Pierre de Milard (1736–1778), often described as Chevalier Milard, also spelled Chevalier Millard, was a French Navy officer of the 18th century who became a Captain of the Guard for the king of Burma. He had a key role in supporting the Burmese military efforts against Siam and Manchu China.
In 1756, Pierre de Milard was a member of a French navy force of two or three warships sent to Syriam (modern Burma) to provide reinforcements and supplies to the Mon revolt against the Burmese.[1] The force was to join the French adventurer Sieur de Bruno who was helping defend the city of Syriam against a Burmese attack. The Burmese leader Alaungpaya managed to capture Syriam in July 1756 however.[2] The two French ships with reinforcements and supplies were also captured by Alaungpaya, when Alaungpaya forced Bruno to write a letter to trick them. The French captains were killed and the sailors forced to join the Burmese army[3]
Chevalier Milard was among the soldiers who were forced into the Burmese army.[4] He was only 20 years old when he was captured. The incorporated French troops with their guns and muskets played a key role in the later battles between the Burmese and the Mons. They became an elite corps, which was to play a role in the Burmese battles against the Siamese (attacks and capture of Ayutthaya from 1760 to 1765) and the Manchus (battles against the Chinese armies of the Qian Long emperor from 1766 to 1769).[5][6]
Ultimately Chevalier Milard was nominated Captain of the Guard and Master of the Ordnance for the Konbaung dynasty.[7]
Milard was involved in the reopening of contacts between the Burmese and the French as Burma was looking for supplies of weapons for its conflicts with the Siamese and the Manchu Chinese. Commercial contacts resumed in 1770 and Milard arranged the visit of the French envoy M. Feraud and the re-establishment of the French shipyard in Rangoon.[8]
Milard was very close to the Burmese ruler Hsinbyushin and for some time slept in the same room as him in order to protect him against possible attacks linked to a succession dispute.[9]
Chevalier Milard was also noted for his charitable activities towards schools and churches, thereby promoting Western education in Burma.[10] He died in 1778. He was buried near the village of Ava-Ngayabya in the Sagaing district. His tombstone, written in Latin and Burmese was transferred by the Archaeological Department of Burma in 1924 for preservation.[11] His tombstone records that he fought for the Burmese kings in his campaigns against Pegu, Ayutthaya or Manipur as "Captain of the Feringhis" ("Captain of the French"), with the title of Thiriyazathukhyawhthin, baron (myosa) of Tabe in the Sagaing district.[12]