Ukugwedlela Ukufa

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eFrance

UNGASICABANGA isimo. Izixuku zibukele lapho umkhumbi wenkosi yaseFrance osanda kugunyazwa ufulathela itheku laseMarseilles, eMediterranean. Ungomunye wemikhumbi emihle kakhulu eyake yahamba olwandle. Ngemuva uhlotshiswe ngezinto ezibazwe ngokuyinkimbinkimbi nezinto zokuhlobisa zegolide namapharele. Izindwangu ezifekethisiwe zinezela ubukhazikhazi egumbini labagibeli. Njengoba ukukhanya kwasekuseni kubenyezela kulo mklamo odlé izindodla zemali, abanye baziqhenya ngeNkosi uLouis XIV beyibiza ngokuthi “iNkosi Yelanga.”

Ngekhulu le-17 leminyaka, imikhumbi yayisetshenziselwa impi ngezikhathi ezithile kuphela, nokho iNkosi uLouis XIV yanquma ukwandisa inani lemikhumbi yayo yaba ngu-40—okwakuyinani lemikhumbi yempi eminingi kunayo yonke eMediterranean. Ochwepheshe basikisela ukuthi engu-20 yayizozanelisa kahle izidingo zakhe. Yayiyini injongo yemikhumbi eminingi kangaka?

Umeluleki wenkosi, uJean-Baptiste Colbert, wachaza: “Awekho amandla abuveza kahle ubukhulu benkosi futhi ayinikeze udumo ezihambini kunemikhumbi yempi.” Ngempela, isizathu esiyinhloko semikhumbi kaLouis kwakuwukuzuza udumo. Kodwa lolo dumo lwalusho ukulahlekelwa okungakanani?

Cabangela ukuhlupheka kwabantu. Abagwedli abangu-450 babeminyene egunjini lomkhumbi elingaphansi—elingaphansi kwamamitha angu-45 ubude namamitha angu-9 ububanzi. Kwakuphela izinyanga behlala futhi besebenza kulesi siminyaminya. Isikhumba sabo sasigcwala izilonda ngenxa yomoya wasolwandle onosawoti, futhi imizimba yabo yayiba nezibazi zokushaywa njalo. Abayisigamu bafa kulokho izazi-mlando zaseFrance ezikubiza ngokuthi “umonakalisi wabantu omkhulu kakhulu.”

Ngempela, lokho okwakuwumbukiso nenkazimulo kwabambalwa kwakusho usizi nokufa kwabaningi. Pho, le nkosi yabathathaphi abagwedli abayizinkulungwane eziningi ababedingeka ukuze bagwedle imikhumbi yayo engu-40?

Ukuthola Abagwedli

ENkathini Ephakathi, abagwedli bemikhumbi—noma ama-galeotto, njengoba babebizwa kanjalo—kwakungabantu abavamile, futhi ukugwedla kwakubhekwa njengomsebenzi ohloniphekile. Nokho, ngekhulu le-17 izinto zase zishintshile. Abanye abagwedli, okwakungabaseTurkey, babethengwa eMbusweni waseTurkey. Abaningi kwakungamaSulumane, nakuba abanye kwakungabalandeli benkolo yobu-Orthodox. Kwakusetshenziswa nezithunjwa zempi.

“Phakathi kwezinto ezinyanyekayo nezingenangqondo ezazenziwa ukuze ‘kuqiniswe’ leli qembu ngokungangabazeki kwakuwukuthumela amabutho amaNdiya aseMelika emikhunjini yeNkosi Yelanga,” kuphawula izazi-mlando zaseFrance. Ukuthatha aboMdabu baseMelika kwakuyiphutha. Ngo-1689 kwadingeka baphindiselwe ekhaya ngemva kokuba isizwe samaNdiya aseMelika sisongele abaphathi bamakoloni bokuqala baseFrance.

Nokho, ukuphishekela udumo kukaLouis kwakudinga abagwedli abaningi. UColbert walithola ikhambi. Watshela izimantshi ngesifiso senkosi sokuba “zilahle ngecala izigebengu eziningi ngangokunokwenzeka futhi kushintshwe nesigwebo sokufa kube ngesokugwedla imikhumbi.” Ukusebenzisa izigebengu ngale ndlela kwakungekusha. Iziboshwa zazike zasetshenziswa njengezigqila zasemkhunjini ngesikhathi kulwiwa ne-Italy emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngaphambili. Nokho, inani elathunyelwa emikhunjini phakathi nokubusa kukaLouis XIV nendodana yomzukulu wakhe uLouis XV lalingakaze libonwe ngaphambili. Phakathi kuka-1680 no-1748, amadoda angaba ngu-60 000 agwetshelwa ukuyogwedla imikhumbi. Kwakungobani lezi zigqila zemikhumbi?

Obani Ababebuthwa?

Cishe isigamu salabo ababethunyelwa emikhunjini kwakuyiziboshwa ezivamile. Kwakusukela kubabulali kuya emaseleni antshontshe izinto ezincane. Abashushumbisi nabo babejeziswa ngale ndlela, ngezinye izikhathi babakha inani elikhulu lalabo ababegwedla.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu ababephucwe amalungelo athile emphakathini babephoqwa ukuba basebenze emikhunjini. Ngo-1666 isikhulu esasibaphethe eMarseilles sabhala: “Ngingathanda ukuba kwenziwe isinqumo sokuthatha amavila, izihambeli zezindawo ezingcwele, . . . imizulane neminye imihambima bagcwalise imikhumbi. . . . Lokho kuyohlanza izwe lingagcwali abantu abangenamsebenzi.” Ngakho, ngaphansi kwebhaxa lokulondoloza ukuthula komphakathi, kwathathwa imizulane nezimpofana. Futhi ngo-1660 ngisho nezihambeli zezindawo ezingcwele zasePoland ezazivakashele indlu engcwele eFrance zathathwa ngenkani!

Omunye umthombo wezisebenzi kwakungamambuka ashiye emabuthweni, okwakuthi ngemva kokubanjwa athole isigwebo sokuya emikhunjini aze ayofela khona. Ababebaleka babesikwa amakhala nezindlebe, izihlathi zabo zibekwe uphawu nge-fleur-de-lis, namakhanda abo aphucwe. Phakathi nezimpi eziningi zikaLouis XIV kusukela ngo-1685 kuya ku-1715, amambuka angaba ngu-17 000 athunyelwa emikhunjini. Yini eyayilindele la madoda?

Ukuhlupheka Kwawo

Empeleni usizi lwabagwedli bemikhumbi lwaluqala ngisho nangaphambi kokuba baye olwandle. Babeqale bavalelwe emajele esikhashana isikhathi esingangezinyanga eziyisithupha ngaphambi kokuba baboshwe ngamaketanga kanye nabanye abangamakhulu bese bethathwa ngenkani bayiswe eMarseilles. Kwabanye, njengalabo ababevela eBrittany noma eParis, lolu hambo lwempoqo olwalungaba ngamakhilomitha angu-800 olwaluthatha inyanga yonke lwaluyinhlekelele. Omunye owayephila ngaleso sikhathi wakubiza ngokuthi “ukujeziswa kweziboshwa okubi kunakho konke.” Eziningi zafela endleleni.

Nokho, zazingabulawa nje ubude bohambo noma ukuthi zazithola ukudla okuncane. Onogada babeziphatha ngonya iziboshwa. Babezishaya bazincishe ukudla nesikhathi sokulala. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu endleleni babengenaluzwela ngamadoda ayevame ukunqamula izwe laseFrance. Kuthiwa abanye besifazane bendawo, lapho esinye isiboshwa sicela amanzi, bathi: “Hamba, hamba! Uzothola amanzi amaningi lapho uya khona!”

Abayisigamu Abazange Basinde

Abaningi balabo ababeboshiwe babengakaze balubone ulwandle, ingasaphathwa eyemikhumbi. Ukufika ethekwini laseMarseilles, ngaleso sikhathi, kwakubethusa. Iziboshwa zaziqhutshwa ziyiswe emkhunjini ongenalutho ziyohlolwa, “njengezinkomo ezithengwa endalini,” njengoba omunye wazo abhala. Kwakubhalwa imininingwane yomuntu futhi iziboshwa zazibizwa ngezinombolo emikhunjini. “Akungabazeki ukuthi ukungena emphakathini wabagwedli bemikhumbi kwabangela isixakaxaka futhi kwaziphazamisa kakhulu ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba,” kuphawula esinye isazi-mlando. Nokho, kwakusekuncane lokho.

Egunjini elingamamitha angu-2,3 ubude namamitha angu-1,25 ububanzi, kwakuhlala amadoda amahlanu futhi kuphele izinyanga egwedla eboshelwe ngamaketanga emabhentshini. Umgwedli ngamunye wayenesikhala sokuhlala esingamasentimitha angu-45. Kwakuminyene kakhulu kangangokuba amadoda ayengakwazi ngisho nokugoba izingalo lapho edonsa amaphini, ngalinye elalingamamitha angu-12 ubude futhi linesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-130. Ukugwedla amahora amaningi kwakuphula iqolo futhi kudabula imisipha yabagwedli, kubaqeda amandla. “Kwakufana nemisebenzi enzima kakhulu eyenziwa lapho kushisa bhé,” kuchaza isazi-mlando esithile.

Imikhumbi yayiphansi, futhi abagwedli babesendaweni eyimitha elilodwa ngaphezu kwamanzi. Ngenxa yalokho, babehlala becwilile, babevame ukugwedla izinyawo zabo zisemanzini, futhi isikhumba sabo sasidleka ngenxa yomoya onosawoti. Babethola ukudla okuncane kakhulu. “Iziboshwa zazingenza noma yini ukuze zisinde,” kuphawula isazi-mlando esithile. Ukuphunyuka kwakuyinto ekude nazo. Isizumbulu somklomelo okwakuthiwa uzonikezwa lowo othole ababalekile wawugqugquzela abalimi bendawo ukuba bahlanganyele ekufuneni noma ubani owayezama ukubaleka. Munye kuphela kwabayikhulu owayephumelela.

Izigwebo zazingahlonishwa. Ngakho, umgwedli ogwetshwe iminyaka embalwa wayengase azithole esagwedla imikhumbi ngemva kweminyaka engu-25. Cishe ingxenye yesithathu yamadoda yafa phakathi neminyaka emithathu. Sekukonke, isigamu sabagwedli asizange sisinde. Abagwedli ababeyekile babefa ngobuningi njengalabo ababegwedla olwandle. Ebusika buka-1709/10, ingxenye yesithathu yabo yabulawa yindlala nesimo sezulu esibi kakhulu. Kuyadabukisa ukuthi abanye babeyiswe emikhunjini ngenxa yenkolo yabo.

Bajeziselwa Ukholo Lwabo

Ngo-1685, iNkosi uLouis XIV, yaqeda iSimemezelo SaseNantes, futhi ubuProthestani bavinjelwa eFrance.a Cishe amaProthestani angu-1 500 ayiswa emikhunjini ngenxa yokuthi enqaba ukuguqukela ebuKatolikeni noma azama ukubaleka kuleli zwe. Ukujezisa “izihlubuki” ngale ndlela kwazanywa ngo-1545, lapho ngesonto elilodwa amaWaldensb angu-600 athunyelwa emikhunjini ngomyalo weNkosi uFrancis I. Ngaphansi kukaLouis XIV, yona kanye inkosi eyayibizwa ngokuthi ingumKristu, ushushiso lwakhula kakhulu.

Kungani amaProthestani athunyelwa emikhunjini? Isikhulu senkosi saveza isizathu: “Ayikho enye indlela yokubuyisa izihlubuki ngaphandle kokuziphoqa.” Esinye isazi-mlando siyanezela: “Inkosi yayethemba ukuthi ngokushesha nje lapho ephefumula ‘umoya wemikhumbi,’ amaProthestani amaningi alahliwe ayezoyiyeka inkolo ayesezidele kangaka ngenxa yayo.” Nokho, abaningi benqaba ukulahla ukholo lwabo ukuze bakhululwe. Ngenxa yalokho, babeshaywa obala ngendlela enyantisa umzimba ngokugqugquzela kwabefundisi bamaKatolika ababesebenza emikhunjini. Abanye bafa kanti abanye baba nezibazi ukuphila kwabo konke.

Naphezu kwalobu budlova obunonya, amaProthestani aluhlanganyela ngentshiseko ukholo lwawo nabanye. Ngenxa yalokho, abanye, okungenani kuhlanganise nomfundisi wamaKatolika oyedwa, baba amaProthestani. Labo ababebhekwa njengabayingozi kakhulu, amaProthestani afundile, babekhishwa emikhunjini baphonswe ejele elisemgodini ukuze bafe. Nokho, lokhu akuzange kuyekise abagwedli abangamaProthestani ukuba basizane, baze bahlela ngisho namakilasi okufundisa ozakwabo ababengafundile.

Labo abalahliwe bakugcina engqondweni ukuthi babeshushiselwani. “Lapho ngihlupheka, kulapho ngilithanda kakhulu iqiniso elingenza ngihlupheke,” kubhala umProthestani uPierre Serres. Amazwe amaningi ashaqeka ukuzwa ngoshushiso lwenkolo lwaseFrance. Ngo-1713, iNdlovukazi yaseNgilandi u-Anne yaphumelela ekunxuseni ukuba kukhululwe abaningi ababelahliwe. Kuyaxaka ukuthi amaProthestani ayekade enqatshelwe ukuhamba eFrance ekuqaleni manje ayesexoshwa.

Ukuphela Kwemikhumbi

Ekugcineni, imikhumbi yaphela, ngenxa yentuthuko yemikhumbi yempi nokuntuleka kwezimali. Izinkinga zemali zeNkosi uLouis XIV zabangela ukuba incishiswe. Ngo-1720 kwase kusele imikhumbi engu-15 kuphela futhi umsebenzi wayo wancishiswa kakhulu. Isikhathi esiningi abagwedli bemikhumbi babehlala eMarseilles, lapho baba khona nengxenye emnothweni wedolobha, besebenza emafektri ensipho aseduze noma bedayisa izingubo ababezenzile. Ekugcineni, ngo-1748 kwashaywa umthetho owamemezela ukupheliswa kwemikhumbi.

AbaseFrance basayazi imikhumbi. Uma bebhekene nobunzima, abantu baseFrance ngokuvamile bathi: “Quelle galère!” okusho ukuthi, “Yekanini umkhumbi!” Okuningi esikwaziyo ngokuphila kwasemikhunjini kungenxa yokulandisa kwabagwedli abangamaProthestani ngalokho okwabehlela. Naphezu kokubandlululwa ngokwenkolo okusobala, bakha inhlangano yokusizana nokusekelana. Ukukhuthazela nethemba kwakubalulekile ukuze basinde, futhi babengakucabangi ukuhlehla.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, zicabangela ngisho nokubandlululwa kwenkolo ngaleso sikhathi, izazi-mlando ziye zabonisa ukumangala ngokuthi amajaji ayezimisele “ukushaya umthetho owawunikeza isikhundla esifanayo kubantu abathembekile nabaqotho kanye nezigebengu ezimbi, bekwenza lokhu ngaphandle kokuthandabuza.”

Ngempela, izinkumbulo ezimayelana nezigqila zemikhumbi ziwubufakazi obunamandla bokungabi nabulungisa okubi okuye kwenziwa ngabantu kwabanye abantu. Yebo, ‘umuntu uye wabusa omunye kwaba ukulimala kwakhe.’ (UmShumayeli 8:9) Kuyajabulisa ukuthi sesiseduze isikhathi lapho uMbusi omiswe uNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, ‘eyokhulula khona ompofu ozikhalela kuye, nohluphekayo ongenamsizi.’—IHubo 72:12-14.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 13]

Babegwedla ezimweni ezibanga usizi

[Umthombo]

© Musée de la Marine, Paris

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Amazwi esiFulentshi angenhla kwesithombe athi: “Izindlela eziqinisekile nezilungile zokubuyisela izihlubuki enkolweni yamaKatolika.” Isithombe esango-1686

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 12]

Pages 2, 12, and 15: © Cliché Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris