This book explores the role of Catholicism in mid-century Vietnamese society and politics. The local dimensions of the rise of anti-Catholicism are also explained. The book first investigates the grassroots experiences of the consolidation of Nguyễn rule in the reigns of its first two rulers, Gia Long and Minh Mạng. For much of the three to four decades preceding colonization, Catholics in many areas of the kingdom represented a relatively well-assimilated community, and negotiation and accommodation with non-converts were more often than not the norm. They faced considerable scrutiny in North Vietnam for their political role in the recent colonial past. The historicization of religious violence and social change is crucial for a more nuanced perspective on the dramatic shifts in the region's political and social identities. Finally, an overview of the chapters included in this book is given.