Gustave Duchesne, Prince de Bellecourt (1817–1881) was a French diplomat who was active inAsia, and especially inJapan. He was the first French official representative in Japan from 1859 to 1864, following the signature of theTreaty of Amity and Commerce between France and Japan in 1858.[1]
Gustave de Bellecourt was Secretary of the French legation in China in 1857, underJean-Baptiste Louis Gros. He participated to the operation against China in theSecond Opium War.[2] In 1858, Gustave Duchesne de Bellecourt arrived in Japan as the secretary of the mission for the Franco-Japanese Treaty of Trade and Amity, led byJean-Baptiste Louis Gros.
The following year, he went again to Japan, arriving on 6 September 1859,[3] and became the first French representative in the country,[4] with the title of "Premier ministre plénipotentiaire de France au Japon". He was assisted by the translator Father Girard. Duchesne de Bellecourt played an important political role in Japan in the late 1850s and 1860s, alongside fellow Western diplomatsDirk de Graeff van Polsbroek,Townsend Harris,Rutherford Alcock andMax von Brandt. Although these men were bound by personal friendship, national rivalries and differences in dealing with the Japanese led to conflict and antagonism. However, the chaotic and ungovernable circumstances of the first few years forced them to cooperate.[5]
In 1860, the servant of Duchesne was attacked with a sword and badly wounded in front of the French legation at the Temple ofSaikai-ji inEdo.[6]
In 1861, Duchesne was promoted to the position ofambassador. He was generally in agreement withRutherford Alcock in his positions against theBakufu.
In 1863, Duchesne was involved in the negotiations for the reparations following theNamamugi incident, in which foreigners were killed by a party fromSatsuma.[7]
Duchesne, who had been a witness to Western interventions inChina, was a strong advocate of the use of force to govern relations with Japan. He supported the French intervention in the 20 July 1863Bombardment of Shimonoseki by CaptainBenjamin Jaurès and the August 1863 armed intervention of the British in theBombardment of Kagoshima.[8]
Duchesne however was strongly criticized by the French government for taking such bellicose steps, for the reason that France had much more important military commitments to honour in other parts of the world, and could not afford a conflict in Japan.[8]
In 1864, Duchesne de Bellecourt was succeeded at his post in Tokyo byLéon Roches, heralding an era of much stronger involvement by France.[9][10]
Duchesne de Bellecourt was to be sent toTunis, as Consul-General.[11]
Gustave Duchesne de Bellecourt received the medal of theLégion d'Honneur.[12]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None | French Ambassador to Japan 1859–1864 | Succeeded by |
