Phú Xuân

Phú Xuân was a village in Thừa Thiên Province in central Vietnam that grew into a seat of power and then a national capital. From 1687, under the Nguyễn lord Nguyễn Phúc Trăn, a citadel was begun there as a symbol of Nguyễn family authority rather than a defensive work. In 1744 Nguyễn Phúc Khoát proclaimed himself king and Phú Xuân became the capital of central and southern Vietnam. The Trịnh lords captured it in 1775 and the Tây Sơn took it in 1786, making it the capital of the Tây Sơn dynasty under the emperor Quang Trung. In 1802 Nguyễn Ánh recaptured it, rebuilt the citadel entirely and made it the Imperial City, capital of all of Vietnam, and the capital was later renamed Huế.