from the surrounding provinces of Gia Định, and inflicted heavy losses on the Tây Sơn naval fleet. Taking advantage of the more favourable situation, Nguyễn Ánh sent a diplomatic mission to Siam to propose a treaty of friendship. However, this pact was derailed in 1779 when the Cambodians held an uprising against their pro-Siamese leader, Ang Non. Nguyễn Ánh sent Đỗ Thanh Nhơn to help the uprising, which saw Ang Non defeated decisively and executed. Nhơn returned to Saigon with high honour and concentrated his efforts on improving the Nguyễn navy. In 1780, Nguyễn Ánh proclaimed himself Nguyễn vương (Nguyễn king or Nguyễn ruler) and Nhơn became "Ngoại hữu, Phụ chính, Thượng tướng công", the second most-powerful position in the Nguyễn army. Death In 1781, Nguyễn Ánh pretended to be ill and asked Đỗ Thanh Nhơn to visit him. Unaware of his leader's trap, Nhơn came to the palace and was killed by Nguyễn Ánh's bodyguards. The reason for this assassination remains unclear, but it was postulated that Nguyễn Ánh did so because Nhon's fame and military success was overshadowing him. Although Nguyễn Ánh foresaw the rebellion of Đỗ Thanh Nhơn's supporters following their leader's assassination, he could not prevent it, thus badly weakening the Nguyễn army. Moreover, Nhơn's death also led to the recapture of Saigon by the Tây Sơn rebels shortly thereafter because Nhơn was the Nguyễn officer that they feared the most and the forces were disunited following his death. In popular culture Nhơn, along with Châu Văn Tiếp and Võ Tánh, was called "Gia Định Tam Hùng" (Three Heroes of Gia Định) in Vietnamese folk culture. Notes Footnote Citations References 1781 deaths 18th-century Vietnamese people Vietnamese military leaders Mandarins of the Nguyễn lords Year of birth unknown