Figure 1.-- Than Thai became Emperor in 1889, when he was 10 years old. This photo of the Vietmamese royal princes was taken in 1891. It shows Than Thai's younger brothers, princes Buu Luy, Buu Trang and Buu Liêm, brothers of the Emperor Than Thai. Vietnam at the time was a French colony.

Prince ửu Lân was crowned as the new Vietnamese Son of Heaven--Emperor Thành Thái. He seems to have been quite an alert boy, even at age 10. He understood that the French had spies the palace. Thành Thái took a different approach to the French. He persued a policy of passive resistance. He understood that Viet Nam was unable to expel the French so passive resistance was the only real alternative at the time. Thus the Emperor was limited to symbolic jectures to opose French colonial rule. He was known to occassional desguisue himself and leave the Forbidden City to speak with common people. Thanh Thai was in many ways the first modern emperor. He has his hair cut in western style and learn to drive a car. He promoted education even though this was a French innovation. On official trips he would hold public meetings akin to "Town Hall meetings". He would sit on a mat with his subjects around him to discuss issues of concern. The French took his eratic behavior as insanity. Thanh Thai supporter say it was a clever ploy to hide his true beliefs and activities. The French finally concluded that the Emoeror was plotting against them and would continue to do so. The French detained him while he was attempting to reach a resistance group in China. The French forced him to abdicate (1907). The French replace him with his young son, Prince Nguyen Vinh San. The French exiled him to Vũng Tàu in South China After his son Duy Tân attempted rebel, the French exiled father and son to Reunion Island (1916). After World War II, the French allowed him to return to Vietnam, but he was kept under house arrest in Vũng Tàu. He died in Saigon (1954).

Created: 5:06 AM 1/31/20074
Last updated: 5:06 AM 1/31/2007