Synopses & Reviews
The descendent of German and French Catholic mercenaries, a Scots Presbyterian subaltern, and their secluded Indian wives, David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre defied all classification in the North Indian principality where he was raised. Add to these influences an adoptive mother who began as a Muslim courtesan and rose to become the Catholic ruler of a strategically-placed, cosmopolitan little kingdom, which her foster son was destined to inherit, and you have the origins of a fascinating life that reflects many of the Romantic, political, and colonial trends of a century.
As heir to the throne, Sombre took great advantage of the sensuous pleasures of privilege, but he lost his kingdom to the British upon his foster mother's death. Sombre kept his mother's vast wealth but lived in foreign exile, touring India, China, and Europe. In London Sombre married the daughter of an English Protestant Viscount who was a prominent defender of slavery. He bought himself election to British Parliament but was then expelled for corruption. His treatment of his aristocratic wife led to his arrest and confinement as a Chancery lunatic. Fleeing to France, Sombre would spend years trying to reclaim his sanity and his fortune, setting new precedents for international and medical law throughout the Anglophone world. Each rehearing in the British courts sought to establish whether Sombre was a sane Indian or a lunatic European, with doctors and jurists repeatedly clashing over definitions of sanity. Even in 1851, decades after his death, Sombre's mind and heritage continued to fuel fierce debate. In this thrilling biography, Michael H. Fisher recovers Sombre's strange story and the echoes of his case for modern conceptions of health, race, and empire.
Synopsis
The descendent of German and French Catholic mercenaries, a Scots Presbyterian subaltern, and their secluded Indian wives, David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre (1808-1851) defied all classification in the North Indian principality where he grew up. He also lived as the adopted child of a Muslim courtesan, a woman who would transform herself into the wildly successful, Catholic ruler of a small, cosmopolitan kingdom.
In his youth, Sombre took great advantage of his privilege, yet upon his mother's death he lost all political power. Nevertheless, Sombre continued to live lavishly while in exile, touring India, China, and Europe on his inheritance. Sombre eventually settled in London and married the daughter of an English Protestant Viscount. He bought himself election to Parliament, but was expelled for acts of corruption.
Accusations of spousal mistreatment led to Sombre's arrest and confinement. Termed a chancery lunatic, he fled to France and spent years reclaiming his sanity and fortune. Sombre's efforts set new precedents for international and medical law. Trials revolved around whether Sombre was sane or crazy, Indian or European, with doctors and jurists clashing over the very definition of these terms. Sombre's heritage sparked debate decades after his death. In this absorbing biography, Michael H. Fisher recovers this strange life. Through Sombre's incredible story, modern conceptions of race, privilege, and empire begin to take shape.