TAVERNIER, JEAN BAPTISTE, Baron n'AtmoNNE, a celebrated French traveler, was the son of a Flemish engraver who had settled in Paris, and was born there in 1605. The conversation of the sevens who frequented his father's shop inspired him with all ardent curiosity to visit other countries, and prompted him to leave the parential roof before his 15th year. After visiting England, the Low Countries, Germany, Hungary, and Italy, he eagerly caught at the offer made to him by father Joseph (the confidant of Richelieu), to accompany two French noblemen to the east. This journey lasted from Dec., 1630 to the summer of 1633, the line of route passing through Regensburg, Dres den, Vienna, Constantinople (where he left his masters), Erzeroum, Tabriz, lspahan, Bagdad, Aleppo, and Scanderoon, and thence by sea to Rome. Tavernier then obtained an important post in the household of the duke of Orleans, but received occasional leaves of absence to prosecute his journeys in the east. The second journey (1638-43), was from Marseilles to Scanderoon, thence across Syria to Ispahan, south-western Persia, and Hindustan; the third (1643-49, through Ispahan, much of Hindustan, Batavia, and others of the East Indies; and in the fourth (1651-55); fifth, (1656—? ), and sixth (1663— 69), various portions of Persia and Hindustan were visited, the outward route being generally by way of Syria and the Arabian desert, and the return one by Asia Minor. Tavernier invariably traveled as a dealer in precious stones and other valuable articles of small bulk, and the great profits he realized strongly impressed upon him the advan tages of regular commerce between Europe and the east. On his return to France in. 1669 he was graciously received at court by Louis XIV., who presented him with "let ters of nobility" in reward for his services to French commerce in India. But his prodigal expenditure and careless generosity speedily reduced his fortune, and the revo cation of the edict of Nantes compelled him to take refuge in Switzerland, whence he removed to Berlin, and became director of an East India company which was projected by the elector of Brandenburg. With the view of discevering a road to the Indies
through Russia, he set out from Berlin in 1688, but died at Moscow in July, 1689. An account of his travels was written for him by various parties (for Tavernier had no lit erary qualifications,) and though full of matter valuable to the historian and geographer, it is so ill-arranged as to be in many cases almost unavailable. Tavernier was one-of the most remarkable of travelers; wholly devoid of classic sentiment, he traversed the plains of Troy, and passed the ruins of Persepolis without even a flutter of interest, and partly owing to this remarkable condition of mind, his statements are distinguished by an accurate truthfulness little common among travelers. But the chief value of his book lies in the fullness and.accuracy with which the nature and state of oriental com merce, the chief markets and commercial routes, and the various systems of coinage and their relations are detailed. Some of his statements concerning the conduct of the Dutch in the East Indies called forth a most virulent and abusive reply from Jurieu, the Protestant theologian, in his L'Esprit de .V. Arnauld (1684), and a more moderate one from Van Quellenburgh; but all Tavernier's assertions which were of any moment were found to be perfectly correct. His travels were originally published in 3 vols. (two in 1676-77, and the third in 1679); they have since been several times republished, last in 1810, in 7 vols.; and have been translated into „English (1678, 1684, 2 vols.), Dutch (1682), and German (1684.
a Sea-port t. of Portugal, province of Algarve, 20 m. n.e. of Faros, pleas antly situated at the mouth of the Sequa. Tavira has decayed considerably since 1654, when, it is said, 40,000 people in the town and environs fell victims to the plague. Pop. about 11,000.