Gia Long was the first emperor of the Nguyen dynasty as well as the founding father of the modern nation of Vietnam. Born as Nguyen Phuc Anh, he was the nephew of the last Nguyen lord who (1) over southern Vietnam. In spite of being born into a royal family, he had to encounter (2) difficulties in his early life as he became the target of rival groups who attempted to wipe out the Nguyen clan (3) . After the deaths of his father and uncle at the hands of the rival leaders, Nguyen Phuc Anh fled to the southern coastal tip of Vietnam (4) he met a French priest, Pigneau de Behaine, who would eventually become his trusted adviser and play a major (5) in his rise to power. He escaped with the help of the priest and later on sought aid from the French in his struggle against his rivals.
(Adapted from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/)