Simon de la Loubère

Simon de la Loubère (21 April 1642 – 26 March 1729) was a French diplomat, writer, mathematician and poet.

Contents

Mission to Siam

Simon de la Loubère led an embassy to Siam (modern Thailand) in 1687 (the "La Loubère-Céberet mission").[1] The embassy, composed of five warships, arrived in Bangkok in October 1687 and was received by Ok-khun Chamnan. de la Loubère returned to France onboard the Gaillard on 3 January 1688, accompanied by the Jesuit Guy Tachard, and a Siamese embassy led by Ok-khun Chamnan.[2]

Upon his return, de la Loubère made a precise description of his travels, as he had been requested by Louis XIV, published under the title Du Royaume de Siam:

"It was by the orders, which I had the honours to receive from the King upon leaving for my voyage to Siam, that I observed in that country, as exactly as possible, all that appeared to be the most singular."
—Du Royaume de Siam, Simon de la Loubère.[3]

French career

De la Loubère was elected member of the Académie Française (1693–1729), where he received Seat 16, following the 1691 publication of his book Du Royaume de Siam.[4]

De la Loubère was a friend of the German scientist Gottfried Leibniz, and once wrote that he had "no greater joy than (to discuss) philosophy and mathematics" with him (22 January 1681 correspondence).[5]

Magic square

De la Loubère also brought to France from his Siamese travels a very simple method for creating n-odd magic squares, known as the "Siamese method" or the "de la Loubère method",[6][7][8] which apparently was initially brought from Surat, India by another Frenchman by the name of M. Vincent, who was sailing on the return ship with de la Loubère.[9]

Siamese parachute

Simon de la Loubère is also famous for making one of the earliest account of a parachute following his embassy to Siam. He reported in his 1691 book that a man would jump from a high place with two large umbrellas to entertain the king of Siam, landing into trees, rooftops, and sometimes rivers.[10][11][12]

Works

See also

References

  1. ^ Smithies, p.2
  2. ^ Smithies, p.3
  3. ^ Distant Lands and Diverse Cultures: The French Experience in Asia, 1600-1700 By Glenn Joseph Ames, Ronald S. Love Page 181 [1]
  4. ^ Smithies, p.59
  5. ^ Distant Lands and Diverse Cultures: The French Experience in Asia, 1600-1700 By Glenn Joseph Ames, Ronald S. Love, Page 194 [2]
  6. ^ Mathematical Circles Squared" By Phillip E. Johnson, Howard Whitley Eves, p.22
  7. ^ CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics By Eric W. Weisstein, Page 1839 [3]
  8. ^ The Zen of Magic Squares, Circles, and Stars By Clifford A. Pickover Page 38 [4]
  9. ^ A new historical relation, Tome II, p.228
  10. ^ Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook Dan Poynter, Mike Turoff p.86
  11. ^ Encyclopedia of military technology and innovation Stephen Bull p.200 [5]
  12. ^ A system of aeronautics John Wise p.57

Further reading

Preceded by
François Tallemant l'Aîné		 Seat 16 of the
Académie française
1693-1729		 Succeeded by
Claude Sallier