Alexandre, Chevalier de Chaumont

Alexandre de Chaumont (Alexandre de Chaumont II; * 1640 in Paris, † January 28, 1710 same place ) was a French naval officer and the first French ambassador at the court of Siam, Ayutthaya.

Life

Alexandre de Chaumont II was the son of Alexandre de Chaumont I and his wife Isabelle du Bois -des- Coeurs. He first took up a military career. He was captain in 1671 and a little later ( 1672) a major in the French navy in the Levant. Between 1685 and 1686 he was the ambassador of the French king Louis XIV at the court of King Narai (reigned 1656-1688 ) in Siam. He was accompanied by Siam there were the Catholic Abbé de Choisy, the Jesuit Guy de Tachard and Father Bénigne Vachet of the Paris Mission. They had the goal of King Narai to convert to Catholicism and. Along with it the entire people of the Siamese The conversion did not succeed, partly because the Siamese from the beginning were Buddhists. Another aim of the conclusion of a trade agreement, but it, also succeeded with the support of the Greek Chancellor Phaulkon Constantine, who was a favorite of King Narai. For example, France was able to reduce in Phuket tin. Among the companions on his return to France in 1686 were Kosa Pan ( the first envoy of Siam in France ) and its companion.

On January 3, 1689 married Jeanne de Chaumont Noirmoutier, with whom he had a son, Alexandre III Charles de Chaumont.

Work

Chaumont wrote a report on his experiences in Siam: Relation de l' ambassade de Monsieur le chevalier de Chaumont à la Cour du Roy de Siam, avec ce qui s'est passé de plus Remarquable durant son voyage. Paris:. Seneuse Arnoult et Daniel Hort Hemels, 1686 It was reissued in 1733 in Paris.