Nguyen Huu Canh

Lễ Thành Hầu Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh or Nguyễn Hữu Kính, Hán tự:阮有鏡, (1650–1700?) was a general of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Chu. He is considered the one who established territorial sovereignty for Vietnam in Saigon and Gia Định regions in 1698. From that time, these regions officially became part of Vietnam.

Biography
Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh was born in Lệ Thủy District, Quảng Bình Province, Bắc Trung Bộ, Vietnam (then part of Đàng Trong). In 1698, Canh was sent by Nguyễn Phúc Tru to the south. He founded Gia Dinh garrison there. He called on people from many places in Central Vietnam to settle in these regions. He ordered the building of roads, canals, markets. Saigon has turned into a busy port city since then.