History of Tientsin-Fort Bayart

From Ipon

The Area now called Tientsin-Fort Bayart has been inhabitted since at least 1000 BC. The first human settlement that could be named a City dated from 250 BC. Georgraphicly, Tientsin is not very accible from China Mainland. Its non so strategical situation helped the formation of a kingdom distinct from Imperial China.

Contents 1 Early History 2 Dinastic Era ( 250BC - 1670AC) 2.1 Golden Period and the Christanisation of Tientsin 3 Imperial China 4 France Colonization

[edit] Early History

In 1953, Archeological studies revealed the remains of a human settlement just under the court of the Tientsin Castle. Those remains has been dated from the 3th century BC. Some Neolothical village have been found on Tientsin Mainland during the 70s

[edit] Dinastic Era ( 250BC - 1670AC)

Dynastic Era describe the period of time when Tientsin was ruled by kings who seated in Tientsin. During the Dinastic Era, the village of Tientsin started to grow and ruled the land next to it. The Formation of Tientsin Royalty is unsure, before the Dinastic Era, What is know the city of Tientsin was a village like many others in the [Assumption Bay [ Baie de l'Assomption]]. 

The first proof of the Tientsin Dinasty is the " Temple Stone", a engraved stone found where an old temple stood in Saint Geneviève County. On the " Temple Stone" is written the priest of Hau (候), who describe himself as King of Tientsin. Scientist dated the stone from 120AC.

[edit] Golden Period and the Christanisation of Tientsin

But the real growth of the Kingdom of Tientsin was under the reign (1570-1599) of Li Hongzhang (李鴻章). During his reign, the walls of the Old Town has been built, and the Winter Castle, located at the middle of the Old Town has been largely rebuilt. The Reign of Li Hongzhand is the start of Tientsin golden period. Many Temples have been rebuilt, a summer castle has been created on Tientsin Mainland.

During the XVIth century the Jesuit China Mision seen Tientsin as a start of the Christinization of Chinese land.

In 1589, Tientsin Dinasty acorded the right of setlement to the Compagny of Jesus. 50 years latter, Kangxi (康熙) became christian. He will not be followed by his sons, but a certain tolerance has been instaured in Tientsin. At the begining of the XVIIth century about an half of Tientsin Population was Catholic. The Saint George Church was built outside the walls of Tientsin, where the Cathedral where built in 1879. In the countryside, Catholic Religion prospered too. Some small chapels could be found, and also some monastery, the most famous one is the [Monastère de la Saint Famille[Worship Buildings in Tientsin]] ( Holy Familly Monastry) and [Notre Dame de Tientsin[Worship Buildings in Tientsin]](Our lady of Tientsin) wich was a Carmelites's convent.

This religious particulary of Tientsin was one of the major point of the non absuprtion of Tientsin Identity in the Imperial Chinese one.

[edit] Imperial China

Due to a sucession problem, Tientsin fall into civil wars. Although, the civil war ened in 1662,this resulted of the weakness of Tientsin's army against China.

In 1670, The Ming Dinasty declated war against Tientsin. On April 1671, , last of king of Tientsin, has been sent to jail in Beijing. The kingdom became a vasal of China, and a new Dinasty coming from Beijin. This new Dinasty will act more governor that king. During this period, Tientsin wasn't a secure city with many riots and crime. The Tientsin people tried hard to gain their freedom back.

In 1820, Tientsin is incorporated to Imperial China. The annexion awoke the old nationalist feeling of the Tientsin people, since Tientsin Catholics didn't recognize themself into the Imeperial Chinese and became to fight and find the help of Jesuits.

[edit] France Colonization

In the XIXth Century, due to Tientsin religion particularity, dozens of riots of Tientsin inhabitants protesting against the Chinese incorporation hit Tientsin. With the restoration of the Company of Jesus in 1810, a French Jesuits Hipolythe de Couet was sent to a mission in China. He heard of the situation of Tientsin. Hipolythe tries to make France intervene in the conflict, but the french political instability didn't help his aim and no other european countries wanted to intervene. His dream was to create a Chinese Catholic State, under Jesuit's rule, and Tientsin was the best spot to try. Unfortunalty by asking for Louis-Philippe help, He was killing his dream. Louis-Philippe wasn't very open to let Tientsin a independant country, he had other plan in mind.

The recently created July Monarchy, searching a "fait d'armes" to proof its legitimity try to convince China to sell Tientsin to France.Because of the nightmarish positions of Chinese Representants and the un-strategic position of Tientsin, China accepted to sell Tientsin Island, where most of the Catholics resided, but keep the control over Tientsin Mainland. With the Convention of Tientsin, the Duchee of Fort Bayart is created and the city is renamed Fort Bayart inhonor of the Chevalier Bayart,his valour largely contributed to the victory of Marignan in 1515. The new french colony was the pearl of the July Monarchy/ Louis-Phillipe did everything he could to promote Tientsin. He sent many architects and artists to built a new city.

François de Nemours, the child of the Duke of Nemours and exil compagnion of Louis Phillippe D'Orléans, was apointed to be the first Duke-Governor of Tientsin, He was the First Duke of Fort Bayart. French started the planing of a new Town,now called Quartier de Fort Bayart(Fort Bayart Quarter). The constant help of Paris in Tientsin make the city propered. Many french people imigrated to Fort Bayart hoping for a better future. Fort Bayart soon became a new "Nouvel Orléans" in the earlier day. François, Duke of Fort Bayart, insisted in France, that Fort Bayart should't became the French dustbin. With the help of Jesuists, he made the mind of the French deputees changed.

With the Revolution of 1848, which instaured the 2nd Republic in France, Charles, son of François de Nemours, embrased the republican spirits with Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, future Napoleon III. Charles Duke of Fort Bayart gained the right to stay governor of Fort Bayart but lost his title. In 1860, after China's defeat in the Second Opium War, Mainland of the Former Tientsin Dinasty was ratached to Fort Bayart Region, Who Shau and Sui Po Islands and the Ngong Shuen County, today the Carrière District.

By helping Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte in his coup d'état in 1852, Charles regained his title. During the IInd Empire, Fort Bayart knew a rapid developement. Major Urban Planing has been started. The Baron Haussman planed the new Fort Bayart City. The center of his masterplaning was a cathedral "à la" Notre Dame of Paris. HE apointed Jean-Eude de la Durantière, newly formed architect, to follow the construction of the new city. The Haussmanian Style became very fashionable and a lot of old chinese buildings has been destroyed to be replace by occidendal ones in Fort Bayart. It has created the today architecture landscape of Tientsin. Hopefully the country side and smaller Towns has been mainly preserved.