Malicious executioners and other fools
Part II
Listed below are ALL family members condemned to die by the guillotin during the "terreur" in France.
Excluding the last, they are all residing in the greater Eure-Loire area (where Bignon-Mirabeau is located) and, facing execution, they all insist very "nationalisticaly", on using different spelling versions of their sirname although closely related, brothers and cousins, and sharing the same prison cells.
COCHIN Hugues, domicilié à Chanteloup, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 16 nivôse an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Nantes.
CACHIN Pierre, domicilié à Chanteloup, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 16 nivôse an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Nantes.
CASSIN Jean, domicilié à Mondejean, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 13 nivôse an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Nantes.
CASSIN François, domicilié à Chanteloup, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 16 nivôse an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Nantes.
CASSIN Jean, domicilié à Couron, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 6 nivôse an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Savenay.
CASSIN Marie, de Chanteloup, fusillée le 1er février 1794
Marie Cassin, 44 ans, veuve de Pierre Moreau, née à Chanteloup, y habitait la métairie de Rocheveaud. Arrêtée chez elle, le 15 janvier 1794, elle fut interrogée par le Comité de surveillance de Cholet. Elle reconnaît qu'elle a donné à manger aux soldats qui passaient, sans chercher à savoir s'ils étaient brigands ou non.Quand on lui demande si elle a prié pour le succès des armées rebelles, elle a cette noble réponse : " Je n'ai jamais prié le Bon Dieu que pour la paix et l'union pour tout le monde ". Interrogée à Angers par Vacheron, le 24 janvier 1794, elle est jugée comme préférant les prêtres non sermentés et fanatique. Fusillée le 1er février.
CASSIN Mathurin, domicilié à Latour-Landy, département de Mayenne et Loire, condamné à mort comme brigand de la Vendée, le 17 frimaire an 2, par la commission militaire séante à Doué.
CAUSSIGNY Joseph Louis, (dit Valbelle), ex noble, domicilié à Aix, département des Bouches du Rhône, condamné à mort comme contre-révolutionnaire, le 21 germinal an 2, par le tribunal criminel dudit département.
No other Cochins or even De Langes, Savalettes, Magnanvilles etc were found in the relevant "guillotin" site.
(continued)
Malicious executioners and other fools
Part III
At http://perso.orange.fr/claude.jondeau/ix43n2.html#O, some 60 plus Cochins are on record (1700-1850) in Eure et Loire (result of "Cochin+Bignon+Mirabeau" web search)
"Cachin+Bignon +Mirabeau" produces just two Cachins, long dead by 1794,
at http://www.gatinaisgeneal.org/roberte/ix43n0.htm
and just one Cassin (Louis (334-2) Naissance : 1747. (not among the executed)
http://www.gatinaisgeneal.org/roberte/pag66.htm#12
In other words:
The name change before the guillotin was compulsory!
...and rather definining for the attitude of the survivors, if any.
The next question is how did the Paris lot escape the guillotin?
Gioachino/Saint Germain/Augustin Henry Cochin, first and foremost as well as the "mercer dynasty" of monsieur Winnie Lawrence, where did they all go leaving their poorer relatives to pay the heavy penalty?
Maybe the last in the list....
CAUSSIGNY Joseph Louis, (dit Valbelle), ex noble, domicilié à Aix, département des Bouches du Rhône, condamné à mort comme contre-révolutionnaire, le 21 germinal an 2, par le tribunal criminel dudit département.
..has something to say on the subject!
Next: The sea view.
Gibbon-Sheffield-Cocchi-Corsica-Missolonghi
The following extracts maybe of further interest to "history revamping" scholars
Gibbon's Journey from Geneva to Rome. His Journal from 20 April to 2 October 1764,
Avrà tuttavia occasione di avvicinare due personaggi in vista di quel mondo: il vecchio Lami e Raimondo Cocchi. Fu il Lami stesso che, prevenuto dal Bartoli, venne a cercarlo. La sua apparizione, la mattina del 27 giugno, lasciò i due amici esterrefatti: non potevano immaginarsi figura più sordida, più ripugnante (pp. 122, 254). Lo rivedrà una sola volta, allorché andrà a visitare la Riccardiana (p. 154). Vide, invece, più volte il Cocchi. Lo conobbe, sembra, in una compagnia d'inglesi, il 28 luglio; ma gli fece così fiacca impressione da neppur nominarlo (p. 187 n. 2). Lo rivide necessariamente quando volle visitare il gabinetto delle medaglie: il Cocchi era "antiquario nella R. Galleria". Ma non amava le medaglie, anzi le disprezzava: amava assai più la professione di medico. La sua indifferenza e addirittura estraneità al museo che era affidato alle sue cure, le negligenze, i modi svagati irritarono fortemente il Gibbon (pp. 193, 194, 204). Anche l' "esprit" che tutti gli riconoscevano era di un genere che non gli piaceva: "Au reste l'air gredin, les manieres presque extravagantes et les propos singuliers annoncent un philosophe, si l'on veut distinguer un philosophe d'un homme raisonnable" (p. 193). Si trattava, anche ai suoi occhi, di una incompatibilità istintiva, di un'avversione irreducibile: "je ne lui trouve point le genie qu'on lui attribue; c'est peut-etre parce que les notres ne sont pas analogues" (p. 197). Osservandolo meglio, vale a dire con più malignità, finì per rinvenire in lui addirittura sentimenti bassi e mancanza di dignità: "J'entrevois de l'extravagance dans ses idées, de l'affectation dans ses manieres et de la bassesse dans ses sentimens. Il se plaint à tout moment de sa pauvretè. Il connoit peu la veritable dignitè de l'homme de lettres" (p. 204). Non gli sembrava di averne già detto male abbastanza. Peccato che il G. si tenga così nel vago a proposito delle "stravaganti" idee del suo interlocutore: tanto più che l'ultima conversazione, da quanto ne lascia intravedere, aveva contenuto politico, toccava anzi aspetti della vita politica inglese. Si sa che il Cocchi era ancor più anglofilo di suo padre; ed è ben nota la sua amicizia per Paoli e il suo attivo aiuto alla causa còrsa[22].
(22)...R. Cocchi e le sue "Lettere italiane sopra la Corsica, in: ASC, XVIII, 1942, 241-256. L'attribuzione delle Lettere al Cocchi è però errata: le Lettere italiane sono di Luca Magnanima (cfr. "Novelle Letterarie", Firenze 1775, col. 503). Il Paoli nella lettera al Cocchi da Londra del 13 settembre 1770 ("Oh qual piacere avrei di abbracciarla! per dimandarle ragione a cazzotti di non avermi mandato il libro che ha dato fuori sull'infelice mio paese") alludeva con molta probabilità alle Osservazioni di un viaggiatore inglese sopra l'Isola di Corsica scritte in Inglese sul luogo nel 1767 ed ora tradotte in Italiano (Londra 1769), che sono certamente opera del Cocchi (G. Livi, Lettere inedite di P. Paoli, in: "Arch. Stor. Italiano", 175, 1890, 268; G. Lessi, Elogio di R. Cocchi, in: "Atti dell'Imp. e Reale Acc. d. Crusca", I, 1819, 80). Composto in occasione di una "commissione politica" che il Cocchi svolse in Corsica per conto del governo inglese, questo interessante opuscolo è in gran parte una descrizione delle strutture politiche della Corsica di Pasquale Paoli, il governo "forse il più libero, dopo il nostro [chi parla è, si ricordi, un 'viaggiatore inglese'] che sia nel Mondo [...] " (Osservazioni, 10, Livi, 71-76). Poiché tutti i còrsi avevano preso parte alla lotta di liberazione, il Paoli era stato "in obbligo di dare a ciascun uomo il suo destino d'esser membro dello Stato", di creare cioè un governo popolare (Osserv., 15). Il fondamento della democrazia còrsa era la piccola proprietà agricola: "Vi ha una divisione agraria de' Territorj, non istabilita per legge, ma così di fatto sussistente. Vivono come se fossero in comune [...] " (Ibid., 36). Era proprio questa "idea di proprietà", oltre all'odio implacabile dei genovesi, che animava i còrsi e li faceva "disperati" nella lotta. Lo scopo pratico che il Cocchi perseguiva è rivelato senza ambagi alla fine dell'opuscolo: rimuovere l'editto, emanato dal governo inglese nel 1764, che proibiva a qualunque suddito inglese di commerciare con i còrsi. Tal divieto era incompatibile per i "principj di libertà". Il Cocchi riprendeva ancòra una volta il paragone con l'Inghilterra: "I Còrsi rappresentano oggidì la parte gloriosa, che noi rappresentammo al tempo della nostra rivoluzione. Sono essi infiammati dai medesimi giusti motivi, ed animati dal medesimo spirito di libertà [...] " (lbid., 39). Anglofilo dunque fino ad accettare delicati incarichi politici dal governo inglese, il Cocchi aveva composto per Horace Mann, "suo amicissimo", una Relazione della costituzione fisica, civile, ed economica della Toscana granducale che rimase inedita (Lessi, 80). Non mancano tra i suoi progetti intellettuali le stranezze: penso a quel suo tentativo, che risale forse al 1764, di epica popolare e cantabile che è il poema di Luni, presentato compiacentemente dal suo eulogista come una prova dell' "interesse ch'ei [Cocchi] prendeva a migliorare per ogni modo la sorte degli uomini" (Lessi, 76, 79).
Also of interest Gibbon's friendship with John Baker Holroyd, 1st Lord Sheffield as well as 2nd Lord Sheffield's part in transporting Michael Petrou Kokkini to Missolonghi early 1823 (greek records) confirmed by:
Lord Sheffield is arrived from Brundissium <sic> whe<re><9> he was obliged to perform Quarantine after having met with all sorts of disasters. We have sent you several papers & brochures & letters that came by the post from all parts
http://www.foxtalbot.arts.gla.ac.uk/...t=944#cnn01066
Saint Germain's brother: Raimondo Cocchi.
To meet our April the 2nd appointment, we better bring a little order in our house:
An important question was raised some posts back, if Saint Germain, staging his AHC death in 1784 and leaving France as he did, was a traitor!
A silly question to raise for a diplomat, it really sounds vulgar when it concerns the chief of the royal secret service, as stated.
So we might as well answer it here and now:
To begin with, anybody familiar with Gibbon's own life choices, cannot but laugh at his attempt to discredit Raimondo Cocchi by referring to his constant pauverty complaints (Il se plaint à tout moment de sa pauvretè) and his lack of philosophical dignity (Il connoit peu la veritable dignitè de l'homme de lettres).
Now let's examine the matter in more detail:
Gibbon, visiting Florence late 1764, writes that Raimondo was in charge of the Uffizi gallery but dr Smollet, visiting Florence February 1765 writes that
Bianchi, [This antiquarian is now imprisoned for Life, for having robbed the Gallery and then set it on fire.] who shows the gallery, thinks the statue represents the augur Attius Navius, who cut a stone with a knife, at the command of Tarquinius Priscus.
The good italian history scholar, who provided for us the text of previous post (his name was lost copypasting, sorry), speaking so oppenly for Raimondo's anglophilia and relating it to Corsica's revolt, is certainly unaware both of Raimondo's brother Gioachino position in France as well as of Corsica's strong greek community (that followed Paoli), he therefore, as a "nationalist", condemns Raimondo for leading Paoli to a revolt that resulted to Genoa, then under french protection anyway, loosing Corsica to France.
Raimondo is obviously following his brother's orders and, as such, he is certainly not betraying France.
Is he perhaps betraying Florence, then under the austrians?
As we said, Bianchi is in charge of the Uffizi Feb 1765, Francis I dies August 18, 1765, Bianchi is imprisoned for looting the gallery and then setting it on fire, end of 1765 the dauphin of Luis XV and Marie Leszczynska also dies, her father Stanislas, King of Poland and duc of Lorraine, too, France annexes Lorraine February 1766, Corsica in 1768 and 1770 Francis I daughter, Marie Antoinette marries future Luis XVI. Following that....
(as per a Florence history site):
1773 Espulsione dei gesuiti, Raimondo Cocchi, figlio di Antonio, è nominato direttore della galleria degli Uffizi.
The next Austrian emperor, therefore, instead of accusing Raimondo for betraying his country or his trust (for removing part of the Uffizi collection) he rewards and reinstates him.
Do we forget perhaps that in 1764 Catherine purchased a major collection of 225 western European paintings, laying the foundation for today's State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia?
No we don't: Art should serve people, not the opposite and, as for Giuseppe Bianchi, we really don't know if he remained imprisoned for life!
Buonjorno (with a smile) bella Italia!
....a big, tighlty linked, family UNTIL THEN...
with emphasis on their ----- extensive family archive... as well!
Members of the family residing longer in France, ie the parliamentarian descendents of the "confessor" of King Luis XIII-the documents the young dauphin had to sign to be pardoned for his crimes is anybody's guess-obviously had the upper hand in "family affairs" while the "italian" Cocchis, moving to Naples and France after the conquest of Florence by the Austrians, were in a disadvantage.
Thus Gioachino, the fake "Augustine Henry" Cochin and the "frontline" Saint Germain (a "wandering Jew" by title only, "monitored", as previously stated, by the well established in Paris, "Lev" married, "mercers-lawyers" friends of Voltaire)had therefore his very private reasons to state to Marie- Antoinette" his hands "were tied".
The same hierarchy is noticed in the Levant 1760-1826::The Cochinis (Caussinis etc) are positioned to the "front line", the outskirts of the "family empire", Egypt-Asia Minor while the "Cochins" stay in "safe base" Zante, allegedly planning their return to Paris when the time is "ripe" .
The first Cochin Paris reappearance is indeed 1826: They carry their philanthropic "cloak" then, their alleged daggers, true intentions and false identities left behind in Zante.
Yes, 1826 we'll keep us busy a while!
Before we proceed, we define here and now that the term "allegedly" will be ommitted from the remainder of the Announcement in order to prevent repetition, save forum space and author's patience. Aanyone in doubt can apply it reading the text as he pleases however, our heroes are "legendary" anyway, their "secret service" capabilities, indeed worth repeating, also to be avoided from now on.
In other words: As some parts of the story are the product of author's vivid imagination, any reference to real people is definitely, surely and beyond anydoubt whatsoever truly and purely coincidental!
Also: The term "cocooning" previously may read wrong: None of the heroes of this story are "monsters", they all are normal people who, because of conditions beyond their control, behaved as they did or as anybody else would have done in their position. The term was meant as "growing up in a (barely, in comparison to today) safe environment".
Found floating on the Nile
dedicated in admiration to french egyptologists (Mme D.V. ("dit" ou pas), and her coleaque Mme C.Z. at L.L) with compliments.
1826:July in Alex the first-ever armenian chevalier de l'ordre Wasa and consul of Sweden. His first "Cataloque General de la Collection" is published by his "serviteur & amis" P.Lavison.
....the egyptian department of the Louvre créé le 15 mai 1826 par ordonnance royale de Charles X. Il fit de Jean-François Champollion, qui venait d'acquérir la collection du consul anglais Salt (4 000 pièces), le conservateur de ce qu'on appelait alors le Musée égyptien.
Giovanni d'Anastasi (1780-1860)
Greek diplomat and collector
He was born in Egypt as the son of a Greek merchant who made a fortune as surveyor to Napoleon’s army. As one of Egypt’s leading tradesmen, Anastasi also served as Swedish-Norwegian Consul-General, and like his colleagues he started collecting antiquities. His first collection was acquired for the Leiden Museum in 1828, and contained the three statues of Maya and Meryt and other masterpieces from Saqqara. A second collection went to the British Museum in 1839, the remainder was auctioned in Paris in 1857.
http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/saqqara..._Profiles.html
Jean Anastasi, an Armenian merchant from Damascus, served as Swedish Consul General in Egypt from 1828 to 1857.
http://www.agbu.org/agbunews/display.asp?A_ID=41
Our story begins with Giovanni d'Anastasi, collector of Egyptian antiquities extraordinaires. A successful merchant who saw the advantage of cashing in on Europe's taste in Egyptian antiquities, Anastasi employed several agents to gather antiquities for him, including one Piccinini who was working in Girga (Thinis) in 1828. Anastasi's full collections cut across boundaries of genre and time,but they were an amalgamation of smaller collections. He dispersed his massive collections in four installments: One of these was in 1826........
(Abracadabra, Isaac and Jacob Reviewed by John Gee "The book of Moses")
Abraham vs Ibrahim:The chicken and the egg!
Having recognised and already commented the fact that the Rite of Mizraim originated 1782 in Zante, the undersigned accepts that the devil of "personal involvement" was and is ever present, personal beliefs, emotions, "gut feelings" fully contradicting, seemingly objective, "facts". It did not fit together, it did not all make sense for a long time now.
This "personal" element, making no science absolut, is at its best in the science of "papyrology": Fitting together old fragments and then interpreting the barely readable "document" and its hieroglyphics truly has a high margin of error, excusable, if and when sincere, in such science.
Promoting religious geopolitical agendas however is both inexcusable and punishable, a "scientific" crime and a hypocritic idiocy, particularly when commited by those few who bash, with their "democratic" banners and such "biblical authorship", other societies for their parallel backwardness and unparallel sincerity.
If "Abraxas" followed by "Walsamos" was enough to raise some eyebrows, then D'Anastasy=Cochin= Caussin=Caussiny "de Valbelle" (dit ou pas)=De Perceval=Saint Germain obviously makes the case important enough to be placed under the microscope and, for eyptologists (and descendants alike) caught with the hand in the jar, so to speak, "silence" could, can and will not be an option!
The next cherry to be added therefore to our 1826 "tourte extraordinaire", also dedicated to them in admiration, now reads as follows:
A Cochini Andrianna was born that year "fille de Demetrio-Giacomo de Dion. Cochini, noble de Zante et Anna, fille de Giorgio Balsamo, noble de Zante". Unlike next children of the couple (1828-1837), Andrianna's day of birth is not recorded meaning she was not born in Zante.
Marking the beginnining of the 1835 "event" and relative family "divide"-too little too late-1826 is an important year and, as such, it will be given a "royal" treatment next!
BTW: Seasonal wishes were previously expressed to "scholarly" readers propably going on extended leave soon. Author "Yanni the greek" will continue posting "pre 1827" topics for his other readers to year's end.