مهاراجه فرانسوی

by Michel de Grèce, عبدالرضا هوشنگ مهدوی (Translator)

زمانی كه «فرانسوای اول»، پادشاه فرانسه، تقصیر شكست در نبرد پاوی را به گردن سپهسالار بوربون می‌اندازد و او را از فرانسه تبعید می‌كند، سپهسالار از سرنوشت ژان، كودك نوزادش، بیمناك می‌شود و او را به دست سرباز وفاداری می‌سپارد تا به یكی از روستاهای دورافتاده ایتالیا ببرد و به نگهداری و تربیت او بپردازد. ژان در 18 سالگی هنگام سفر به اسپانیا با كشتی، به دست دزدان دریایی، اسیر و به مصر برده می‌شود، ولی پس از چندی به اتیوپی و سپس هند می‌گریزد. در هند مورد توجه اكبر، امپراتوری گوركانی، قرار می‌گیرد و در دربار وی به مشاغل مهمی نائل می‌گردد. پس از چندی اكبر یك مهاراجه‌نشین را به عنوان تیول به ژان می‌بخشد. این كتاب، سرگذشت شگفت‌انگیز این مهاراجه فرانسوی است كه در سال‌های میانی قرن شانزدهم وارد هند شده بود و هنوز بازماندگانش در بوپال هند زندگی می‌كنند و نام خانوادگی بوربون را حفظ كرده‌اند

Genres: France, Biography, India

268 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2007

About the author

Michel de Grèce aka Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark is a member of the Greek royal family and descendant of the Romanovs. He is the author of several historical novels and biographies, as well as a contributing writer to Architectural Digest.

Reviews

[Firoz Kathrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellente lecture. Michel de Grèce, avec sa connaissance intime de l'Histoire et son inimitable talent de conteur, nous apprendre le destin de ce héros oublié ; l'histoire fabuleuse et inédite de Jean de Bourbon, héritier du trône de France devenu Rajah indien.

[Christina Apostolidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Η ίδια η ιστορία έχει πολύ ενδιαφέρον καθώς μέσα από τη ζωή ενός ανθρώπου μεταφερόμαστε από τη Γαλλία και την Ιταλία του 16ου αιώνα στην Αίγυπτο, την Αιθιοπία και την Ινδία, γνωρίζοντας σημαντικές προσωπικότητες και γεγονότα της εποχής. Όμως το ίδιο το κείμενο έχει κατά την άποψή μου πολλές τεχνικές αδυναμίες. Όπως συμβαίνει σε αρκετά ιστορικά μυθιστορήματα, φαίνεται να έχουν ενταχθεί πολλές από τις διαθέσιμες πληροφορίες χωρίς απαραίτητα να εξυπηρετούν την πλοκή, οι περιλήψεις/ περιγραφές υπερισχύουν των σκηνών, οι διάλογοι είναι αφύσικοι και οι χαρακτήρες δεν αποκαλύπτονται μέσα από τις πράξεις/ αντιδράσεις/ συμπεριφορά τους.

[Vijay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eat Cake and Carry On :)

A French Prince of Questionable Provenance but Considerable Virility through a Dramatic Series of Unfortunate Events Ends Up in the Great Moughal Akbar's Court to become his Brother in Law .. Fascinating No, The Current Bourbon Generation still lives on in Baroda, India.

So Technically, the Maison Du Roi Lives On To This Day .. All Rise ... What a Story ..

Conspiracy Theorists, History Buffs, Family Tree Researchers and Displaced Royals will Love This Book

[Dona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympathique histoire d'un heritier noble de France qui atterrit après de multiples aventures en Inde.
L'histoire rejoint la fiction dans ce livre et nous propose une possible histoire.
Je n'ai pu cependant m'empêcher de penser que ce livre aurait pu bénéficier de plus de romanisation, de dialogues et d'émotions.

[Lionelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agréable roman historique qui révèle les qualités de comteur de son auteur

[GrabAsia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the Bourbons and Bhopal is quite incredible. This book tells it well.

[Shefali Tripathi Mehta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a significant book for those interested in the history of Bhopal to understand how the Bourbons of France came to live and have important roles in the durbars of the rulers of Bhopal. It is a fictionalised account of how Jean de Bourbon escapes assassination attempts in France and travels through Egypt and Ethiopia to finally arrive in 1555 at Alibagh (then a port city of the Portuguese) and eventually in 1560 at the court of Akbar in Fatehpur Sikri, Hindustan. His descendants finally come to work with the Nawab Begums of Bhopal who ruled the princely state for one hundred years.

Author Michel de Grece's account of how he comes to visit Sanchi and turns up at the home of the Burbons of Bhopal in 2005 was an interesting beginning. Going back to 1516, with the help of historical records and family lineages, he traces the origins of this 14th generation of the family.

The narrative got a bit dense with historical details and fictionalised and real characters and I skipped a lot of pages to stay connected to the main story. I could not connect sentences like, 'Don't be stupid', (p103) to those times.

My takeaway was that the Bourbons of Bhopal are a family line of the Bourbons of France but may not be the direct descendants of the Commander of Bourbon, the Chief of Army and cousin of King Francois I (King of France from 1515 to 1547). Jean who came to Hindustan and who grew up hidden away in a remote Italian village, was told at 18: 'You may be the illegitimate son of some great lord, of some honourable lady, of relatives or friends of the Commander... This happens a lot in the most illustrious families...'

[Gita Madhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the Alliance Française here, I am allowed two books, two comics, two magazines and two books for children. Of the first category, I look for books on India or other countries by French or Francophone authors.
Thus, I chose this book. The author is a real life prince and has chosen to write in a slightly dramatised style about a scion of the French aristocracy who fled to India long ago and whose descendants continue to live in India.
It offers slices of history, from France in ancient times, to relatively modern day India. The style is not too obscure, nor florid and has an easy flow.
Probably a must for travellers to Bhopal

[Chrystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story. It is a fascinating and suspenseful historical account of Jean Philippe de Bourbon of the House of France. I totally recommend this book if one likes to learn about history, and travel through the readings.

[Carmen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting