Jean-Baptiste Chardin, later styled Sir John Chardin, utilized his extensive experience as a merchant in Safavid Iran to establish a successful commercial network between the East and London. By moving beyond mere commodity trading, he documented his travels in a multi-volume work that became a cornerstone of seventeenth-century Western scholarship regarding the Near East.
Early Mercantile Expeditions
Born in Paris in 1643 to a wealthy jeweler, Chardin initially followed his father into the family business. In 1664, he launched his first commercial venture to the East Indies alongside associate Antoine Raisin. Traveling via Constantinople, he reached Persia by 1666, where Shah Abbas II appointed him as an agent for purchasing jewels. During this period, he resided in Isfahan, refining his knowledge of the Persian language and local customs while witnessing significant political events that he later detailed in his publications.
Exploration and Commercial Setbacks
In 1671, Chardin embarked on a second journey accompanied by the artist Guillaume-Joseph Grelot. His route proved treacherous; after fleeing political instability in Constantinople, he navigated through Georgia and Armenia. In Samegrelo, he was robbed of all possessions except for two bundles valued at £6,000. Despite these losses, he spent four years exploring territories from the Caspian Sea to the river Indus, eventually returning to Europe in 1677 via the Cape of Good Hope.
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Fleeing the persecution of Protestants in France, Chardin moved to England in 1681. King Charles II knighted him on 17 November 1681, the same day he married Esther, the daughter of a councillor in the Parliament of Rouen. He established a global diamond network in partnership with Elihu Yale, the first President of Madras. This enterprise involved sourcing gems from India's Golconda mines, facilitating their processing in Amsterdam, and managing their final sale in London.
Literary Contributions and Legacy
Chardin was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1682 and served as an envoy to Holland for the East India Company. His literary output, specifically his ten-volume travelogue, earned praise from figures like Montesquieu and Gibbon for its accuracy. His final years were spent in Chiswick, where he died in 1713. He left behind a significant scholarly legacy, including theological manuscripts that were later recovered and incorporated into the works of Thomas Harmer.
Fast facts
- Born: 1643, Paris
- Died: 1713, Chiswick
- Knighthood: 1681
- Memberships: Royal Society
- Primary Occupations: Writer, merchant, traveler
- Burial site: Chiswick
Questions readers ask
Why did Chardin move to England?
He emigrated in 1681 primarily to escape the persecution of Protestants in France.
What was the scope of his diamond trade?
He operated a global network with Elihu Yale, sourcing rough gems from India's Golconda mines for processing in Amsterdam and subsequent sale in London.
Did his final theological work ever surface?
Although presumed lost after his death, his manuscripts were eventually recovered by Sir Philip Musgrave and published by Thomas Harmer in 1776.
Achievements
- knighthood — 1681
