The military selection regime during the Gia Long (1802 - 1820) and Minh Mang (1820 - 1841) periods

Abstract

The article begins with a brief overview of the military selection regime in Vietnam before the eighteenth century and then focuses on clarifying the military selection regime implemented under Gia Long and Minh Mang. The author mainly uses historical methods analysis, and historical statistics from ancient Vietnamese bibliographical sources to clarify the process of implementing the selection regime through the two dynasties of King Gia Long and Minh Mang. The purpose of the military selection regime of the Gia Long and Minh Mang periods was also to classify the population into different classes for taxation and at the same time use it as a basis for recruiting soldiers. Research results show that from the Gia Long period (1802 - 1820) until Minh Mang (1820 - 1841) the military selection regime has become more and more complete associated with the process of concentrating the power of the monarchical state. In addition, the difficulties in implementing the military selection regime in the northern mountainous region also showed that the central court could not completely dominate this area, even during the most complete central government period under Minh Mang.