15 Jul 2021 | 04:25am IST
A forgotten man in Old Goa
Even the forgotten stones of Old Goa can rewrite history: The story of Ian Bebber,
the forgotten founding figure of the French East India Company and his tomb
in the ruins of the Convent of the Carmelites, Old Goa.
The Franco-Indian relations
have traditionally been close and both countries have a 'special
relationship' with each other. The Church & the Convent of the Carmelites,
Old Goa founded in 1620 could act as the potential site for the French-Goan
relationships. Most importantly it has the tomb of Ian Bebber, one of the first
persons deputed by the French East India Company to found the first French
Factory in India at Surat.
The story of Ian
Bebber is sad but adventurous one. Details of his early life is unknown. But
from his tomb inscription in the ruins of the Carmelite convent it is known
that he was from Marseille, France.
What happened to
Bebber remained a mystery in the pages of History until almost 350 years and in
2019 when under the supervision of Rev.Fr. Archibald Gonsalves the then
superior of the Carmelite monastery the site of the Carmelites at Old Goa was
cleaned in view of the Extra-ordinary definitory of the Carmelites at Old Goa
marking the 400 years of the Carmelite presence in India.
The Carmelites of
this extinct convent were sent from the Italian Province of the Discalced
Carmelites. These missionaries were from many nationalities such as French,
Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese etc. Blessed Denis of the Nativity who is
in the process of canonization was originally a frenchman from Honfleur and he
defended Goa from the attack of the Dutch in 1636. He was also a cartographer.
He joined the Carmelites and he was martyred along with Bl. Redemptus in Achen,
Indonesia by 1638. Reverend Fr. Philip of the Most Holy Trinity, a great
Theologian was originally from Malosenne, Avignon, France and he became the
General of the Discalced Carmelite order (1675-1681). Before that he lived as a
missionary in the Carmelite convent, Goa and trained the students for the
missions between 1631-1640.
In 1664 mainly due to the efforts of
Colbert, the then controller of the finances of the French Crown that the
French East India Company came into existence in 1664. In the same year three merchants
Bebber, Mariage & Dupont were sent by the French crown carrying with them
the diplomatic letters to the Shah of Persia. They were followed by two noble
men de Lalain & La Boullaye le Gouz of Avignon. In 1665 they were granted
special trade concessions by the Persian king.
In 1666 they proceeded to Surat and
befriended the Capuchin fathers. From there they proceeded to Agra to see the
Mughal emperor Aurangzeeb. On 4th August 1666 they were granted firman by the
emperor for trade. From there they returned to Surat and proceeded to act on
the firman granted.
Things changed when an ambitious French
Hugenot namely Francois Caron joined the French East India Company. He was a
refugee to the Dutch territory and seved the Dutch East India Company for 30 years
rising from cabin boy to Director General at Dutch camp at Jakarta, Indonesia.
He wanted to keep all the business in his own hands.
In a series of events La Boullaye de le
Gouz was assassinated near Dacca, Bangladesh. Francois Bernier stated that Bebber
embezzled the funds and fled from Surat. Francois Caron succeeded in founding
French outposts at Surat (1668) and Masulipatnam (1669).
The tombs in the altar were notified to
J.M. John Marshal, a lay Carmelite brother and a Carmelite historian who deciphered
the tomb inscriptions and the long lost and forgotten story of Bebber was
published by him in the book "The first foundation of Carmel in India
1619-2019" released by Cardinal Alancherry, General of the Carmelites and
the Archbishop-Patriarch of Goa.
The inscription read "Here lies
Monsieur Ian Bebber of Marsielle, One of the first deputed for the First French
Company to the King of Persia and Mogul. He died on 14th July of the year
1669" and two Fleur-de-lis the symbol of France were also added. This
inscription testimonies the fact that Ian Bebber fled to Goa and took refuge
within the Carmelite monastery and breathed his last there.
The story of Ian Bebber is a call to
preserve all the places of heritage in Goa which preserves the forgotten histories.
It is a symbol of the French connection to Goa and significant for the whole
Franco-Indian relationships. What the Convent of the Carmelites, Old Goa
witnesses is that Goa is not just a place relevant for Indo-Portuguese
relationships but also Indo- French relationships especially its primitive
years.
Carmelite historian and Research Scholar, Goa University
