Regime territorial goals were intricately linked to pharmacopoeia and plant gathering, the Jardin du Roi. Understanding medicine had the potential to improve the quality of life for people in the kingdom. A thorough comprehension of plants could perhaps alleviate illness and aid in identifying treatments that botanists believed were naturally provided at the time of Creation. Management writers recommended creating herb gardens for medicinal purposes due to the importance of health and illness in spiritual and political contexts, which positioned botanical gardening within the realm of territorial politics. Colbert desired his navy to transport botanists and medics to the colonies. He sent the ships with medicines, physicians for the personnel, and collectors to gather beneficial medical herbs and exotic plants for the Jardin du Roi.
The main reason for constructing a large botanical garden in Paris was a particular worry about the poor health of the city’s residents. Paris was known for being susceptible to diseases. The Romans described the city as damp, chilly, and detrimental to respiratory health, and this categorization remained unchanged throughout the following centuries. Henri IV worked on enhancing the city by constructing a water supply for the royal houses to reduce the burden on the city’s water system and planting mulberry trees in the royal gardens to support the silk industry. In the seventeenth century, Paris was often described as a weak and unhealthy hub of France, which was not the vision Colbert had in mind for the “New Rome.” He was concerned by Louis XIV’s lack of attention towards Paris, especially his indifference towards the Louvre, as well as the king’s overall dislike for the city.

Regime territorial goals linked to pharmacopoeia and plant gathering, Jardin du Roi
Allowing Paris to deteriorate would lead to doubts about the legitimacy and effectiveness of the government. Colbert took a chance by advocating for the reconstruction of the Louvre, transforming the Tuileries garden into a hub of style and culture in Paris. He also founded academies, a botanical garden, and an observatory in the city to promote and showcase French intellectual pursuits. The Jardin du Roi and the observatory were established to showcase the cultural and intellectual richness of France’s leading metropolis. Additionally, the garden provided Parisian doctors with improved medicines to treat common diseases.

The Jardin du Roi served as the king’s medical storage managed by his physician. It also dealt with the important issue of ensuring the kingdom’s well-being through the king’s health. The king’s body and French territories were symbolically connected in the propaganda and political ceremonies of that era. The renowned portrait of Louis XIV, painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud in 1701 and displayed at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, depicted the monarch as youthful and healthy, emphasizing his dancer’s legs clad in white stockings that he admired since his youth. The painting was highly revered at Versailles during the king’s occasional absences. Maintaining the king’s health was a complex endeavor. He actively sought new ingredients for his morning tonic, remedies for his constipation, and innovative treatments to alleviate the chronic discomfort in his jaw.

The Jardin du Roi was well-suited to assist with this intricate, intimidating, and very political task. The Jardin du Roi served as a crucial hub for academic research and a significant venue for showcasing French expertise in botany and gardening. It was associated with the botanical gardens in French port cities that facilitated the organization of the plant trade and cultivated beneficial species for both the navy and the Jardin du Roi. These regional gardens were influential mainly due to their usefulness for the navy and their inclusion in the territorial administration established by Colbert. Colbert sent local intendants to important regions of France to challenge the political power of local elites and the army’s authority. The intendants of port cities naturally became influential supporters of naval installations and the accompanying gardens and medical corps that developed beside the ports. Urban centers along the Atlantic coast provided ships with surgeons and medical herbs for extended sea journeys, while also importing flora from the colonies.

The main botanical garden that catered to the navy was located in Nantes, a significant port utilized for supplying ships bound for the Atlantic crossing. The moderate climate of the area was ideal for cultivating plants from different regions and natural environments, allowing the garden to provide many of the necessary medicinal herbs for the ship. Specimens from colonies that arrived in bad health in Nantes thrived better after being allowed to recuperate in this garden. Upon arriving in France, they had to go through the Loire River to Orléans and then to the Jardin du Roi in Paris. At times, this voyage, especially in inclement weather, could eradicate rare and fragile flora.

The fate of newly collected specimens was determined by correspondence between the two cities, considering the risks of travel, inclement weather, and exposure to sea air. Rochefort served as a significant hub for new plant trade, along with other cities located on the Atlantic coast. Colonial plant specimens were brought into the country using the same ports that were commonly used for colonial trade. Botanical gardens were strategically placed along the coast of France to define the kingdom’s borders and promote the enhancement and eventual expansion of French territories.

The increase in botanical gardens in France led to a lack of these establishments in the colonies, where they were greatly required. In colonial countries, the challenge of preserving and recovering good health was exacerbated by the interaction of European diseases with local ones, as well as by the presence of poverty and violence which intermittently exacerbated the situation. Hospitals were constructed in various locations such as Canada, Saint Domingue, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Guiana. These hospitals were operated by skilled physicians, with a significant number of them originating from Montpellier.