Biography of Jean Chardin Traveller 1643-1713
On 16 Nov 1643 Jean Chardin Traveller was born.
From Mar 1672 to Jul 1672 Jean Chardin Traveller (age 28) stayed in Constantinople aka Istanbul, Turkey.
Evelyn's Diary. 30 Aug 1680. I went to visit a French gentleman, one Monsieur Chardin (age 36), who having been thrice in the East Indies, Persia, and other remote countries, came hither in our return ships from those parts, and it being reported that he was a very curious and knowing man, I was desired by the Royal Society to salute him in their name, and to invite him to honor them with his company. Sir Joseph Hoskins and Sir Christopher Wren (age 56) accompanied me. We found him at his lodgings in his eastern habit, a very handsome person, extremely affable, a modest, well-bred man, not inclined to talk wonders. He spoke Latin, and understood Greek, Arabic, and Persian, from eleven years' travels in those parts, whither he went in search of jewels, and was become very rich. He seemed about 36 years of age. After the usual civilities, we asked some account of the extraordinary things he must have seen in traveling over land to those places where few, if any, northern Europeans used to go, as the Black and Caspian Sea, Mingrelia, Bagdad, Nineveh, Persepolis, etc. He told us that the things most worthy of our sight would be, the draughts he had caused to be made of some noble ruins, etc.; for that, besides his own little talent that way, he had carried two good painters with him, to draw landscapes, measure and design the remains of the palace which Alexander burned in his frolic at Persepolis, with divers temples, columns, relievos, and statues, yet extant, which he affirmed to be sculpture far exceeding anything he had observed either at Rome, in Greece, or in any other part of the world where magnificence was in estimation. He said there was an inscription in letters not intelligible, though entire. He was sorry he could not gratify the curiosity of the Society at present, his things not being yet out of the ship; but would wait on them with them on his return from Paris, whither he was going the next day, but with intention to return suddenly, and stay longer here, the persecution in France not suffering Protestants, and he was one, to be quiet.
Before 17 Nov 1681 Jean Chardin Traveller (age 38) settled in England as a consequence of the persecution of Protestants in France.
On 17 Nov 1681 Jean Chardin Traveller (age 38) was knighted at Whitehall Palace [Map] by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 51). The same day Jean Chardin Traveller (age 38) and Esther Lardinière Peigné were married.
In 1682 Jean Chardin Traveller (age 38) was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. He was living at Holland House at the time.
Evelyn's Diary. 10 Oct 1683. Visited the Duchess of Grafton (age 15), not yet brought to bed, and dining with my Lord Chamberlain (her father) (age 65), went with them to see Montague House, a palace lately built by Lord Montague (age 44), who had married the most beautiful Countess of Northumberland (age 29). It is a stately and ample palace. Signor Verrio's (age 47) fresco paintings, especially the funeral pile of Dido, on the staircase, the labors of Hercules, fight with the Centaurs, his effeminacy with Dejanira, and Apotheosis or reception among the gods, on the walls and roof of the great room above,-I think exceeds anything he has yet done, both for design, coloring, and exuberance of invention, comparable to the greatest of the old masters, or what they so celebrate at Rome. In the rest of the chamber are some excellent paintings of Holbein, and other masters. The garden is large, and in good air, but the fronts of the house not answerable to the inside. The court at entry, and wings for offices seem too near the street, and that so very narrow and meanly built, that the corridor is not in proportion to the rest, to hide the court from being overlooked by neighbors; all which might have been prevented, had they placed the house further into the ground, of which there was enough to spare. But on the whole it is a fine palace, built after the French pavilion-way, by Mr. Hooke, the Curator of the Royal Society. There were with us my Lady Scroope, the great wit, and Monsieur Chardine (age 39), the celebrated traveler.
Evelyn's Diary. 27 Dec 1683. I went to visite Sir John Chardin (age 40), a French gentleman who had travell'd three times by land into Persia, and had made many curious researches in his travells, of which he was now setting forth a relation. It being in England this year one of the severest frosts that had hap pen'd of many yeares, he told me the cold in Persia was much greater, the ice of an incredible thicknesse; that they had little use of iron in all that country, it being so moiste (tho' the aire admirably clear and healthy), that oyle would not preserve it from rusting, so that they had neither clocks nor watches; some padlocks they had for doores and boxes.
Evelyn's Diary. 23 Feb 1684. I went to Sir John Chardine (age 40), who desired my assistance for the engraving the plates, the translation, and printing his History of that wonderfull Persian. Monument neere Persepolis, and other rare antiquities, which he had caus'd to be drawne from the originals in his second journey into Persia, which we now concluded upon. Afterwards I went with Sr Christ' Wren to Dr Tenison (age 47), where we made the drawing and estimate of the expence of the Library, to be begun this next Spring neere the Mewes. Greate expectation of the Prince of Orange's (age 33) attempts in Holland to bring those of Amsterdam to consent to the new levies, to which we were no friends, by a pseudo-politic adherence to the French interest.
Evelyn's Diary. 15 Mar 1684. At Whitehall [Map] preached Mr. Henry Godolphin (age 35), a prebend of St. Paules, and brother to my deare friend Sydnie (age 38), on 55 Isaiah 7. I dined at the Lord Keeper's (age 46), and brought to him Sir John Chardin (age 40), who shewed him his accurate draughts of his travells in Persia.
Evelyn's Diary. 18 Jul 1686. I went to see Sir John Chardin (age 42), at Greenwich.
Evelyn's Diary. 02 May 1687. I dined with Mynheer Diskvelts, the Holland Ambassador, a prudent and worthy person. There dined Lord Middleton (age 37), principal Secretary of State, Lord Pembroke (age 31), Lord Lumley (age 37), Lord Preston, Colonel Fitzpatrick, and Sir John Chardin (age 43). After dinner, the Ambassador discoursed of and deplored the stupid folly of our politics, in suffering the French to take Luxemburg, it being a place of the most concern to have been defended, for the interest not only of the Netherlands, but of England.
Evelyn's Diary. 06 Oct 1687. I was godfather to Sir John Chardin's (age 43) son, christened at Greenwich Church [Map], named John. The Earl of Bath (age 59) and Countess of Carlisle, the other sponsors.
Evelyn's Diary. 18 May 1705. I went to see Sir John Chardin (age 61), at Turnham Green, the gardens being very fine, and exceedingly well planted with fruit.
On 05 Jan 1713 Jean Chardin Traveller (age 69) died in Chiswick.