The captivity memoirs of the traveller Pouqueville

This thesis is the memoir written by French medical doctor F.C.H.L. Pouqueville who was imprisoned by the Ottomans during the War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802). Having served his imprisonment in different regions across the Empire including Moraen peninsula and Istanbul, Pouqueville produced a narrative of three volumes, which blends his experiences with testimonies by fellow prisoners of war, with the end result of a part adventure story, part travelogue and part memoir. Following World War II, prisoners of war have become a popular topic and sparked interest in previous state and individual practices. Nonetheless, this study probes that Pouqueville's account is far from providing a new source when concerning the prisoners of war. This research demonstrates that the misconceptions it has raised stems from its English translation, rather an abridged format of the text, which seriously crops the rather lengthy text by one-third. This thesis argues that a reading of the original account will shed light on the new alliances established during the period that is depicted in Pouqueville's narrative. Key words: Pouqueville; War of the Second Coalition; Ottoman-French Relations; the French Expedition of Egypt; prisoners of war; captivity; orientalism; Eastern Question; travelogue; translation; historiography.