/1767-accession-of-tr-nh-sam
Location: Thăng Long (Đông Kinh), Hanoi
Themes: Lordship, Succession

In 1767 Trịnh Doanh gave rule over northern Vietnam to his son Trịnh Sâm, who held the title Tĩnh Đô Vương and was one of the last powerful Trịnh lords. Emperor Lê Hiển Tông remained on the throne without real power. Trịnh Sâm was born in 1739. He took office in a period of internal unrest, and the Tây Sơn rebellion began in the south five years later. The Trịnh saw the Nguyễn as weakening month by month. On 15 November 1774 the Trịnh army crossed into Nguyễn territory and captured Phú Xuân in February 1775, then allied with the Tây Sơn leader Nguyễn Nhạc. Succession problems followed his death in 1782, when his favourite consort Đặng Thị Huệ and her son Trịnh Cán were pitted against the elder son Trịnh Khải, who won. The civil war split the Trịnh just as the Tây Sơn under Nguyễn Huệ gained control of the south, and in 1786 the Tây Sơn attacked the north. At this point in the timeline (1767), Emperor Le Hien Tong (1740 – August 1786) ruled Dai Viet under the Later Le dynasty, with real power held by Lord Trinh Sam (1767 – 1782). Other contemporary rulers included Lord Nguyen Phuc Thuan (1765 – 1777), Lord Trinh Doanh (1740 – 1767) and Qianlong Emperor (1735 – 1796).

## Why it matters
His reign opened the last chapter of Trịnh rule before the lordship was swept away by the Tây Sơn.

Ruler at the Time: [Le Hien Tong (Le Duy Dieu)](https://allhistories.com/vietnam/rulers/le-hien-tong-le-duy-dieu)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Trịnh Sâm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%E1%BB%8Bnh_S%C3%A2m)
- [Wikipedia — Trịnh lords](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%E1%BB%8Bnh_lords)