Minh Mạng Thông Bảo coins
明命通寶
Mai Ngọc Phát, Bùi Tiến Đạt, Vietnam Numismatics #3 (04-2018), p.36-42
1. Historical Overview
1.1 Life and reign
King Minh Mạng (or Minh Mệnh) was the fourth son of King Gia Long and Empress Thuận Thiên (Trần Thị Đang). His personal name was Nguyễn Phúc Đảm (or Đởm), and he was also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu. He was born on the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month of the Year of Tân Hợi [辛亥] (corresponding to 25 May 1791 in the Gregorian calendar) in Tân Lộc village near Gia Định (present-day Saigon). King Gia Long's eldest son, Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh, died young in 1801. Because Crown Prince Cảnh and his children had been strongly influenced by Catholicism from France, after his death King Gia Long did not choose his eldest grandson (the son of Crown Prince Cảnh) as heir to the throne, fearing French influence at court, but instead appointed Nguyễn Phúc Đảm as Crown Prince. Prince Đảm was strongly opposed to Catholicism and held unfavorable views toward the French, a viewpoint he shared with King Gia Long. This appointment met with strong opposition from many high-ranking court officials at the time, especially Lê Văn Duyệt. In 1816, Prince Nguyễn Phúc Đảm was formally appointed Crown Prince. The Nguyễn Dynasty National History Office wrote: "In the 15th year of Gia Long (1816), in the summer, on the Kỷ Mùi [己未] day of the sixth month, he was formally invested as Crown Prince at Thanh Hòa Palace".[1] he began studying matters of state governance and the administration of the country in preparation for his future reign.
In the 12th month of the Year of Kỷ Mão [己卯] (early 1820), King Gia Long passed away. In the first month of the Year of Canh Thìn [庚辰] (1820), Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Đảm ascended the throne and adopted the reign title Minh Mạng [明命]. In 1839, he changed the country name to Đại Nam [大南], which remained in use until the end of the Nguyễn Dynasty in 1945. The Nguyễn Dynasty National History Office recorded: "Canh Thìn [庚辰], the first year of Minh Mạng (1820), (the 25th year of Qing Emperor Jiaqing), in the spring, on the Mậu Ngọ [戊午] day, the first day of the first month, the Crown Prince ascended the imperial throne at Thái Hòa Palace, proclaimed the reign title, granted a general amnesty, and issued an imperial edict to officials and people throughout the realm".[2] At that time, he was already 30 years old and had a profound understanding of court affairs. Many times after court audiences, he remained with several high-ranking officials to discuss state affairs, inquire about historical events, or ask about notable figures and the customs of other countries.
King Minh Mạng was regarded as an intelligent and knowledgeable ruler who valued learning, talent, and virtue. Throughout his 20 years of reign and governing the country, he carried out many reforms of the state administrative system at all levels and introduced well-structured economic policies that later generations continued to use as models, including the establishment of the National History Office... However, this period was also marked by many resistance movements by peasants and other social groups, notably the uprisings of Phan Bá Vành in Nam Định, Lê Duy Lương in Ninh Bình, Nông Văn Vân in Tuyên Quang in the North, and Lê Văn Khôi in the South.
King Minh Mạng died on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month of the Year of Canh Tý [庚子], corresponding to 20 January 1841, at Quang Minh Palace. He died at the age of 50 after reigning for 21 years, and was given the temple name Thánh Tổ [聖祖]. The Nguyễn Dynasty National History Office recorded: "That day, at the Hour of Hợi [亥], the emperor passed away at Quang Minh Palace, aged 50. He had 142 children (78 sons and 64 daughters)".[3] He was buried at Hiếu Lăng.
1.2 Monetary policies under the reign of King Minh Mạng
During over 20 years as the ruler of the country, King Minh Mạng introduced many monetary and economic policies. The official chronicles of the Nguyễn Dynasty record numerous decrees concerning the suspension or prohibition of the circulation of "rebel currency" during the Minh Mạng era:
- "In the Year of Nhâm Ngọ [壬午], the 3rd year of Minh Mạng (1822), in the second month, the prohibition on the circulation of rebel currency (of the Tây Sơn Dynasty) was suspended. During the reign of Gia Long, an edict had temporarily allowed the circulation of that currency for five years, from Đinh Sửu [丁丑] (1817) to Tân Tỵ [辛巳] (1821). From Nhâm Ngọ [壬午] (1822) onward, it was completely prohibited. At this time, the Ministry of Revenue submitted another report.
[1] Đại Nam thực lục. 2004. Nxb Giáo Dục, Đà Nẵng. vol. 2, p. 30.
[2] Đại Nam thực lục. 2004. Nxb Giáo Dục, Đà Nẵng. vol. 2, p. 31.
[3] Đại Nam thực lục. 2004. Nxb Giáo Dục, Đà Nẵng. vol. 5, p. 889.