The Persian embassy to Louis XIV caused a dramatic flurry at the court of Louis XIV in 1715, the year of the Sun King's death.[1]Mohammed Reza Beg,[2] or in French sources Méhémet Riza Beg, was a high-ranking official to the Persian governor of the Iravan (Erivan) province. He had been chosen by the Safavid Persian emperor Sultan Husayn for the mission and travelled with a grand entourage, as suitable to the diplomat of a mighty empire.
Persian ambassador Mohammad Reza Beg.Entry of Mohammad Reza Beg in Versailles.Ambassade de Persie auprès de Louis XIV, studio of Antoine Coypel, c. 1715
The scene of the Persian ambassador's entry into Paris, 7 February 1715, was described by François Pidou de Saint-Olon (1646–1720), a nobleman who was delegated the diplomatic position of liaison officer to the Persian delegation:[3]
Ten Persians or Armenians on horseback carrying long ornate rifles. Two Armenians in charge of the care of the presents of the Persian king. Two pages of the ambassador, his master of ceremonies, his secretary and the interpreter. The ambassador on a horse harnessed with the shutter. Persian and Armenian lackeys of the ambassador around his horse. The shield bearer of the ambassador carrying the standard of the Persian king, marching immediately behind him with a page who carried the sabre of the ambassador.
During several months that he spent at Versailles, Mohammed Reza Beg conducted negotiations towards establishing trade treaties between Persia and France, as well as on specific agreements concerning the installation of consulates. He conferred with the French on possible joint military operations against the Ottoman Empire. But negotiations were impeded by Louis XIV's bad state of health. Nevertheless, Mohammed Reza Beg returned to Persia in autumn 1715 bearing treaties on commerce and friendship between France and Persia that had been signed in Versailles on 13 August. As another result of the diplomatic mission, a permanent Persian consulate was established in Marseille, the main French Mediterranean port for the trade with the East, soon staffed by Hagopdjan de Deritchan.[4]
Influences in literatureedit
Left image: Amanzolide cover page, 1716. Right image: Amanzolide illustration.
During the time he spent in Paris, however, feverish speculation ran rife about this exotic personage, his unpaid bills, his lavish but exotic lifestyle, the possibilities of amours, all concentrated in a pot-boiler romance of the beautiful but repeatedly kidnapped Georgian, Amanzolide, by M. d'Hostelfort, Amanzolide, nouvelle historique et galante, qui contient les aventures secrètes de Mehemed-Riza-Beg, ambassadeur du Sophi de Perse à la cour de Louis le Grand en 1715. (Paris: P. Huet, 1716).[5] It was quickly translated into English, as Amanzolide, story of the life, the amours and the secret adventures of Mehemed-Riza-Beg, Persian ambassador to the court of Louis the Great in 1715[6] a true turquerie, or fanciful Eastern imagining, which did not discriminate too finely between Ottoman Turkey and Safavid Persia.[7]
More permanent literary results were embodied in Montesquieu's Lettres Persanes (1725), in which a satiric critique of French society was placed in the pen of an imagined Persian homme de bonne volonté, a "man of good will".
The Memoirs of Saint-Simon for the year record contemporary court gossip that the ambassador was in fact an ordinary merchant from Persian lands, perhaps sent by "the governor of his province with business to transact in France" and put up as an ambassador by Pontchartrain, minister for trade and much else, essentially in a successful attempt to cheer up the aged king.[8] He says of the ambassador "there seemed to be nothing genuine about him, and his behaviour was as disgraceful as his wretched suite and miserable presents. Moreover he produced neither credentials nor instructions from the King of Persia or his ministers".[9]
^Padery and Gaudereau, La Perse et la France, documents nos. 89–100 describe the envoy's journey and reception; M. Herbette, Une Ambassade persane sous Louis XIV d'après des documents inédits, Paris, 1907; J. C. Hurewitz, ed. and tr., The Middle East and North Africa in World Politics: A Documentary Record, New Haven, Conn., 1956; On-line overview of French-Persian relations.
^He had been the French ambassador in Morocco, of which he published a description, Relation de l'empire de Maroc. Oú l'on voit la situation du pays, les moeurs, les coûtumes, gouvernement...; his brother, Louis-Marie Pidou de Saint-Olon (1637–1717), became French consul in Ispahan under the terms of the commercial treaty.
^In German, Amanzolide oder des vor zwey Jahren in Franckreich gewesenen Persianischen Ambassadeurs Mehemed-Riza-Beg Liebes und Lebens-Geschichte (Leipzig: M. Georg Weidmann, 1717).
^For the cultural context, see B. Naderzad, "Louis XIV, La Boullaye et l'exotisme Persan", Gazette des Beaux-Arts, L89 (January I972).
^Duc de Saint-Simon, ed. & trans Lucy Norton; Historical Memoirs of the Duc de Saint-Simon, Vol. 2, pp. 403-406, p. 403 quoted, 1968, Hamish Hamilton, London.
Mokhberi, Susan (2012). "Finding Common Ground Between Europe and Asia: Understanding and Conflict During the Persian Embassy to France in 1715". Journal of Early Modern History. Los Angeles: Brill. 16: 53–80. doi:10.1163/157006512X624100.
November 27, 2023
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The Persian embassy to Louis XIV caused a dramatic flurry at the court of Louis XIV in 1715 the year of the Sun King s death 1 Mohammed Reza Beg 2 or in French sources Mehemet Riza Beg was a high ranking official to the Persian governor of the Iravan Erivan province He had been chosen by the Safavid Persian emperor Sultan Husayn for the mission and travelled with a grand entourage as suitable to the diplomat of a mighty empire Persian ambassador Mohammad Reza Beg Entry of Mohammad Reza Beg in Versailles Ambassade de Persie aupres de Louis XIV studio of Antoine Coypel c 1715 Contents 1 The embassy 2 Influences in literature 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External linksThe embassy editThe scene of the Persian ambassador s entry into Paris 7 February 1715 was described by Francois Pidou de Saint Olon 1646 1720 a nobleman who was delegated the diplomatic position of liaison officer to the Persian delegation 3 Ten Persians or Armenians on horseback carrying long ornate rifles Two Armenians in charge of the care of the presents of the Persian king Two pages of the ambassador his master of ceremonies his secretary and the interpreter The ambassador on a horse harnessed with the shutter Persian and Armenian lackeys of the ambassador around his horse The shield bearer of the ambassador carrying the standard of the Persian king marching immediately behind him with a page who carried the sabre of the ambassador During several months that he spent at Versailles Mohammed Reza Beg conducted negotiations towards establishing trade treaties between Persia and France as well as on specific agreements concerning the installation of consulates He conferred with the French on possible joint military operations against the Ottoman Empire But negotiations were impeded by Louis XIV s bad state of health Nevertheless Mohammed Reza Beg returned to Persia in autumn 1715 bearing treaties on commerce and friendship between France and Persia that had been signed in Versailles on 13 August As another result of the diplomatic mission a permanent Persian consulate was established in Marseille the main French Mediterranean port for the trade with the East soon staffed by Hagopdjan de Deritchan 4 Influences in literature edit nbsp nbsp Left image Amanzolide cover page 1716 Right image Amanzolide illustration During the time he spent in Paris however feverish speculation ran rife about this exotic personage his unpaid bills his lavish but exotic lifestyle the possibilities of amours all concentrated in a pot boiler romance of the beautiful but repeatedly kidnapped Georgian Amanzolide by M d Hostelfort Amanzolide nouvelle historique et galante qui contient les aventures secretes de Mehemed Riza Beg ambassadeur du Sophi de Perse a la cour de Louis le Grand en 1715 Paris P Huet 1716 5 It was quickly translated into English as Amanzolide story of the life the amours and the secret adventures of Mehemed Riza Beg Persian ambassador to the court of Louis the Great in 1715 6 a true turquerie or fanciful Eastern imagining which did not discriminate too finely between Ottoman Turkey and Safavid Persia 7 More permanent literary results were embodied in Montesquieu s Lettres Persanes 1725 in which a satiric critique of French society was placed in the pen of an imagined Persian homme de bonne volonte a man of good will The Memoirs of Saint Simon for the year record contemporary court gossip that the ambassador was in fact an ordinary merchant from Persian lands perhaps sent by the governor of his province with business to transact in France and put up as an ambassador by Pontchartrain minister for trade and much else essentially in a successful attempt to cheer up the aged king 8 He says of the ambassador there seemed to be nothing genuine about him and his behaviour was as disgraceful as his wretched suite and miserable presents Moreover he produced neither credentials nor instructions from the King of Persia or his ministers 9 See also editPersian embassy to Europe 1599 1602 Persian embassy to Europe 1609 1615 Franco Persian alliance France Iran relations Franco Ottoman allianceNotes edit Padery and Gaudereau La Perse et la France documents nos 89 100 describe the envoy s journey and reception M Herbette Une Ambassade persane sous Louis XIV d apres des documents inedits Paris 1907 J C Hurewitz ed and tr The Middle East and North Africa in World Politics A Documentary Record New Haven Conn 1956 On line overview of French Persian relations in Persian محمد رضا بیگ He had been the French ambassador in Morocco of which he published a description Relation de l empire de Maroc Ou l on voit la situation du pays les moeurs les coutumes gouvernement his brother Louis Marie Pidou de Saint Olon 1637 1717 became French consul in Ispahan under the terms of the commercial treaty Hagopdjan de Deritchan Consul de Perse en France Bibliographic details summary In German Amanzolide oder des vor zwey Jahren in Franckreich gewesenen Persianischen Ambassadeurs Mehemed Riza Beg Liebes und Lebens Geschichte Leipzig M Georg Weidmann 1717 For the cultural context see B Naderzad Louis XIV La Boullaye et l exotisme Persan Gazette des Beaux Arts L89 January I972 Duc de Saint Simon ed amp trans Lucy Norton Historical Memoirs of the Duc de Saint Simon Vol 2 pp 403 406 p 403 quoted 1968 Hamish Hamilton London Norton Vol II 403External links edit1715 Reception of the Persian embassy official website of Chateau de Versailles Mokhberi Susan 2012 Finding Common Ground Between Europe and Asia Understanding and Conflict During the Persian Embassy to France in 1715 Journal of Early Modern History Los Angeles Brill 16 53 80 doi 10 1163 157006512X624100 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Persian embassy to Louis XIV amp oldid 1108164759, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
