Image: Audience with Narai, 1685-10-18 (b)

Description: A drawing by Jean-Baptiste Nolin depicts an event that took place on 18 October 1685 CE at the Hall of Sanphet in Ayutthaya (now a province of Thailand). In that event, King Narai of the Ayutthaya Kingdom granted an audience to an extraordinary mission accredited by King Louis XIV of France. The mission was led by Alexandre, Chevalier de Chaumont. Narai, making an appearance at a balcony of the mentioned hall, had to lower himself to pick the missive up from Alexandre, who refused to raise the missive up to Narai. Narai's chancellor, Constantine Phaulkon, is seen making a gesture telling Alexandre to raise the missive higher to Narai. Alexandre was accompanied by François-Timoléon de Choisy and Louis Laneau. Guy Tachard recorded the event as follows [A Relation of the Voyage to Siam. (1688). London: T.B. for F. Robinson and A. Churchill. p. 171.]: "It was a Surprise to the Ambassador, when he entered the Hall, to see the King so high above him, and he seemed somewhat troubled that he had not been told of it. When his Complement was made, the next thing he was to do in course, was to advance and present the King his Masters Letter to the King of Siam. It was agreed upon with the Lord Constance, that to shew greater Respect to the Kings Letter, the Ambassador should take it from the Abbot de Choisi, who for that end should stand by his Side during his Speech, and hold the Letter in a golden Cup with a very long Foot. But the Ambassador perceiving the King so high above him, that to reach up to him he must have taken the Cup by the lower part of the Foot, and raised his Arm very high, thought that the Distance suited not with his Dignity, and that he ought to present the Letter nearer hand. Having a little considered, he thought it was his best Course to hold the Cup by the Boul, and to stretch his Arm but half out. The King perceiving the reason why he acted so, rose up smiling, and stooping with his Body over the Throne, met him half way to receive the Letter. He then put it upon his Head which was a Mark of extraordinary Honour and Esteem that he was willing to shew to the great King that sent it."
Title: Audience with Narai, 1685-10-18 (b)
Credit: National Library of France. (n.d.). "Audience solennelle donnée par le Roy de Siam à M.r le chevalier de Chaumont, Ambassadeur extraordinaire de Sa Majesté auprès de ce Roy...". Gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Paris: National Library of France. Retrieved: 2018-03-30.
Author: Jean-Baptiste Nolin
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No