See also: François Charon

François Charon (1600   -   1673) was a Huguenot French which had taken refuge with the Netherlands. It entered the Compagnie Dutchwoman of the Eastern Indies and was the first French to have visited the Japan.

Career

Beginnings and arrived at Japan

Charon was an apprentice cook (or according to other sources a commercial apprentice) on board Dutch vessel Schiedam which travelled towards Japan. In 1619, it unloaded in Japan. It is not the first example of contact Free-Japanese because it was preceded in 1615 by the stopover by the samurai Tsunenaga Hasekura with Saint-Tropez.

Progression of career in Japan

In 1626, Charon worked as assistant with Hirado and was promoted the April 9th 1633 with the rank of commercial Master, making of him the second, hierarchically, of the company in Japan. The February 12th 1639, it succeeded Nicolaes Couckebacker and became the managing director of the Japanese branch of the company. In 1640, the buildings of the company moved Hirado with Dejima (Nagasaki).

Charon remained more than twenty years in Japan, learned Japanese and married a Japanese woman who gave him six children

With the service of the Netherlands

In 1641, its contract with the company expired and it went to Batavia (the old name of Jakarta) to await its transfer in Europe. It was named member of the Council of the Eastern Indies.

The December 13rd 1641, Charon returned to Europe as a commander of the marine fleet. Although paid 1  500  glides for its services (important a enough sum for the time), it set out again for Asia in 1643 on board the Olifant . In September 1643, it directed an army of 1  700  men with Ceylon against the Portuguese.

Its Japanese wife having died, it remaria in 1644 with Constantia Boudaen.

Charon was named governor of Formosa (the old name of Taiwan) until in 1646. It restructured the production of the Riz, the Soufre and the Indigo and controlled the trade with the Chinese pirates.

It turned over to Batavia in 1646 and in 1647 was named director-general.

With the service of France

In 1651, Charon had to go to the Netherlands to answer charges of private trade but was defended well and been able to leave the company honourably.

In 1664, Charon accepted an offer of Colbert to become the director-general of the French Compagnie of the Eastern Indies which it accepted. This was perceived as an act of treason on behalf of the Dutchmen who banished it their Provinces.

In 1665, it sailed until Madagascar and founded a station of trade to Surat in India. In 1672, it helped the French to settle in Ceylon.

He died April 5th 1673, in the shipwreck of his ship whereas he returned to Europe.

Works

Charon wrote has True Description off the Mighty Kingdoms off Japan and Siam , published in London in 1671.

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