The Chevalier (later Count) Claude de Forbin came to Siam at the age of 29 in 1685 as aide-de-camp of the French ambassador, the Chevalier de Chaumont. He was a forthright Provencal already then with 17 years of naval and military experience. He was required to stay in Siam as admiral and general of the King of Siam's armies and governor of Bangkok, either because his military prowess and character impressed King Narai, or his bluntness gave rise to fears on the part of Phaulkon, the king's chief minister, that the real condition of the country's economy and the king's disinterest in conversion to Catholicism might be exposed to Louis XIV. Forbin's memoirs, written long after his departure from Siam, were not published until 1729. An English translation was published in 1731, two years before his death, and the section relating to Siam in this long unobtainable text has been reprinted, together with an introduction, notes, and contemporary illustrations. This rare text in English is fascinating for the insights it gives to daily life at King's Narai court, the intrigues spun by his Levantine chief minister, and the condition of Siam at a critical juncture, two years before the'revolution' of 1688. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.