A DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF TONQUEEN
Samuel Baron was born in Ke Cho, the old capital of Tonqueen (Now North of Vietnam), into a family with a Tonqueen mother and a Dutch father. He grew up in the Netherlands before joining the English East India Company and coming home to Tonqueen in 1672. He visited Tonqueen several more times and went to the Tonqueen King’s funeral in 1682. He was raised by a Tonqueen ruler. Because of that, he was able to visit numerous locations and have an understanding of the Tonqueen people’s cultural customs.
Although he was not at Tonqueen at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689) wrote a book titled Les six vouages de Jean Baptiste Tavanier, écuyer baron d’Aubonne, dans Turquie, en Perse, et aux Indes on his experiences in Tonqueen. Baron examined it and found many errors, so he created A DESCRIPTION OF THE KINGDOM OF TONQUEEN to correct Tavernier’s errors.
As a Tonqueen native, he provided extensive information about Tonqueen, including its history, geography, customs, and people as well as its judicial and educational systems. Since Baron based his book’s content on his own observations, it is extremely accurate.
A Description of the Kingdom of Tonqueen was initially published in 1732 in volume 6 of Awnsham and John Churchill’s A collection of Voyages and Journeys, and it was later reprinted in volume 9 of John Pinkerton’s A comprehensive collection of the best and most interesting voyages and travels in 1811.
This book is one of the uncommon works that provides a rather thorough account of Tonqueen, a little region that is constantly in conflict.
One of the oldest books about Vietnam. True information from Vietnam native writer. Thanks for the post.
Thank you, Julia.