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Siamese Mandarins on the Grand Tour, 1688-1690

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Siamese Mandarins on the Grand Tour, 1688-1690 SIAMESE MANDARINS ON THE GRAND TOUR, 1688-1690 Michael Smithies* Abstract No less than four groups of Siamese 'mandarins' (the term given by Westerners to khunnang, nobles or court officials) were sent to France by King Narai between 1680 and 1688. Their function, and their fate, were varied. In this article, the first three missions are summarized, and the fourth, to France and Italy, which has been largely overlooked, is described in detail. The first group of Siamese mandarins to go to 1681 and was never heard of again. There were the West between 1680 and 1688 comprised the no survivors from this apparent shipwreck which ill-fated embassy led by the aged Ok-ya Phipat most likely occurred at the end of 1681. Kosa, who had led three embassies to China, The second mission to Europe was not an supported by Ok-luang Sri Wisan and Ok-khun embassy proper, but was sent to ascertain for Nakhon Wichai. It left Siam on 24th December sure what had happened to the first mission. 1680 and was sent to Louis XIV and Pope Louis Laneau broke the unfortunate news of the Innocent XI bearing letters, sumptuous presents probable loss to King Narai in September 1683, and protestations of friendship. The impetus for and the king decided on sending Ok-khun this came from Louis Laneau, Bishop of Phichai Walit and Ok-khun Phichit Maitri to Metellopolis, in charge of the French outpost in France to determine its fate. These two courtiers Siam of the Societe des Missions Etrangeres, were considered uncouth and inflexible by their who had developed cordial relations with the interpreter, the Missionary Benigne Vachet, Siamese king since his establishment in initially aided by Antoine Pascot. They left Siam Ayutthaya in 1664; Laneau supplied one of his on 25th January 1684 on an English vessel which Missionaries, Claude Gaymer, as interpreter to landed them at Margate from where they went the Siamese embassy. As the Memoires of to London. Vachet was presented to Charles II Fran~ois Martin (1932: II 180, 185), the father­ at Windsor by the French Ambassador in in-law of Andre Deslandes-Boureau, make clear, London, Paul de Barrillon. The diarist John this embassy, contrary to established belief, had Evelyn recorded on 26th September 1684 that nothing to do with the trading treaty and good an embassy from the King of Siam met the relations established by Deslandes, representing King. On the royal yacht, the Charlotte, the the French East Indies Company, since the Siamese envoys left England with their presents despatch of the embassy had been agreed in and crossed the Channel to Calais. They crossed January 1680 before the arrival of Deslandes in Picardy and were well-received everywhere en Siam in September. It also had nothing to do route for Paris. Vachet had a terrible time trying with the rise to power of Constantine Phaulkon, to persuade them to see the sights and listen to who did not effectively become chief minister operas; they had to be 'prodded like buffaloes unti11683. to undertake any civility' (cited by Cryusse 1991: This embassy left Siam on the Vautour on 267) and undoubtedly suffered cultural shock. 24th December 1680, spent eight months in They were informally received by Louis XIV Bantam waiting for a ship to go to France, and (an occasion arranged through the intermediary finally boarded the Solei/ d'Orient, sent from Surat. The ship called at Mauritius in November • PO Box 1 Bua Yai 30120, Korat, Thailand Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 107 Michael Smithies of the former transvestite courtier the Abbe de boat up the Seine, made a magnificent entry to Choisy) in the newly constructed palace at Paris, was received at Versailles several times, Versailles on 27th November, and managed to and travelled, at Louis XIV' s expense, in the irritate His Majesty by refusing to rise from the north and in parts of Flanders recently conquered floor in his presence. They nevertheless were by the king. The details concerning this embassy given a conducted tour of the palace and gardens are comprehensive, the court circular the while the king was at mass, and were thoroughly Mercure Galant even publishing a special bored by both. They also visited Saint-Cloud, volume on the doings and sayings of the the residence of Louis XIV' s brother, the Palais ambassadors (summarized in Smithies 1989: 59- Royal, Notre Dame, a session of the Parliament 70). But they were not privy to most of the presided over by the king, and Chantilly in the negotiations going on behind their backs snow (Vander Cruysse 1991:278-9). between Tachard, La Chaize and Seignelay, and Their somewhat pointless mission had one when the Marquis de Seignelay proposed to very important consequence. Vachet sowed the them that Bangkok be handed over to the French, idea in the ear of Louis XIV's confessor, Fr de Kosa Pan was visibly taken back. They also had La Chaize, and to the king himself, that King to fulfil very extensive shopping lists from Phra Narai might convert to Catholicism if a Narai, who ordered, inter alia, incredible sufficiently grand embassy were to be sent to quantities of mirrors and crystal for the him. Probably supported by the pious secret embellification of his palace in Lopburi, and a wife of Louis XIV, Mme de Maintenon, the great number of hats of different sizes, shapes preposterous idea gained the king's favour, and and materials. he decided on sending the Chevalier de This Siamese embassy returned with what Chaumont, seconded by the Abbe de Choisy as amounted to a French expeditionary force to co-ambassador, on an embassy to Phra Narai. Siam (there was a total of 1,361 troops, officers, This left Brest on 3rd March 1685, with the two ambassadors, priests etc. on board six ships that recalcitrant Siamese envoys, Vachet and other left Brest on 1st March 1687), together with a Missionaries, and six Jesuits destined to go to second French mission led by Simon de La China. Once in Siam, one of the Jesuits, Guy Loubere and supported by a director of the Tachard, managed to strike up a close bond French East Indies Company, Claude Ceberet. with the now powerful Phaulkon, and, They were not accredited with the title of abandoning China, returned with the embassy ambassadors, but were 'envoys extraordinary'; to France with secret instructions from Phaulkon it was hoped in Versailles that such a designation to negotiate the sending of French troops to would limit the flow of presents required for Siam in return for the handing over of Siamese full embassies. Tachard, too, returned, with fortresses. The Secretary of State for the Navy, instructions to negotiate with Phaulkon, which the Marquis de Seignelay, decided these would rendered the position of La Louhere and Ceberet be Bangkok and Mergui, to be occupied by equivocal to say the least. Revelling in his power force if necessary. and abject before Phaulkon, Tachard, who even The third Siamese mission to France, the stooped to carrying Phaulkon' s orders to his first embassy proper to arrive, was headed by cook, gave in to every proposal from Phaulkon, Ok-phra Wisut Sunthorn (Kosa Pan), rachathut, who was undoubtedly placed in a difficult with Ok-luang Kanlaya Ratchamaitri as second position. He had to persuade the king his master ambassador or uppathut, and Ok-khun Siwasan to allow the French troops to occupy Bangkok, Wacha as third ambassador, or trithut. This left 'the key of the kingdom', and its chief port on Siam in December 1685 with the returning the Bay of Bengal, Mergui. He was not aware, French embassy, arriving in Brest on 18th June unless Tachard was in a position to inform him, 1686. The embassy was feted throughout its that the French troops had orders to seize these stay, and was the talk of the town. It travelled places if they were not handed over voluntarily. by land from Brest to Nantes and up the Loire During this French mission, King Narai valley to Orleans, went around the outskirts of determined on sending a further mission to Paris waiting for the royal presents to arrive by France, which would also call on Pope 108 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts 1 & 2 Siamese Mandarins on the Grand Tour, 1688-1690 Father Guy Tachard, S. J. Ok-mu en Phiphit Racha Ok-khun Wiset Phuban Ok-khun Chamnan Chaichong Figure 1 Sketched by Carlo Maratta ( 1625-17 13) in Rome in December 1688/January 1689 (Vati can Library BA V. Vat. Lat. 14166. Reproduced with permiss ion from Somosorn 25 pee Thai-Vatican, Bangkok 1994 Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 86, Parts I & 2 109 Michael Smithies Innocent XI. The earlier Siamese embassy of court at Versailles, leaving his mandarins to 1680 should have gone to Rome with letters their own devices. They re-embarked at Brest, and presents, but, as noted, never reached its according to Tachard, on destination. He decided, probably at Phaulkon' s urging, to send Fr Tachard as ... a small frigate belonging to His Majesty, Siamese envoy, though he was not given the with the presents from the king their master and title of either ambassador or envoy his minister [Phaulkon] for the king and all the extraordinary because of his cloth. To give court, and went to Rouen, where they waited for the mission a Siamese flavour, though, three all the bales [of presents] before taking the 'mandarins' were 'selected to accompany the carriages sent for them from Paris to seek letters of the king' (1689: 301).
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