François Martin de Vitré
Encyclopedia
François Martin de Vitré was a French sailor and adventurer from the city of Vitré
who travelled to East Asia
as far as Sumatra
from 1601 to 1603. He was the first Frenchman to write an account of travels to the Far East
. He was however preceded to the Far-East by several French traders, such as Jean Parmentier
in 1529. François Martin de Vitré seems to have been the surgeon
of his ship.
In December 1600 a French trading company was formed through the association of Saint-Malo
, Laval
and Vitré
, to trade with the Moluccas and Japan
. Two ships, the Croissant and the Corbin, were sent around the Cape of Good Hope
in May 1601. The Corbin was wrecked in the Maldives
, beginning the adventure of François Pyrard de Laval
, who managed to return to France in 1611.
The second ship, the Croissant carrying François Martin de Vitré, reached Ceylon and traded with Aceh
in Sumatra
, but on the return leg was captured by the Dutch at Cape Finisterre
.
François Martin, together with François Pyrard, were among the first French merchants to visit India. They went to Surat
and also visited the town of Gujarat.
In his Memoires, François Martin wrote that the world was learning from China at that time.
On his return, François Martin was asked by Henry IV
to write the account of his travels, which he published in 1604. The accounts of François Martin created a strong enthusiasm for Asian travel, and from 1604 to 1609, following the return of François Martin, Henry IV attempted to set up a French East India Company
on the model of England
and the Netherlands
.
In 1609, a Malay language
dictionary was added to Martin's work, but this may be the work of Pierre-Olivier Malherbe
, also from Vitré
, who was just returning from a 27-year world tour and has a claim to being the first French circumnavigator.
Vitré
Vitré may refer to communes in France:* Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine* Vitré, Deux-Sèvres...
who travelled to East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
as far as Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
from 1601 to 1603. He was the first Frenchman to write an account of travels to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. He was however preceded to the Far-East by several French traders, such as Jean Parmentier
Jean Parmentier
Jean Parmentier , born in Dieppe, France, was a navigator, cartographer, and poet. Jean and his brother Raoul made numerous voyages for the shipowner Jean Ango, and sailed to the coasts of Brazil, North America, West Africa and Sumatra....
in 1529. François Martin de Vitré seems to have been the surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
of his ship.
In December 1600 a French trading company was formed through the association of Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
, Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
and Vitré
Vitré
Vitré may refer to communes in France:* Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine* Vitré, Deux-Sèvres...
, to trade with the Moluccas and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Two ships, the Croissant and the Corbin, were sent around the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
in May 1601. The Corbin was wrecked in the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, beginning the adventure of François Pyrard de Laval
François Pyrard de Laval
François Pyrard de Laval was a French navigator who is remembered for a personal written account of his adventures in the Maldives Islands from 1602 to 1607, which was part of a ten-year sojourn in South Asia, et al...
, who managed to return to France in 1611.
The second ship, the Croissant carrying François Martin de Vitré, reached Ceylon and traded with Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
in Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, but on the return leg was captured by the Dutch at Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre
right|thumb|300px|Position of Cape Finisterre on the [[Iberian Peninsula]]Cape Finisterre is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain....
.
François Martin, together with François Pyrard, were among the first French merchants to visit India. They went to Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and also visited the town of Gujarat.
In his Memoires, François Martin wrote that the world was learning from China at that time.
On his return, François Martin was asked by Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
to write the account of his travels, which he published in 1604. The accounts of François Martin created a strong enthusiasm for Asian travel, and from 1604 to 1609, following the return of François Martin, Henry IV attempted to set up a French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
on the model of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
In 1609, a Malay language
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
dictionary was added to Martin's work, but this may be the work of Pierre-Olivier Malherbe
Pierre-Olivier Malherbe
Pierre-Olivier Malherbe was a French explorer from the city of Vitré.Pierre-Olivier Malherbe went on 27-year world tour, and returned to France in 1609. He has a claim to being the first French circumnavigator...
, also from Vitré
Vitré
Vitré may refer to communes in France:* Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine* Vitré, Deux-Sèvres...
, who was just returning from a 27-year world tour and has a claim to being the first French circumnavigator.
Works
- La Description du premier voyage fait aux Indes orientales par les Français en l'an 1603, contenant les mœurs, les lois, façon de vivre, religions et habits des Indiens Paris 1604
- Une Description et Remarque des animaux, épiceries, drogues aromatiques et fruits qui se trouvent aux Indes
- Un Traité du scorbut, qui est une maladie étrange qui survient à ceux qui voyagent en ces contrées Paris, 1609, in-12.