Jean de Thévenot (16 June 1633 – 28 November 1667) was a French traveller in the East, who wrote extensively about his journeys. He was also a linguist, natural scientist and botanist.
Jean de Thévenot, from "Relation d'un voyage fait au Levant" (1664)
Thévenot conceived a desire to travel from reading other travel writing, and his wealth allowed him to fulfill this desire. Leaving France in 1652, he first visited England, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. At Rome he fell in with D'Herbelot, who invited him to be his companion in a projected voyage to the Levant. D'Herbelot was detained by private affairs, but Thévenot sailed from Rome in May 1655, and, after vainly waiting five months at Malta, took passage for Constantinople alone.[1]
First travels to the Near and Middle East (1655-1663)Edit
He remained in Constantinople until the following August, and then proceeded to Smyrna, the Greek islands, and finally to Egypt, landing at Alexandria on New Year's Day, 1657. He stayed for a year in Egypt, then visited Sinai, and, upon returning to Cairo, joined the Lent pilgrim caravan to Jerusalem. He visited the chief places of pilgrimage in Palestine, and, after being twice taken by corsairs, got back to Damietta by sea, and was again in Cairo in time to view the opening of the canal on the rise of the Nile (14 August 1658).[1]
In January 1659 he sailed from Alexandria in an English ship, visiting Goletta and Tunis (Tunisia) on the way, and, after a sharp engagement with Spanish corsairs, one of which fell a prize to the English merchantman, reached Leghorn (Italy) on 12 April. He now spent four years at home in studies useful to a traveller.[1]
Here he entered Persia (27 August 1664), proceeding by Kermanshah and Hamadan to Isfahan, where he spent five months (October 1664 - February 1665), and then joining company with the merchant Tavernier, proceeded by Shiraz and Lar to Bander-Abbasi, in the hope of finding a passage to India. This was difficult, because of the opposition of the Dutch, and though Tavernier was able to proceed, Thévenot found it prudent to return to Shiraz. Having visited the ruins of Persepolis, he made his way to Basra and sailed for India on 6 November 1665, in the ship "Hopewell," arriving at the port of Surat on 10 January 1666.[1]
He was in Mughal Empire of India for thirteen months, and crossed the country by Golconda to Masulipatam, returning overland to Surat, from which he sailed to Bander-Abbasi and went up to Shiraz. He passed the summer of 1667 at Isfahan, disabled by an accidental pistol-shot; and in October started for Tabriz, but died on the way at Mianeh on 28 November 1667.[1]
Linguistic skills and natural sciencesEdit
Thévenot was an accomplished polyglot, skilled in Turkish, Arabic and Persian, and a curious and diligent observer. He was also well skilled in natural sciences, especially in botany, for which he made large collections in India.[1]
Travel writingEdit
The account of his first journey was published at Paris in 1665, under the title Relation d’un voyage fait au Levant.[3] It forms the first part of his collected Voyages. The licence is dated December 1663, and the preface shows that Thévenot himself arranged it for publication before leaving on his second voyage. Among other things, he was one of the European travellers to include a story about the origins of the medieval Arabic document, the Achtiname of Muhammad, which claims that the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, had personally confirmed a grant of protection and other privileges to the monks of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Egypt.[4]
The second and third parts of Thévenot's Voyages were posthumously published from his journals in 1674 and 1684 (all quarto). A collected edition appeared at Paris in 1689, duodecimos the same year and at Amsterdam in 1727 (5 vols.). There is an early English translation by A. Lovell (folio, London, 1687).[1]
^Dew, Nicholas (July 2012). "Les Voyages aux Indes Orientales, and: Voyage en Europe 1652-1662 (review)". French Studies: A Quarterly Review. 66 (3): 393–394. doi:10.1093/fs/kns099.
^Thévenot, Relation d’un voyage fait au Levant. Paris: L. Billaine, 1665.
^Ratliff, "The monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai and the Christian communities of the Caliphate."
Ratliff, Brandie. "The monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai and the Christian communities of the Caliphate." .
Primary sourcesEdit
Thévenot, Jean de. Relation d’un voyage fait au Levant. Paris: L. Billaine, 1665.
Thévenot's Voyages on Gallica
October 21, 2023
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Jean de Thevenot 16 June 1633 28 November 1667 was a French traveller in the East who wrote extensively about his journeys He was also a linguist natural scientist and botanist Jean de Thevenot from Relation d un voyage fait au Levant 1664 Contents 1 Education 2 Early European travels 1652 1655 3 First travels to the Near and Middle East 1655 1663 4 Further travels 1663 1667 5 Linguistic skills and natural sciences 6 Travel writing 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 Primary sourcesEducation EditHe was born in Paris and received his education in the College de Navarre 1 He was a nephew of Melchisedech Thevenot with whom he is often confused 2 Early European travels 1652 1655 EditThevenot conceived a desire to travel from reading other travel writing and his wealth allowed him to fulfill this desire Leaving France in 1652 he first visited England the Netherlands Germany and Italy At Rome he fell in with D Herbelot who invited him to be his companion in a projected voyage to the Levant D Herbelot was detained by private affairs but Thevenot sailed from Rome in May 1655 and after vainly waiting five months at Malta took passage for Constantinople alone 1 First travels to the Near and Middle East 1655 1663 EditHe remained in Constantinople until the following August and then proceeded to Smyrna the Greek islands and finally to Egypt landing at Alexandria on New Year s Day 1657 He stayed for a year in Egypt then visited Sinai and upon returning to Cairo joined the Lent pilgrim caravan to Jerusalem He visited the chief places of pilgrimage in Palestine and after being twice taken by corsairs got back to Damietta by sea and was again in Cairo in time to view the opening of the canal on the rise of the Nile 14 August 1658 1 In January 1659 he sailed from Alexandria in an English ship visiting Goletta and Tunis Tunisia on the way and after a sharp engagement with Spanish corsairs one of which fell a prize to the English merchantman reached Leghorn Italy on 12 April He now spent four years at home in studies useful to a traveller 1 Further travels 1663 1667 EditIn November 1663 again sailed for the East calling at Alexandria and landing at Sidon whence he proceeded by land to Damascus Aleppo and then through Mesopotamia to Mosul Baghdad and Mendeli 1 Here he entered Persia 27 August 1664 proceeding by Kermanshah and Hamadan to Isfahan where he spent five months October 1664 February 1665 and then joining company with the merchant Tavernier proceeded by Shiraz and Lar to Bander Abbasi in the hope of finding a passage to India This was difficult because of the opposition of the Dutch and though Tavernier was able to proceed Thevenot found it prudent to return to Shiraz Having visited the ruins of Persepolis he made his way to Basra and sailed for India on 6 November 1665 in the ship Hopewell arriving at the port of Surat on 10 January 1666 1 He was in Mughal Empire of India for thirteen months and crossed the country by Golconda to Masulipatam returning overland to Surat from which he sailed to Bander Abbasi and went up to Shiraz He passed the summer of 1667 at Isfahan disabled by an accidental pistol shot and in October started for Tabriz but died on the way at Mianeh on 28 November 1667 1 Linguistic skills and natural sciences EditThevenot was an accomplished polyglot skilled in Turkish Arabic and Persian and a curious and diligent observer He was also well skilled in natural sciences especially in botany for which he made large collections in India 1 Travel writing EditThe account of his first journey was published at Paris in 1665 under the title Relation d un voyage fait au Levant 3 It forms the first part of his collected Voyages The licence is dated December 1663 and the preface shows that Thevenot himself arranged it for publication before leaving on his second voyage Among other things he was one of the European travellers to include a story about the origins of the medieval Arabic document the Achtiname of Muhammad which claims that the Islamic prophet Muhammad had personally confirmed a grant of protection and other privileges to the monks of Saint Catherine s Monastery in Egypt 4 The second and third parts of Thevenot s Voyages were posthumously published from his journals in 1674 and 1684 all quarto A collected edition appeared at Paris in 1689 duodecimos the same year and at Amsterdam in 1727 5 vols There is an early English translation by A Lovell folio London 1687 1 See also EditOrientalism in early modern FranceNotes Edit a b c d e f g h i Chisholm 1911 Dew Nicholas July 2012 Les Voyages aux Indes Orientales and Voyage en Europe 1652 1662 review French Studies A Quarterly Review 66 3 393 394 doi 10 1093 fs kns099 Thevenot Relation d un voyage fait au Levant Paris L Billaine 1665 Ratliff The monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai and the Christian communities of the Caliphate References Edit nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Thevenot Jean de Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 26 11th ed Cambridge University Press Ratliff Brandie The monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai and the Christian communities of the Caliphate Sinaiticus The bulletin of the Saint Catherine Foundation 2008 Primary sources EditThevenot Jean de Relation d un voyage fait au Levant Paris L Billaine 1665 Thevenot s Voyages on Gallica Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jean de Thevenot amp oldid 1067624551, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
