Thiệu Trị (1807 - 4 November 1847) Nguyễn Mien Tong was the third emperor of Nguyễn Dynasty taking the era name of Thiệu Trị. He was the eldest son of emperor Minh Mạng, and reigned from 14 February 1841 until his death on 4 November 1847. 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Nguyễn Dynasty (阮朝) was a line of rulers of Vietnam in the 19th century to mid-20th century. ... Minh Mạng (1791-1841) was the second emperor of the Nguyá»…n Dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 14 February 1820 until 20 January, 1841. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Emperor Thiệu Trị was much like his father Minh Mạng and carried on his conservative policies of isolationism and the entrenchment of Confucianism. Highly educated in the Confucian tradition, Thiệu Trị had some curiosity about the west, but like his father was very suspicious of all non-Chinese outsiders. Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical, religious and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ...

At this same time, the French were in a colonial race with Great Britain and were pushing hard for stronger relations with Indochina. This, just as in the reign of Minh Mạng, brought up again the persecution of Christian mercenaries, most of whom were Spanish and French. When Emperor Thiệu Trị began to suppress the missionaries, it prompted an immediate response from France. In 1843 the French government sent a military expedition to Indochina with orders to protect and defend French interests, rescue the oppressed missionaries, if possible without causing an international incident. Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, believing him to be the Son of God and the savior of human souls from sin and death. ... A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... 1843 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Thiệu Trị was not, however, personally cruel, but his determination to eliminate all Catholic missionaries from his country could not be reconciled with a peaceful relationship with France. In 1845 this almost prompted a clash between Vietnam and the American warship USS Constitution who attempted to force Thiệu Trị to free the missionary, Dominique Lefebvre. 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For the ocean liner, see SS Constitution. ...

The French task force reached Tourane on March 23, 1847 and demanded that the safety of French nationals be assured and for Thiệu Trị to cease the persecution of missionaries. For reasons of pride, the imperial mandarins put off delivering the emperor's reply and fighting broke out. Thiệu Trị had fortified the coast, but the French forces far outmatched the Vietnamese due to the Nguyễn Dynasty policy of shunning all innovation and technology. All of the Vietnamese coastal forts were destroyed and three Nguyễn junks were sunk before the French squadron sailed away. Đà Nẵng is a region and city in central Vietnam near the ancient capital of Huế. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... A Mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China. ... A four-masted junk. ...

In response, Emperor Thiệu Trị called all missionaries enemy spies and demanded that all Christians should be executed on the spot. Fortunately, for the sake of Vietnam, the mandarins did not put this order into effect and Emperor Thiệu Trị died shortly afterwards.