Sedang Kingdom

Born in Toulon 1842, Charles-Marie David, AKA de Mayréna had learned to know Cochinchina when he was a young soldier in the 186ies. After having had several activities, he left his wife his children and his job in a bank after a problem occurred in the bank where he worked (accused of fraud). He went to Java, but was expelled to Paris by the Netherlands authorities after he had exploited a Dutch family there.

Having tried to lead an expedition to Aceh (and failed), he went to Saigon, and, in 1886, he visited the lands of the Jarais, Rongaos, Bahnars and Sedangs.

Charles de Mayréna proposed to the French governor, Mr. Constans, to do an expedition in the "moi" lands (moi = savage in annam language). He went to Qui Nhon, where the French resident, Mr. Lemire, gave him support as well.

On April 21st 1888, he left Qui Nhon with a friend, Alphonse Mercurol, and with a translator, a cook, 4 Chinese people, 80 coolies, etc. “He bore then a strange flag, that he presented as his personal standard : blue with three daisies per bend.”

He arrived first at Kon Jari Tul, a bahnar village where there was a Catholic mission led by Father Jean-Baptiste Guerlach. He reached thanks to him Kon Touim, and then Kon Trang, where was the mission of Father Irigoyen. Thanks to them, he visited several villages, where he cured some people thanks to quinquina. The Bahnars and Rongaos tribes decided to make him their "tonul-om" (supreme chief).

In May 1888, he made an expedition to Sedang (in the Bla val