Memoirs of the Count De Forbin Commodore in the Navy of France .: Containing His Pleasant Narrative of the Voyages He Made to the East-Indies &C. This item is unavailable.Memoirs of the Count De Forbin Commodore in the Navy of France .: Containing His Pleasant Narrative of the Voyages He Made to the East-Indies &C

Memoirs Of The Count De Forbin, Commodore In The Navy Of France.: Containing His Pleasant Narrative Of The Voyages He Made To The East-Indies, &C — Claude De Forbin. This first-person memoir chronicles a fiery, ambitious French naval officer whose youth is marked by impulsiveness, duels, and a stubborn drive for power, honor, and rank. It traces Forbin's evolution from a combative provincial youth born in 1656 near Gardanne, through early coastal campaigns, perilous land and sea episodes, and ascent into broader service and diplomacy. The narrative moves from siege warfare and Caribbean voyages to the Siamese embassy and Franco-Siamese politics, offering sharp self-critique alongside candid judgments of his own faults. Across long voyages, storms, intrigues at court, and negotiations in Siam, Forbin confronts loyalty, ambition, and the limits of power, culminating in high command, later years of moderation, and a contemplation of the costs and rewards of a stormy career. The work blends battlefield memory, travelogue detail, and moral reflection on courage, duty, and the price of prestige.