10 December is Nobel Day with gala and festivities, many celebrities and royals gathering in Stockholm. Here in this calendar we celebrate as well, but in a different manner. Prince Roland Bonaparte (1858–1924) was descended from Lucien Bonaparte, younger brother of Napoleon I. Roland Bonaparte had wide scientific interests, and was for a time president of both Société de Géographie and Société astronomique de France. Bonaparte travelled extensively and there are landmarks in his name in both Norway and Antarctica. But did he go to China? Not as far as I know. This book is a collection of Chinese inscriptions from the Mongol Yuan dynasty 元朝 from archives, museums and collections in France.
Each copy of the book is numbered, ours no. 176, possibly 200 copies were made. It has been digitised and can be seen via this link. In the book, or collection of plates, rather, there is also ʼPhags-pa and old Uyghur script. Perhaps the most fascinating documents shown in the book are held at Bibliothèque nationale de France and Archives Nationales in Paris. These are the letter from Arghun (1258–1291), Mongol ruler of the Ilkhanate, sent in 1289, and the letter from Arghun’s son Öljaitü (1280-1316) sent 1305. Öljaitü followed his father as ruler of the Ilkhanate. Both letters were sent to French king Philippe IV (Philippe le Bel, 1268-1314), and were part of the efforts of creating a Franco-Mongolian alliance against the Islamic caliphates.
Fortunately the Internet can show us these remarkable letters in their full glory, and you may even read the full texts in English translation. For Arghun’s letter follow this link and for Öljaitü’s letter use this link. Note the official stamps on the letters which are from the Chengzong Emperor of Yuan 元成宗 (Temür, 1265–1307), in Beijing (or Khanbalik as it was named the time). At its height the Ilkhanate covered what is now eastern Turkey, Iran, parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Iraq, but they still wanted to have the nominal connection and support of the Great Khan in far-off Khanbalik.
