Cần Vương movement
After Thuyết launched the Cần Vương movement that attempted to install the boy Emperor Hàm Nghi as the head of an independent Vietnam, the French colonial authorities captured Đính in an attempt to get his son to capitulate. However, Thuyết continued fighting against French. Tôn Thất Đính and his offspring were banished from the imperial clan. Đính was not allowed to use the surname "Tôn Thất", and forced to rename himself "Lê Đính" (黎訂). Đính was thrown into Côn Đảo Prison together with two mandarins, Nguyễn Văn Tường and Phạm Thận Duật. Later, they were deported to Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. While on the sea voyage, Duật died, and the authorities threw his body overboard.