Duy Tan

The baby-king Emperor Duy Tan (維新帝) was one of only two Nguyen dynasty emperors to gain widespread respect and popularity in Vietnam. His name was Prince Nguyen Vinh San and was son of the Thanh Thai Emperor. Because of his opposition to French rule and his erratic, depraved actions, Thanh Thai was exiled to Vung Tau Island in 1907. The French decided to pass the throne to his son Nguyen Vinh San, who was only seven-years-old, because they thought someone so young would be easily influenced, controlled and could be raised to be pro-French.

This proved to be a big mistake. Nguyen Vinh San was enthroned with the reign name of Duy Tan, meaning "friend of reform" and in time would prove willing to live up to this name. As he became older he noticed that, even though he was treated as the Emperor, it was the colonial authorities who were actually obeyed. As he became a teenager, Emperor Duy Tan came under the influence of the mandarin Tran Cao Van, who was very much opposed to the colonial administration. Emperor Duy Tan began to plan a secret rebellion with Tran Cao Van and others to overthrow the French.

In 1916, when France was occupied fighting World War I, Emperor Duy Tan was smuggled out of the Forbidden City with Tran Cao Van to call upon the people to rise up against the French. However, after only a few days, they were betrayed and captured by the French authorities. Because of his age and in order to avoid a worse situation, Emperor Duy Tan was deposed and exiled instead of being killed. Tran Cao Van and the rest of the revolutionaries were all beheaded. Prince Nguyen Vinh San was exiled with his father to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

Prince Vinh San continued to favor national liberation for Vietnam in exile. During World War II he joined the Free French Forces and became a minor naval officer. Later, when France was facing defeat by the Communists in Vietnam, and the regime of Emperor Bao Dai proved incapable of gaining any public support, French President De Gaulle talked to Prince Vinh San who was still popular in the public memory for his patriotism, about returning to Vietnam as Emperor. However, he died in a plane crash over central Africa on his way home and the great hopes of many died with him.

Later, in the 1980s his remains were removed from Africa and brought home to Vietnam in a traditional ceremony to rest in the tomb of his grandfather, Emperor Duc Duc.