Gabriel De Chinon

Gabriel de Chinon a French Roman Catholic missionary, was born towards the beginning of the 17th century. He became a Capuchin, and was sent as missionary to Persia about 1640. He settled at Ispahans and learned most of the Oriental languages, which enabled him to make a great number of proselytes. The favor be enjoyed at the court of Shah Abbas II excited the envy of the Armenian priests, who caused him great annoyance. Gabriel withdrew about 1660 to Tabriz (Tauris or Tebreez, the capital of the province of Azerbijan, in North Persia), where he founded a convent of Capuchins, and established mnissions in Kurdistan and at Tiflis. About 1670 he went on a mission to Malabar, where he died (at Tellicherrm) June 27, 1670. He wrote observations on the counstries he had resided in, which were afterwards published by Morari, with a life of Gabriel, usdam the title Relations nosvelles du Levant, ou traite de la religion, du gouvernement, et des costumes des Perases, des Armeniens et des Gasres (Lyon, 1671, l2mo). They contain some curious details on Persiaem customs and msanners, but the greater part of the work is taken up with details concerning religious questions, Gabriel's order, and himself. See Niceron, Memoires pour Servir a l'histoire des hommes illustres, 27:311; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 19:109.