Trịnh Giang

Trịnh Giang (Hán tự: 鄭杠; 1711–1762) ruled northern Vietnam (Tonkin) from 1729 to 1740. His title as ruling lord (chua) was Uy Nam Vương. He was one of the Trịnh Lords who ruled Vietnam. He was a bad ruler, being wasteful, inept, and callous.

Trịnh Giang was the son of his predecessor Trịnh Cương. He is considered one of the worst of the Trịnh Lords. During his years in power he spent money on luxuries and did little about the growing problem of landless peasants in the countryside. Also, a series of natural disasters struck, floods caused ruin for many villages and yet Trịnh Giang did nothing to relieve the suffering. Instead he obtained (through rich gifts) a new title from the Yongzheng Emperor of China, Supreme King of Annam (Vietnamese: An Nam Thuong Vuong). This foolish action provoked a rash of revolts as the people felt he was usurping the title of the Lê Emperor.

By 1737, his government had run out of money and had to put public offices up for sale.

A mandarin could gain a step in rank by the payment of six hundred strings of cash, and the commonest man in the kingdom was able to obtain the highest rank by the payment of two thousand eight hundred strings.

In the midst of revolts and bankruptcy, Trịnh Giang turned the government over to a favored eunuch in 1738. Two years later he was deposed and Trịnh Doanh took over.

As far as the Lê Dynasty was concerned, the king, Hôn Đức Công (1729–1732), was imprisoned shortly after assuming the throne and was then murdered after three years. He was replaced by Lê Thuần Tông (1732–1735) who was in turn replaced by Lê Ý Tông (1735–1740).