Jeanne Dupleix

Jeanne Dupleix (1706 - 1756) (nee Albert) was wife of Joseph François Dupleix, governor general of the French establishment in India in the 18th century.

Birth

She was born in 1706 at Pondicherry to Jacques-Théodore ALBERT and Élisabeth-Rose de Castre. Her mother was of portuguese origin from Madras while her father was surgeon of Company at Pondicherry whose native place is Paris. she was baptized on2 June 1706, as Jeanne. She had five sisters and two brothers.

Marriage

She was married to Vincens who was one of the superior councillors of the Company on 5 June 1719 and borne him six children. He died at Chandernagore 26 September 1739 at the age of 60. In 17 April 1741, she at the age of 33 married Dupleix who was President of Superior Council of Pondicherry and General Commandent of French Possessions in India. Mme. Dupleix was known to the Hindus as Joanna Begum (Jân Begum).

Legacy

She was a lady of great ability and it was her advice Dupleix used to take above all others. Her wise counsels and her energy sustained her husband in all his trails. She was with him completely during his administration of French India.. She proved of great help to her husband in his negotiations with the native princes. Dubash [Ananda Ranga Pillai]] expressed strong disapproval of some of the allegedly corrupt measures of her.The bitterness led to open hostilities between them.

Religious Persecution of Hindus

From the Private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai, it can be confirmed that she indulged in religious persecution against local Hindus. Few extracts from his dairy confirm this.

• Thursday 17th, March 1746,
  

On Wednesday night at.11,two unknown persons entered the Iswaran temple carrying in a vessel liquid filth, which they poured on the heads of the gods around the altar,and into the temple, through the drain of the shrine of Iswaran; and having broken the pot of dirt on the image of the god Nandi,they went away through a part of the building which had been demolished...."

• Saturday 31st,December 1746,
  

It was reported tonight at 7 that an earthen jar filled with filth was thrown from within the grounds of the church of St.Paul into the temple of Vedapuriswaran. It very nearly fell on the head of Shankar Aiyan, who was at the shrine of the God Pillaiyar on his way round the temple in the performance of his religious duties. When the jar struck the ground and broke to pieces the stench emitted was unbearable … the temple was now doomed to destruction....

• Sunday 8th, September 1750,Private Diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai, Vol 4, from p230</ref>,
  

Yesterday 200 soldiers, 60 or 70 troopers and sepoys were stationed at St Paul’s Church in view of the matter on hand. This morning, M Gerbault (the engineer), the priests with diggers, masons, coolies and other 200 in all, with spades, pickaxes and whatever needed to demolish walls began to pull down the southern wall of the Vedpuri Ishwaran Temple and the outhouses. At once the temple manager, Braahmans and mendicants came and told me … Just then … news was brought that Father COEURDOUX , the superior of St. Paul’S church had kicked the inner shrine with his foot and had ordered the Coffrees to remove the doors and the Christians to break the Vaahanams …(Pillai now went to Governor Dupliex in an attempt to save the temple as did the other caste leaders who sought to save the temple’s movable articles but it was all to no avail)

...then Father COEURDOUX of Karikal came with a great hammer, kicked the Lingam, broke it with his hammer, and ordered the Coffrees and the Europeans to break the images of Vishnu and other gods. Madame Dupliex went and told the priest that he might break the idols as he pleased. He answered that she had accomplished what had been impossible for fifty years, that she must be one of those Mahatma (great soul) who established this Christian religion in old days and he would publish her fame through the world … Then the native convert Varlam also kicked the great Lingam nine or ten times with his sandals in the presence of Madame and the priest and spat on it out of gladness and hoping that the priest and Madame will also regard him as Mahatma. Then he followed Madame. I can neither write nor describe what abominations were done in the temple...”

...Before M.Dupleix was made Governor, and when he was only a councillor, all the Europeans and few Tamils used to say that if he becomes governor, he would destory the Eswaran Temple. The saying has come to pass. Ever since his appointment he is seeking to do so, but he had no oppurtunity. He tried to get Muttayya Pillai to do it in May May or June 1743. But the later would not consent, though the Governor threatened to cut his ears off and beat him publicly and even to hang him...

Ananda Ranga Pillai quotes about her in his Private Dairy,

I have heard and read in books also, extraordinary accounts of the cunningness of the women. But Madame Dupleix surpasses them all a thousand times. The Europeans, both men and women, Hindus and Muhammadans alike, all curse her as a pupil of devil who will ruin the town

Death

She died at Paris on 4 December 1756 at the age of 50. Her funeral was performed on next day at the Parish Marie Magdaleine de la Ville l,Évêque.

See Also

Joseph François Dupleix
French India