Claude de Forbin
Claude, comte de Forbin-Gardanne | |
---|---|
Born | 6 August 1656 Gardanne, Provence |
Died | 4 March 1733 Near Marseille, France | (aged 76)
Allegiance | France Ayutthaya Kingdom |
Service/ | French Navy |
Rank | Admiral |
Battles/wars |
Claude, comte de Forbin-Gardanne (6 August 1656, Gardanne – 4 March 1733) was a French naval officer, nobleman and diplomat. From 1685 to 1688, he led a diplomatic mission to the Ayutthaya Kingdom. He became governor of Bangkok and a general in the Siamese army, and left Siam shortly before King Narai fell ill and was deposed by a coup d'état.
Biography
Claude de Forbin was born in the village Gardanne in the Provence, as a member of a family established in Marseille in the 14th century. Later divided into several branches, Claude de Forbin was the most famous of the branch Forbin Gardanne.[citation needed]
High-spirited and ungovernable in his boyhood,[
He served under the
Grand Admiral of Siam
The most remarkable episode of his life was his mission to
His position, however, was soon made untenable by the jealousy and intrigues of the minister Phaulcon; and at the end of two years he left Siam, reaching France in 1688.[1] He was replaced as Governor of Bangkok by the Chevalier de Beauregard.[citation needed]
War with England
Claude de Forbin was afterwards fully engaged in active service, first with Jean Bart in the war with England,[1] when they escorted a convoy; attacked by superior forces, Forbin, aboard the Jeux, and Jean Bart, aboard the Railleuse, sacrificed themselves in a delaying action to allow the convoy the escape.[citation needed] They were both captured and taken to Plymouth. They succeeded in making their escape after 11 days, crossed the Channel on a small craft, and were soon serving their country again.[1]
Made a
During the
In June 1706, he attacked an English convoy, capturing seven ships; on 12 July, he seized two Dutch ships, and on 28 October, engaging a strongly escorted Dutch convoy, he captured three ships and sank another one.[citation needed]
In 1707, he was made a
On 21 October in the
In 1708, he led Prince James Francis Edward Stuart to Scotland, in an attempt to reconquer the Throne of England; ill-prepared, the attempt failed, and Forbin ceased to navigate. He quit the Navy in January 1715, and died on 4 March 1733 in Saint-Marcel Castle near Marseille.[citation needed]
His Memories were published in 1730, written by his secretary.[citation needed]
Sometimes hated for his harsh and strong personality, Forbin entered the legend as one of the most brilliant sailors of the time.[citation needed]
Trivia
Six vessels of the French Navy bore the name (see French ship Forbin).[citation needed]
See also
- France-Thailand relations
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g Chisholm 1911, p. 639.
- ^ Rajanubhab 2001, p. 263.
References
- Rajanubhab, D. (2001), Our Wars With the Burmese, Bangkok: White Lotus Co., ISBN 9747534584
- Smithies, Michael, ed. (1997), The Siamese Memoirs of Count de Forbin, ISBN 9789747100303
Attribution
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Forbin, Claude de", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 10 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 639 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
External links
- memoires-de-siam (in French)
- www.netmarine.net (in French)