| THE COLLEGE CONSTANTIN |
The College Constantin was situated on the City Island at its most southern tip, right at the confluence of the (new) Pasak River
The seminarians of the College General of Maha Phram and the St Josephs Seminary were present at a reception of the
Ambassador of France - M. de Chaumont - to Siam on 14 October 1685 in order to salute him. The French Ambassador and his
embassy were so impressed by the seminarians that they asked them to present a theological thesis, which they performed in
excellence. The seminarian Antonio Pinto, son of a Portuguese father and a Siamese mother, was tasked to return with the French
embassy to present a theological thesis in France at the Sorbonne and in Rome in front of the pope and the cardinals. This mission
also turned out well.
After the French Embassy returned to Paris, Constantine Phaulcon brought a visit to Maha Phram early 1646 and he was also
quite impressed. For a reason unknown, he was eager to move the seminary to Ayutthaya, something that was only reluctantly
accepted by the French priests, in order not to lose Phaulcon's support. Phaulcon requested King Narai to grant a niece piece of
land, what was quickly arranged. The new seminary found its place near the water crossing of the Pasak and the Chao Phraya in
front of Ayutthaya's harbour. The land was although at flood level and it needed a workforce of 500, to level the site and to
construct the first the buildings. Phaulcon wanted to build the new college completely in bricks, but Mgr Laneau estimated that the
realisation of this project would take too much time and requested to use wood and bamboo for its construction.
The seminarians of the College General of Maha Phram and the St Josephs Seminary were present at a reception of the
Ambassador of France - M. de Chaumont - to Siam on 14 October 1685 in order to salute him. The French Ambassador and his
embassy were so impressed by the seminarians that they asked them to present a theological thesis, which they performed in
excellence. The seminarian Antonio Pinto, son of a Portuguese father and a Siamese mother, was tasked to return with the French
embassy to present a theological thesis in France at the Sorbonne and in Rome in front of the pope and the cardinals. This mission
also turned out well.
After the French Embassy returned to Paris, Constantine Phaulcon brought a visit to Maha Phram early 1646 and he was also
quite impressed. For a reason unknown, he was eager to move the seminary to Ayutthaya, something that was only reluctantly
accepted by the French priests, in order not to lose Phaulcon's support. Phaulcon requested King Narai to grant a niece piece of
land, what was quickly arranged. The new seminary found its place near the water crossing of the Pasak and the Chao Phraya in
front of Ayutthaya's harbour. The land was although at flood level and it needed a workforce of 500, to level the site and to
construct the first the buildings. Phaulcon wanted to build the new college completely in bricks, but Mgr Laneau estimated that the
realisation of this project would take too much time and requested to use wood and bamboo for its construction.
| Text by Tricky Vandenberg - September 2009 |
The professors and seminarians redeployed from Maha Phram to Ayutthaya, while the final construction of the college in bricks
was begun. It is although not known how far these works were advanced when Phaulcon was jailed for treason by the Siamese in
1688. The seminary was named after its establisher; the "College Constantin”. The college had soon around 80 students. Phaulcon
offered a yearly contribution of 1500 ecus for the support of its students. In 1687, Mgr Laneau transferred the seminarians which
already had finished their theological studies to the St Joseph settlement. The College at Maha Phram was not abandoned, but
became a retirement location for tired missionaries.
The events of the Siamese revolution in 1688 saw the execution of Constantine Phaulcon, the ousting of French forces from Siam,
and the imprisonment of Bishop Louis Laneau and half of the students of the seminary. In April 1691 the priests and seminarians
were released and returned to the seminary, which they found well cleaned up of furniture. At that time grew the idea to move the
College to Pondicherry, but this was rejected afterwards due to the wars between the French, Dutch and English. The College
Constantin was finally abandoned and the seminary was reinstalled at Maha Phram, where it resumed its activities until the fall of
Ayutthaya in 1769.
As a last witness of its past the "College Constantin" is indicated on Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map published in 1751, based on
sketches made in 1687 by a French engineer.
was begun. It is although not known how far these works were advanced when Phaulcon was jailed for treason by the Siamese in
1688. The seminary was named after its establisher; the "College Constantin”. The college had soon around 80 students. Phaulcon
offered a yearly contribution of 1500 ecus for the support of its students. In 1687, Mgr Laneau transferred the seminarians which
already had finished their theological studies to the St Joseph settlement. The College at Maha Phram was not abandoned, but
became a retirement location for tired missionaries.
The events of the Siamese revolution in 1688 saw the execution of Constantine Phaulcon, the ousting of French forces from Siam,
and the imprisonment of Bishop Louis Laneau and half of the students of the seminary. In April 1691 the priests and seminarians
were released and returned to the seminary, which they found well cleaned up of furniture. At that time grew the idea to move the
College to Pondicherry, but this was rejected afterwards due to the wars between the French, Dutch and English. The College
Constantin was finally abandoned and the seminary was reinstalled at Maha Phram, where it resumed its activities until the fall of
Ayutthaya in 1769.
As a last witness of its past the "College Constantin" is indicated on Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map published in 1751, based on
sketches made in 1687 by a French engineer.
| (College Constantin on Bellin's map) |
| (Click button for aerial view) |
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| (College Constantin on a 1974 Fine Arts Department map - courtesy Dr. Surat Lertlum - Program Head of Computer Science Program - Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy) |