Võ Tánh

Võ Tánh (武 性, ?—1801) was an 18th-century Vietnamese military commander, best known for his role as a general of Nguyễn Ánh, who unified modern-day Vietnam and ruled as Emperor Gia Long.

[2] Meanwhile, Nguyễn Ánh was badly defeated at the Battle of Rạch Gầm-Xoài Mút and fled to Siam which made the Kiến Hòa army the only rival of the Tây Sơn in the Gia Định region.

[4] Shortly thereafter, Võ Tánh returned to Gia Định, where he was elevated to the position of Đại Tướng Quân ("Grand General") and was given the title Quận Công (lit., "Duke").

[4] In 1797, Tánh assisted Nguyễn Ánh in launching a seaborne attack on Quảng Nam, where they quickly defeated the Tây Sơn garrison and occupied the province.

[6][7] In early 1800, two senior Tây Sơn generals, Tran Quang Dieu and Vu Van Dung, led a large force consisting of army and naval units toward Quy Nhơn with a view to recapturing it.

[10] Nguyễn Ánh agreed and then he attacked and captured Phú Xuân, forcing Tây Sơn emperor Quang Toan to flee to northern Vietnam.

[11] After refusing to consider the thought of a surrender, Võ Tánh requested the Tây Sơn field commander Trần Quang Diệu to spare his men in exchange for Tanh's own life.

[11] Later, Nguyễn Ánh, now emperor Gia Long, reburied his remains in Phú Nhuận, Saigon, and posthumously gave him the title Quốc Công (lit., "Duke of the Nation").