Marie-Charles David de Mayréna (also known as Charles-Marie David de Mayréna and Marie I, King of Sedang; 31 January 1842 – 11 November 1890) was an eccentric French adventurer who became the self-styled king of the Sedang of the northern Central Highlands in what is now southern Vietnam.
De Mayréna was born in Toulon. He fled Paris for Java in June 1883, fearing prosecution for embezzlement. The next year, he was expelled from the Dutch East Indies. He returned to Paris and organized an arms shipment to Aceh. While returning to the East Indies, he stopped in Vietnam and started a plantation. In 1888, the King of Siam began claiming territory west of French territory. Anxious, the Governor-General of French Indochina agreed to a proposal from Mayréna to lead an expedition into the interior in order to negotiate treaties with the local tribespeople.
Once there however, he convinced some tribal chiefs to form a new Kingdom of Sedang with himself as king. Mayréna, his supporters and some tribespeople claimed that the tribes were not vassals of the Annamese (Vietnamese) emperor and therefore could form their own kingdom. The Kingdom of Sedang was founded when Mayréna was elected King by the chiefs of the Bahnar, Rengao, and Sedang tribes in the village of Kon Gung on 3 June 1888. He then assumed the style and title Marie the First, King of Sedang.[1]
King Marie declared Roman Catholicism to be the official tribal religion. However, he did not try to force the conversion of his subjects, most of whom were Muslims; instead, he announced his own adoption of Islam.[citation needed] He designed a national flag [2] and an honorary insignia—the Order of Marie the First—which he had cast by goldsmiths in Hong Kong.
He also sought to obtain official diplomatic recognition of his kingdom, and offered to cede his kingdom to France in exchange for monopoly rights, and hinted that the Prussians were interested if the French were not. When the French government became chilly, Mayréna approached the English at Hong Kong in 1889. When he was rebuffed there, Mayréna went to Belgium. In 1889, a Belgian financier named Somsy offered arms and money to Mayréna in exchange for mineral rights. However, the French Navy blockaded Vietnamese ports to prevent his return, and his arms were seized as contraband at Singapore. Mayréna retired to British Malaya.[3] There, on 11 November 1890, Marie I died under mysterious circumstances (various reports claim by poisoning, snakebite or as the result of a duel) at Tioman Island.
The Kingdom of the Sedang was subsequently conquered by the French Republic and her protectorate, Annam, without the consent of the government or people of Sedang.[4]
LegacyEdit
French writer and statesman André Malraux wrote an unpublished novel about Mayréna while Malraux' friend and character in La Condition Humaine, Baron de Clappique, wrote a movie script about him.[5]
ReferencesEdit
^The Imperial Collection – The Kingdom of the Sedang 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
^Cf. André Malraux, Antimémoires (Paris: Gallimand 1967), translated as Anti-Memoirs (New York: Holt Rinehart Winston 1968), chapter "The Royal Way" at pp. 253-322. Therein Malraux discusses Mayréna (pp. 258--259). Malraux also references his novel (p. 255) La Voie royale (Paris: Bernard Grasset 1930), whose character Perken was said to be somewhat based on Mayréna (p. 321). Most of Malraux's chapter loosely narrates Clappique's film script The Devil's Kingdom [English title] about Mayréna through Clappique's voice (pp. 259-320).
External linksEdit
Encyclopædia Britannica biography
Adventurers in Hong Kong: the Marquis de Mores and David de Mayrena
the Kingdom of Sedang
October 24, 2023
marie, charles, david, mayréna, also, known, charles, marie, david, mayréna, marie, king, sedang, january, 1842, november, 1890, eccentric, french, adventurer, became, self, styled, king, sedang, northern, central, highlands, what, southern, vietnam, marie, ik. Marie Charles David de Mayrena also known as Charles Marie David de Mayrena and Marie I King of Sedang 31 January 1842 11 November 1890 was an eccentric French adventurer who became the self styled king of the Sedang of the northern Central Highlands in what is now southern Vietnam Marie IKing of Sedang self proclaimedReign3 June 1888 11 November 1890PredecessorOffice establishedSuccessorJules Georges Piquetas Governor General of French IndochinaBorn 1842 01 31 31 January 1842Toulon FranceDied11 November 1890 1890 11 11 aged 48 Tioman Island British MalayaBiography EditDe Mayrena was born in Toulon He fled Paris for Java in June 1883 fearing prosecution for embezzlement The next year he was expelled from the Dutch East Indies He returned to Paris and organized an arms shipment to Aceh While returning to the East Indies he stopped in Vietnam and started a plantation In 1888 the King of Siam began claiming territory west of French territory Anxious the Governor General of French Indochina agreed to a proposal from Mayrena to lead an expedition into the interior in order to negotiate treaties with the local tribespeople Once there however he convinced some tribal chiefs to form a new Kingdom of Sedang with himself as king Mayrena his supporters and some tribespeople claimed that the tribes were not vassals of the Annamese Vietnamese emperor and therefore could form their own kingdom The Kingdom of Sedang was founded when Mayrena was elected King by the chiefs of the Bahnar Rengao and Sedang tribes in the village of Kon Gung on 3 June 1888 He then assumed the style and title Marie the First King of Sedang 1 King Marie declared Roman Catholicism to be the official tribal religion However he did not try to force the conversion of his subjects most of whom were Muslims instead he announced his own adoption of Islam citation needed He designed a national flag 2 and an honorary insignia the Order of Marie the First which he had cast by goldsmiths in Hong Kong He also sought to obtain official diplomatic recognition of his kingdom and offered to cede his kingdom to France in exchange for monopoly rights and hinted that the Prussians were interested if the French were not When the French government became chilly Mayrena approached the English at Hong Kong in 1889 When he was rebuffed there Mayrena went to Belgium In 1889 a Belgian financier named Somsy offered arms and money to Mayrena in exchange for mineral rights However the French Navy blockaded Vietnamese ports to prevent his return and his arms were seized as contraband at Singapore Mayrena retired to British Malaya 3 There on 11 November 1890 Marie I died under mysterious circumstances various reports claim by poisoning snakebite or as the result of a duel at Tioman Island The Kingdom of the Sedang was subsequently conquered by the French Republic and her protectorate Annam without the consent of the government or people of Sedang 4 Legacy EditFrench writer and statesman Andre Malraux wrote an unpublished novel about Mayrena while Malraux friend and character in La Condition Humaine Baron de Clappique wrote a movie script about him 5 References Edit The Imperial Collection The Kingdom of the Sedang Archived 2012 02 05 at the Wayback Machine Sedang Kingdom Vietnam Footnotes to History S Archived 2008 05 09 at the Wayback Machine The Kingdom of Sedang Cf Andre Malraux Antimemoires Paris Gallimand 1967 translated as Anti Memoirs New York Holt Rinehart Winston 1968 chapter The Royal Way at pp 253 322 Therein Malraux discusses Mayrena pp 258 259 Malraux also references his novel p 255 La Voie royale Paris Bernard Grasset 1930 whose character Perken was said to be somewhat based on Mayrena p 321 Most of Malraux s chapter loosely narrates Clappique s film script The Devil s Kingdom English title about Mayrena through Clappique s voice pp 259 320 External links EditEncyclopaedia Britannica biography Adventurers in Hong Kong the Marquis de Mores and David de Mayrena the Kingdom of Sedang History and postage stamps of the Kingdom of Sedang Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marie Charles David de Mayrena amp oldid 1154039203, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
