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Political Judgemertt Between Empirical Experience and Scfiolarty Tradition: Engecbert Kaempfer's Report on Persia (1684-8$)

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Political Judgemertt Between Empirical Experience and Scfiolarty Tradition: Engecbert Kaempfer's Report on Persia (1684-8$) Political Judgemertt between Empirical Experience and Scfiolarty Tradition: EngeCbert Kaempfer's Report on Persia (1684-8$) Stefan Brakensiek* The article attempts a reconstruction of the ways in which the pro- duction of knowledge abou't Persia was organised by Engelbert Kaempfer in his writings. This late seuenteenth Century German traveller to Asia has bcen unfailingly commended for his crilical cmpiricism. While this has been takanforgranted in thefield oj natural sciences—Kaempfer was afamousphysician and botanist—it is more difßcult, when scarchingfor Ihefoundations ofhisjudgemcnt about the political system of Persia, to distinguish between experience and scholarly tradition. Tlie articleprovides a survey ofthc Information Kaempfer had to rcly upon. A comparison betivecn thcse sources and the report itselfgives us some insight into theprocesses through which theproduction ofsodo-political knowledge about an alien world took place and how the encounter with the alien exercised an inßuence on the political judgement ofa seventcenth Century explorcr. To the true Safavid prince, everything is allowed unrestrictedly: if he wants to conclude alliances, to declare war and peace, to alter the constitution of the realm, to think up new taxes; even if he wants to 'Fakultät für Gesch ich tswis.sen.se ha ft und Philosophie, University of Bielefeld, Universitätssfr. 25. D-33Ö15 Bielefeld. Germany. Email: [email protected] hielefeld.de M^di£val History Journal, S, 'Z (2002) Säße PubCications * New Delhi, Thousand Oflfes, London 224 * Siefan Brafeenstefc Engelbert Kaempfer's Report on Persia » 225 extend his power over the life and property of an individual and his This harsh judgement on the political System of Persia was passed wife and children. No subject, even the most distinguished, is by the learned doctor and natural scientist Engelbert Kaempfer. It protected against a degenerate power which is capable of modifying stems frorn his main work published in 1712, Amoenitates exoticae, the law whether out of arbitrariness or cruel passion.1 which could be translated äs 'foreign pleasures' or 'exotic delights'. And yet the Shah is just a puppet in the hands of the grandee.s, A journey of ten years through extensive parts of Asia which, from with the grand vizier in control. 'So to speak, through his eyes the November 1083 until June 1088, took him to Persia äs well, served king sees the theatre of the empire; according to his advice everything äs a basis for this book. If one follows the preface of this publication, is settled.'2 Kaempfer had come to his opinions on the strength of his own obser- vations exclusively during his stay of four-and-a-half years in Persia. 1 Engelbert Kaempfer, Amoenitatum Exoticarum politico-physico-medicarum 'l have taken in nothing only imagined, nothing srnacking of writing fasciculi V, Quibus continentur uariae Relationes, Qbservationes & Descriptiones room and smelling of study lamp.'3 And he continues: 'I confme myself Rerum Persicarum & Ultcrioris Asiae, multä attentione, in peregrinatibus per uni- versum Orientem, collectae, ab Auctore Engelberte Kaempfero, D. Lemgoviae, Typis to writing on subjects which are either new or not thoroughly and & Impensis Henrici Wilhelmi Meyeri, Aulae Lippiacae Typographi, 1712.- 4: 'Sopb- completely handed down by others only. As a traveller I aimed for omm vero Principi . ornriia permissa atque integra sunt: si velit foedera, bella, nothing eise than collecting observations of facts which have been pacem cudere, si Leges Regni mutare, si novas fingere tributorum species; quin ad unknown or not well-known enough. '4 Kaempfer characterises him- privatorum vitas, uxores, liberos & bona quse vis magnum exiendere: nullo civibus, self äs an ernpirical scientist who strives for innovative findings, äs a etiani primoribus, relicto juris prsesidio, quo degenerantis Potential vel libidinem ä fbrtunis, vel impetum ä cervicibus declinare queant.' The translation into German protagonist of that new type of learned man, conceptualised in sharp needs to be taken with a pinch of sall. Walther Hinz (ed.), Engelbert Kaempfer, Am contrast to the traditional scholar who explains knowledge äs com- Hofe des persischen Großkönigs !684-J68_5, Stuttgart, 1984: 21. Kaempfer's judge- piled from authority. ment on Persia was very cornmon, see Jean Baptiste Tavernier, The Six travels of I am willing to follow this seif interpretation of Kaempfer with John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne, through Turkey and Persia to the Indies. regard to the other subjects he has dealt with. His studies on medical During the space of I-orty years. Giving an Account of the presenl State of those Countries, viz. of their Religion, Government, Customs and Commerce . Made and botanical subjects are generally recognised äs innovative: his English byj. Phillips, London, 1678, vol. 5- 239: The Government of Persia is purely report on Japan shaped the eighteenth Century European Imagination Despotick or Tyrannical. For the King has the sole power of life and death over all about this remote country which had shut itself off from the western his Subjects, independent from his Council, and without any Trials or Law-proceedings. world.5 But if you, led by Kaempfer, undertook a journey to Persia in He can put to what death he pleases the chief Lords of the Kingdorn, no man daring those days you would be furnished with interesting detail about the to dispute the reason: nor is there any Sovereign in the world more absolute then the King of Persia.' Or Jean Chardin, Voyage du Chevalier Chardin, en Perse, et autres lieux de /'Orient, Nouvelle Edition, Paris, 1811 (forthefirsttime publishedin 1685), 5 Kaempfer, Amoenitates exoticae: preface: 'Nihil ex ingenio meo ficti in illum vol. 5: 229: 'Pour le present donc, le gouvernement de Perse est monarohique, de- retuli; nihil quod ungues sapiat & lucernam oleat.' spotique et absolu, etant tout entier dans la main d'un seul homrne, qui est le chef 4 Ibid.: 'Nee crambem recogno ab alüs coctam, . sed illis omissis, quae ab aiiis souverain, tant pour le spirituel que pour le temporei, le maitre a pur et a plein de la relata sunt, ea saltem describere satago, quae vei nova, vel haud intime & plene ab vie et des biens de ses sujets. II n'y assurement ancun souverain au monde si absolu alüs tradita sunt: Peregrinanti quippe non alius fuit scopus, quäm ut rerum vel usquam que le roi de Perse; car on execute toujours exactement ce qu'il prononce, sans avoir nobjs, vel non satis cognitarum notitias conquirerem.' egard ni au fond, ni aux circonstances des choses, quoiqu'on voie clair comme le ' Peter Kapitza, 'Engelbert Kaempfer und die europäische Aufklärung: Zur jour, qu'il n'y a la plupart du temps nulle justice dans ses ordres, et souvent pas meme Wirkungsgeschichte seines Japanwerkes im 18. Jahrhundert', in Hans Hüls et. al. de sens commun .... Rien ne met ä couvert des extravagances de leur caprice; ni Ceds), Engelbert Kaempfer: Geschichte und Beschreibung von Japan—Beiträge und probate, ni merite, ni zele, ni Services rendus: un mouvement de leur fantaisie, marque Kommentar, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, 1980: 41-ö3;Josef Kreiner, 'Deutschland- par un mot de la bouche, ou par un signe des yeux, renverse ä l'instant les gens les Japan: Die frühen Jahrhunderte', in Josef Kreiner (ed.), Deutschland-Japan. mieux etablis, et les plus dignes de I'etre, les prives des biens et de la vie; et pour cela Historische Kontakte, Bonn, 1984: 1-53; Peter Kapitza, Japan in Europa: Texte und sans aucune forme de proces, et sans prendre aucun soin de verifier le crime impute.' Bilddokumente zur europäischen Japankenntnis von Marco Polo bis Wilhelm von 1 Kaempfer, Amoenitates exoticae: 22: 'Hujus inquam oculis Rex, tanquam Humboldt, 3 vols, München, 1990; Derek Massarella, 'The History of Thc Histor): consplcillo Imperii scenam conspicit, ingenio dirigit, consilio tuetur.' The Purchase and Publication of Kaempfer's History of Japan', in Beatrice Bodart- 226 * Stefan Rrakensiek Engeföert Koempfcr's Report on Persia + 227 prince, his court, the army, the authorities, the judiciary, the national related to tyranny, since it is true that the despot rules according to budget, and Shiite Islarn. However, some of his judgement was not the law of the land, but merely on the basis of his own decisions sufficiently sustained by his own observations. His general Statements which nobody can alter. Therefore, despotism is no rule in the inter- on the political System of Persia were based mainly on European ests of the common weal, because the law itself serves one sidedly traditions of political thought and Communications with the commu- the interests of the rufen The positive Opponent to despotism is the nity of European experts. Greek polis, held together by the bonds of friendship and justice. It is often emphasised that European thinking about the east fol- While the concept of despotism in the Middle Ages, was used lowed a narrow path. Since the adoption of the Aristotelian work in above all, äs a polemical weapon against the clairn for supremacy of the thirteenth Century, certain topoi prevail describing the System of the popes, the emerging political science of the early modern period rule of the Oriental empires, and what is more, the collecn've character feil back on Aristotelian origins. Lucette Valensi has pointed to the of the eastern people.6The Greek terrn despotmeans 'head ofa house- change in the attitude of Venetian ambassadors against the Ottoman hold', at the same time 'master of slaves'. As a political concept, des- System of rule in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth Centimes: potism characterises a certain type of monarchy which, though until about 1,600 positive judgement prevailed, regarding the Turks resembling the domination of slaves, is a legitirnate form of rule äs frightening enemies and their empire äs a perfect system of domin- because it appears to be sanctified by custom.
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