xviii Introduction 
war of the Fronde had prevented Oriental enterprise, 
whilst France possessed no exterior trade with any countries 
beyond Senegal and Congo on the western coasts of 
Africa. The young monarch, when he became of age, 
was by no means such a mere ‘ machine a signer ’ in the 
hands of his ministers, Colbert and Louvois, as many 
students have been led to believe by MM. Pierre Clement 1 
and Camille Rousset; on the contrary, the results of late 
researches made in the ‘volumes verts’ of the Bibliotheque 
Nationale, in the archives at Lorient, and in the records of 
the Ministry of Marine, by that expert publicist, M. Louis 
Pauliat, lead us to conclude that Louis XIV. himself was 
personally and actively engaged in the conception and 
initiation of the first French East India Company. 2 
By incontestable documentary evidence, M. Pauliat 
shows us the unusual methods employed by Louis le 
Grand in promoting his ambitious scheme of creating 
an Oriental France ; although Colbert’s promptings seem 
apparent behind his royal master’s project for starting 
the new Company. First of all, the services of the 
well-known academician, Frangois Charpentier, were 
enlisted to prepare a pamphlet 3 setting forth all the 
advantages and profits to be acquired by a French Com¬ 
pany in the East Indies. 
This pamphlet having been duly published broadcast 
under royal patronage, and become widely known, the next 
step was to obtain the countenance of the leading merchants; 
and for this purpose public meetings were called, at which, 
besides the trading community of Paris, many people of 
1 Histoire de la Vie et de P Administration de Colbert , 1846. 
2 Louis XIV. et la Compagnie des Indes Orientales de 1664, par Louis 
Pauliat, Paris, 1886. 
3 Discours cPun jidele sujet du Roi touchant PEtablissement d’une Com¬ 
pagnie fran$aise. Paris, 1664-1665. The German edition appeared under 
the pseudonym of Wagenseil. This discourse was followed by another entitled 
Relation de PEtablissement de la Compagnie franpise pour le Commerce des 
Indes Orientales , par Charpentier, Academicien. Paris, 1665. 
