Eighteenth-century France is understood to have been the dominant cultural power on that era’s international scene. Considering the emblematic case of the theater, Rahul Markovits goes beyond the idea of "French Europe" to offer a serious consideration of the intentions and goals of those involved in making this so. Drawing on extensive archival research, Staging Civilization reveals that between 1670 and 1815 at least twenty-seven European cities hosted resident theater troupes composed of French actors and singers who performed French-language repertory. By examining the presence of French companies of actors in a wide set of courts and cities throughout Europe, Markovits uncovers the complex mechanisms underpinning the dissemination of French culture. The book ultimately offers a revisionist account of the traditional Europe française thesis, engaging topics such as transnational labor history, early-modern court culture and republicanism, soft power, and cultural imperialism.

What was an Indian prince doing in the retinue of a French envoy at Constantinople in 1796? When Sultan Selim III, struck by the unusual sight of a fellow Muslim in a French cortège, asked how this prince had come to be there, Ahmad Khan began to tell him his extraordinary story.A Passage to Europe traces Ahmad Khan’s journey from Gujarat to Constantinople, revolutionary France, London and back again. His voyage began with the annexation of Broach by the East India Company. Twenty years later, he reached London to seek redress. The British government paid his expenses, but although his tale was true, Khan was not the man he claimed to be. Branded a spy, he was arrested, and then simply vanished.Following the elusive paper trail, Rahul Markovits brings to life the astonishing odyssey of this unlikely traveller, revealing a story of empire, intrigue and deception at the dawn of the modern age.

Eighteenth-century France is understood to have been the dominant cultural power on that era’s international scene. Considering the emblematic case of the theater, Rahul Markovits goes beyond the idea of "French Europe" to offer a serious consideration of the intentions and goals of those involved in making this so. Drawing on extensive archival research, Staging Civilization reveals that between 1670 and 1815 at least twenty-seven European cities hosted resident theater troupes composed of French actors and singers who performed French-language repertory. By examining the presence of French companies of actors in a wide set of courts and cities throughout Europe, Markovits uncovers the complex mechanisms underpinning the dissemination of French culture. The book ultimately offers a revisionist account of the traditional Europe française thesis, engaging topics such as transnational labor history, early-modern court culture and republicanism, soft power, and cultural imperialism.

What was an Indian prince doing in the retinue of a French envoy at Constantinople in 1796? When Sultan Selim III, struck by the unusual sight of a fellow Muslim in a French cortège, asked how this prince had come to be there, Ahmad Khan began to tell him his extraordinary story.A Passage to Europe traces Ahmad Khan’s journey from Gujarat to Constantinople, revolutionary France, London and back again. His voyage began with the annexation of Broach by the East India Company. Twenty years later, he reached London to seek redress. The British government paid his expenses, but although his tale was true, Khan was not the man he claimed to be. Branded a spy, he was arrested, and then simply vanished.Following the elusive paper trail, Rahul Markovits brings to life the astonishing odyssey of this unlikely traveller, revealing a story of empire, intrigue and deception at the dawn of the modern age.