Guillaume Bérard
Encyclopedia
Guillaume Bérard was a French Consul established in Fez
, Morocco
, in 1577 by Henry III of France
. He was the first European to be named Consul in Morocco. His nomination followed the mission of Louis Cabrette, a French captain who had been used as an envoy to France by Sultan Al-Malek
in 1576. Guillaume Bérard was born in Saorge
near Nice
.
Guillaume Bérard was a doctor by profession, who first went to live in Constantinople
. In 1574, he saved the life of Moroccan prince Abd al-Malik
during an epidemic in Constantinople, where he was then in exile since the death of Moulay Abdallah
in January 1574. They later became friends due to this event. When Abd al-Malik became Sultan, he asked Henry III of France
that Guillaume Bérard be appointed Consul of France. Berard, who was a subject of the Duke of Savoy, was then naturalized French, and 10 June 1577 was elevated to the position of Consul of France "to the King of Fez and Morocco".
After the Battle of Ksar el Kebir in 1578, Guillaume Bérard returned to France to announce the enthronement of Abd al-Malik's successor, Moulay Ahmad al-Mansur.
Guillaume Bérard was succeeded by Arnoult de Lisle
as physician to the Sultan in 1588.
The first Moroccan mission to France would be that of Al-Hajari in 1610-11, followed by Ahmed el-Guezouli in 1612-1613.
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, in 1577 by Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
. He was the first European to be named Consul in Morocco. His nomination followed the mission of Louis Cabrette, a French captain who had been used as an envoy to France by Sultan Al-Malek
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I , often simply Abd al-Malik or Mulay Abdelmalek, was the Saadi Sultan of Morocco from 1576 until his death right after the Battle of Ksar El Kebir against Portugal in 1578.-Saadi Prince:...
in 1576. Guillaume Bérard was born in Saorge
Saorge
Saorge is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. Highway E74 which runs north from Menton, passes through Saorge on its way to the Col de Tende where it crosses into Italy....
near Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
.
Guillaume Bérard was a doctor by profession, who first went to live in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. In 1574, he saved the life of Moroccan prince Abd al-Malik
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I , often simply Abd al-Malik or Mulay Abdelmalek, was the Saadi Sultan of Morocco from 1576 until his death right after the Battle of Ksar El Kebir against Portugal in 1578.-Saadi Prince:...
during an epidemic in Constantinople, where he was then in exile since the death of Moulay Abdallah
Abdallah al-Ghalib
Abdallah al-Ghalib Billah was the second Saadian sultan of Morocco.He came to power to the throne as the legal heir of Mohammed ash-Sheikh. From his first wife this first Saadian sultan, Mohammed ash-Sheikh had had three sons, but the two oldest had died...
in January 1574. They later became friends due to this event. When Abd al-Malik became Sultan, he asked Henry III of France
Henry III of France
Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...
that Guillaume Bérard be appointed Consul of France. Berard, who was a subject of the Duke of Savoy, was then naturalized French, and 10 June 1577 was elevated to the position of Consul of France "to the King of Fez and Morocco".
After the Battle of Ksar el Kebir in 1578, Guillaume Bérard returned to France to announce the enthronement of Abd al-Malik's successor, Moulay Ahmad al-Mansur.
Guillaume Bérard was succeeded by Arnoult de Lisle
Arnoult de Lisle
Arnoult de Lisle was a French physician, Arabist, and diplomat of the 16th and 17th centuries.As a young physician, Arnoult de Lisle married the daughter of Louis Duret, a specialist of Avicenna, in 1586.-Morocco :...
as physician to the Sultan in 1588.
The first Moroccan mission to France would be that of Al-Hajari in 1610-11, followed by Ahmed el-Guezouli in 1612-1613.