Sieur de Bruno
Encyclopedia
Sieur de Bruno was a French adventurer and diplomat of the 18th century. He took an important role in developing French influence in Burma, and in leading French efforts at supporting the Mons
during their conflicts against the Burmese
.
The Governor-General
of French India
Joseph François Dupleix
had started to show interest in Burma since 1727, on account of the country's abundance in teak
and crude oil. As a result, a French shipyard was established in the city of Syriam in 1729, building ships for Pondicherry. The shipyard was abandoned in 1742 due to the revolt of the Mon.
A few years later, a Mon envoy visited Dupleix requesting French help in the fight against the Burmese. Dupleix promised men and munitions and dispatched Sieur de Bruno with the objective of developing French influence in the country. He arrived at Pegu in July 1751. Sieur de Bruno reported back that a few hundred French troops would be able to take control of the Irrawaddy Delta
, triggering an official request by Dupleix to the French court to obtain the necessary military support. Sieur de Bruno obtained a treaty and formed an alliance between France and the Mons.
Governor Saunders
of Madras attempted to counter the French moves in the region by sending a military force to survey the island of Negrais under Captain Thomas Taylor
. He also tried to negotiate the cession of Syriam to the British. The Mons firmly opposed these attempts at British encroachment under the counsel of Sieur de Bruno, who had considerable influence at the Mon court and was especially on excellent terms with the Heir Apparent. Saunders finally decided to occupy Negrais forcibly, occupying the island on 26 April 1753.
However, Dupleix's proposals to take control of the Irrawady delta were rejected by the French government, strongly limiting his capacity to intervene there.
Following their 1740 revolt against Burmese rule, the Mon
sacked Ava
in 1752, and overran most of Burma, putting an end to the Toungoo dynasty
. Soon however, the Burmese were able to repeal the Mons under the leadership of Alaungpaya
. The Mons had to retreat, as Alaunpaya first recovered northern Burma, capturing the city of Ava
on January 14, 1754. By February 1755, Central Burma was secured. The Burmese soon threatened the capital of Pegu, as well as the city of Syriam.
In Syriam, Sieur de Bruno was helping the Mons in organizing their defense. Sieur de Bruno was insistently requesting more help from Pondicherry. He acted as a military advisor to the Mons, and French warships participated in fighting against the Burmese in Syriam and Dagon (ancient Rangoon).
Alaungpaya on the other hand was asking the British for guns and ammunitions. Alaungpaya managed to capture Syriam in July 1756. Sieur de Bruno and the other French with him were captured and tortured. Two French ships, Fleury and Galathée, with reinforcements and supplies were also captured by Alaungpaya, when Alaungpaya forced Bruno to write a letter to trick them. The French captains were killed and the 200 sailors forced to join the Burmese army Sieur de Bruno was roasted to death. From the two ships, Alaugpaya managed to put his hands on 35 ships guns (24 pounders), five field guns, 1300 muskets, and a large quantity of ammunitions. France was precluded from further intervention in Burma, with the advent of the Seven Years' War
in Europe
(1756–1763).
The French troops with their guns and muskets were incorporated in the Burmese army as gunners, and played a key role in the later battles between the Burmese and the Mons. They were treated well and received Burmese wives. They became an elite corps, which was to play an important role in the Burmese battles against the Siamese
and the Manchus. One of them, the Chevalier Milard, was ultimately nominated Captain of the Guard and Master of the Ordnance for the Konbaung dynasty
.
When they reached old age, the French soldiers were able to retire in Shwebo villages, with the spiritual support of a priest. To this day, some Catholic villages are still extant in the area where an awareness of some European ancestry remains.
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
during their conflicts against the Burmese
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
.
The Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of French India
French India
French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India These included Pondichéry , Karikal and Yanaon on the Coromandel Coast, Mahé on the Malabar Coast, and Chandannagar in Bengal...
Joseph François Dupleix
Joseph François Dupleix
Joseph-François, Marquis Dupleix was governor general of the French establishment in India, and the rival of Robert Clive.-Biography:Dupleix was born in Landrecies, France...
had started to show interest in Burma since 1727, on account of the country's abundance in teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
and crude oil. As a result, a French shipyard was established in the city of Syriam in 1729, building ships for Pondicherry. The shipyard was abandoned in 1742 due to the revolt of the Mon.
Envoy in Burma
Irrawaddy Delta
The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Ayeyarwady Region , the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, 290 km to the south at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River...
, triggering an official request by Dupleix to the French court to obtain the necessary military support. Sieur de Bruno obtained a treaty and formed an alliance between France and the Mons.
Governor Saunders
Saunders
Saunders is a surname of English and Scottish patronymic origin derived from Sander, a mediæval form of Alexander.People with the surname Saunders include:* Al Saunders, American football coach* Allen Saunders, American cartoonist...
of Madras attempted to counter the French moves in the region by sending a military force to survey the island of Negrais under Captain Thomas Taylor
Thomas Taylor
Thomas Taylor was an English translator and Neoplatonist, the first to translate into English the complete works of Aristotle and of Plato, as well as the Orphic fragments.-Biography:...
. He also tried to negotiate the cession of Syriam to the British. The Mons firmly opposed these attempts at British encroachment under the counsel of Sieur de Bruno, who had considerable influence at the Mon court and was especially on excellent terms with the Heir Apparent. Saunders finally decided to occupy Negrais forcibly, occupying the island on 26 April 1753.
However, Dupleix's proposals to take control of the Irrawady delta were rejected by the French government, strongly limiting his capacity to intervene there.
Participation in the Burman-Mon conflict
Mon people
The Mon are an ethnic group from Burma , living mostly in Mon State, Bago Division, the Irrawaddy Delta, and along the southern Thai–Burmese border. One of the earliest peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, the Mon were responsible for the spread of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and Thailand...
sacked Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
in 1752, and overran most of Burma, putting an end to the Toungoo dynasty
Toungoo Dynasty
The Toungoo Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Burma from the mid-16th century to 1752. Its early kings Tabinshwehti and Bayinnaung succeeded in reunifying the Pagan Empire for the first time since 1287, and in incorporating the Shan States for the first time...
. Soon however, the Burmese were able to repeal the Mons under the leadership of Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...
. The Mons had to retreat, as Alaunpaya first recovered northern Burma, capturing the city of Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
on January 14, 1754. By February 1755, Central Burma was secured. The Burmese soon threatened the capital of Pegu, as well as the city of Syriam.
In Syriam, Sieur de Bruno was helping the Mons in organizing their defense. Sieur de Bruno was insistently requesting more help from Pondicherry. He acted as a military advisor to the Mons, and French warships participated in fighting against the Burmese in Syriam and Dagon (ancient Rangoon).
Alaungpaya on the other hand was asking the British for guns and ammunitions. Alaungpaya managed to capture Syriam in July 1756. Sieur de Bruno and the other French with him were captured and tortured. Two French ships, Fleury and Galathée, with reinforcements and supplies were also captured by Alaungpaya, when Alaungpaya forced Bruno to write a letter to trick them. The French captains were killed and the 200 sailors forced to join the Burmese army Sieur de Bruno was roasted to death. From the two ships, Alaugpaya managed to put his hands on 35 ships guns (24 pounders), five field guns, 1300 muskets, and a large quantity of ammunitions. France was precluded from further intervention in Burma, with the advent of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(1756–1763).
The French troops with their guns and muskets were incorporated in the Burmese army as gunners, and played a key role in the later battles between the Burmese and the Mons. They were treated well and received Burmese wives. They became an elite corps, which was to play an important role in the Burmese battles against the Siamese
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
and the Manchus. One of them, the Chevalier Milard, was ultimately nominated Captain of the Guard and Master of the Ordnance for the Konbaung dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
.
When they reached old age, the French soldiers were able to retire in Shwebo villages, with the spiritual support of a priest. To this day, some Catholic villages are still extant in the area where an awareness of some European ancestry remains.
External links
- Miscellaneous Letters on Burma, 1755-1760, I http://web.soas.ac.uk/burma/pdf/Miscletters1.pdf