Under the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam, for the first time, came under a single rule stretching from its northern border to the southern tip at Ca Mau. Emperor Gia Long, seeking to foster national unity, established Hue as the capital, constructing an impressive citadel modeled after the Forbidden City of the Chinese emperors. This architectural choice reflected the Nguyen dynasty’s adherence to Confucian principles. Gia Long and his successors overturned the Tay Son reforms, reinstating the feudal system; lands seized from former rebels were reallocated to loyal officials, and a complex bureaucracy was restored. Unfortunately, these changes left many peasants in worse conditions, as the dynasty restricted outside influences that might have prepared Vietnam for the French incursions in the mid-19th century.

However, the Nguyen dynasty also invested in infrastructure, expanding the nation’s road networks, extending irrigation systems, and streamlining provincial governance. This era saw a flourishing of Vietnamese arts, especially in literature and court music.

Despite expectations, Gia Long disappointed the French traders who had supported his rise by refusing to grant them significant trade privileges. Although he allowed a degree of religious freedom, his successors grew increasingly wary of foreign missionaries. From 1825, a series of decrees prohibited missionary activities, and periods of persecution against both Vietnamese Christians and foreign priests ensued. This religious tension eventually gave France the pretext it needed to initiate its annexation of Vietnam.