Hagopdjan de Deritchan
Hagopdjan de Deritchan (? - Marseilles, February 2nd 1728), was a commercial rich person Armenian, which was the first consul of Perse to Marseilles of 1715 to its death.
The French had much evil has to write its name. They called it Acoljean de Ritchan , Agop Jean or Agobian . On a document preserved at the Chamber of commerce of Marseilles, one can see his signature in Armenian: Hagopdjan di Deritchan i.e. Hagopdjan wire of Deritchan . Hagopdjan is a form derived from the Hagop first name, frequently used at that time among the Armenian of Perse. The name of his/her father, Deritchan, seems rather rare. As for the preposition “di”, which indicates filiation here, it is borrowed from Italian, according to a frequent use in the Armenian merchants of the XVIIe and 18th centuries.
Biography
An extraordinary embassy of the Shah of Persia
In 1714, the Shah of Persia Hussein Ier decided to send near the King de France Louis XIV an embassy in the intention signing a diplomatic and commercial treaty between the two nations. It chooses to represent it Mehmet Rıza Beğ, intendant of the governor ( khan ) of Erevan, “character imbu of itself, coléreux and little diplomat”, according to the priest Claude Bougrain. The voyage of the ambassador towards difficult Europe announcing - because it was necessary to cross the enemy Othoman territory - Khan of Erevan chooses Hagopdjan, a Armenian of Nation, which was the richest merchant of this region, to accompany the ambassador and to take care over the present of the Shah of Persia of the King de France.
the March 15th 1714 Hagopdjan leaves Erevan with the ambassador. They took the road of Europe together, by the Anatolia. After forty day of walk, they arrived at Smyrna, where the ambassador made at once inform secretly Mr. De Fontenu, the consul of France to Smyrna of its mission. The consul then made embark the letters and the present of the Shah dissimulated in silk balls on a French ship for Marseilles, where they were delivered by Mr. Arnoul, Intendant of Galères and the Trade for this city.
Four or five days later, it was with the turn of Hagopdjan, disguised as a sailor, to embark for Marseilles on the ship of the Marcel captain. The Armenian, on its arrival with Marseilles was placed, with the present of the ambassador of which he was always the guard, in the house of notable of the city, Mr. Gaudemar, while waiting for the ambassador, who still did not arrive.
The Turks prohibited Persan from leaving the Turkish territory time to inquire into its real identity and the goal of its voyage. Also, with the complicity of the Drogman of the embassy of France, of Greek origin, Padéry, the ambassador Mehmet Rıza Beğ and eighteen of his people embarked clandestinely with the port of Ayas in Cilicie on a French ship, which put the veils towards Marseilles, where it arrived the October 23rd 1714, joining Hagopdjan finally.
The December 23rd 1714, the ambassador and his crew, whose Hagopdjan, began the voyage towards Paris, accompanied by Mr. Pidou de Saint-Olon, gentleman delegated by the king, and escorted by a detachment of cavalry of the Queen and guards royal.
The February 7th 1715, arrived at Charenton, a sumptuous procession official was constituted to return solemnly in Paris. The Persian part of the convoy did not miss the picturesque one:
The February 19th, the delegation Persian went Paris to Versailles for the royal audience, in a sumptuous procession, escorted innumerable guards. Hagopdjan related to a cushion the present and the letter of the Shah of Persia wrapped in a silk fabric to gold flowers. The reception was imposing, but it is told that the Sun king was disappointed low importance of the present: pearls, turquoises, two small boxes of gold and balsam of mummy.
The Persan ambassador and Hagopdjan remained all the year with Paris for the negotiation of the free-Persan treaty, which was slowed down because of disease of Louis XIV. The ambassador was quickly with money course. He requested 25 to 30 purses in loan but did not find any lender in the capital. He then made with Hagopdjan the voyage to Amsterdam where resided of many arméno-Persan merchants, who granted the financing of the embassy.
The August 13rd 1715, the Commercial treaty and friendship between France and Persia was signed with Versailles. It envisaged in particular the establishment of a consulate of Persia with Marseilles, main port of trade with the East. The choice of Hagopdjan at this station was approved in October. After the departure of the Persan ambassador, Hagopdjan remained a few weeks with Paris. The regent, Philippe of Orleans, then gave him thousand books for his stay with Paris and his voyage for Marseilles, where it arrived the December 2nd 1715 to join his station.
Consul in Marseilles (1715-1728)
(to be followed…)
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