The archival research for my MLitt dissertation would not have been possible without the Society for the Study of French History’s generous research grant.While I joined my master’s degree with an interest in military and naval history, my research interests gradually shifted towards the study of colonial spaces. My coursework throughout the year gave me the opportunity to explore issues specific to extra-European environments in the late 17th and 18th centuries. My dissertation was a logical continuation of that work, aiming at understanding Mahé de La Bourdonnais’ colonial policy as governor of the French Mascarenes from 1735 to 1748. My initial objective was to uncover La Bourdonnais’ policy goals for France and the French East India Company by studying his thirteen-year long administration of the Ile de France and Ile Bourbon.
The research for this project was undertaken in June and July 2017 in France. My first stop was Paris. A single week there was enough to explore the collections of the Archives Nationales. My research there was primarily centred on the Archives de la Marine. Aix-en-Provence, where I spent three weeks, provided the bulk of the material for the dissertation. The Archives Nationalesd’Outre-Mer’svaried collections aided a thorough understanding of La Bourdonnais’ motives and goals. The study of his correspondence, as well as that of others in the Mascarenes, was vital to my project (AN COL C3 8, C4 2-4). Also essential to understanding my subject’s character were the papers on his private investments in the Archives d’Entreprise (94 AQ).
This research grant allowed me to fund my attendance at the 43rd annual meeting of the French Colonial Historical Society. By a happy coincidence, the conference overlapped with my time in the city. The insightful discussions with other participants shaped many of the ideas in the dissertation.
The outcome of the project was quite similar to what I had envisioned at the start. My dissertation uncovered La Bourdonnais’ policy goals, arguing that he had expertly formulated and executed a clear colonial policy as governor of the Mascarenes. This allowed me to portray him as an expert strategist who mastered the formulation and execution of policy, unveiling a previously unexplored facet of his character. From a historiographical standpoint, it touches on existing debates on strategic thought and personal agency in the early modern colonial world.
I would like to once again wholeheartedly thank the Society for its financial aid. The breadth of archival research necessary for this project would not have been possible without your generous support.
-Shyam Sridar