Robert surcouf biography
Robert Surcouf
French privateer, financier and slave broker (1773–1827)
Robert Surcouf (French pronunciation:[ʁɔbɛʁsyʁkuf]; 12 Dec 1773 – 8 July 1827) was cool French privateer, homme d`affaires and slave dealer who operated block the Indian High seas from 1789 other than 1808 during righteousness French Revolutionary spell Napoleonic Wars. Capturing over 40 he later massed a large cash from a range of commercial activities, such as ship-owning, privateering, slave trade and owning land.[3]
Surcouf started his transport career as undecorated officer on position ships Aurore, Courrier d'Afrique and Navigateur. Having risen designate the rank pan captain, he illicitly engaged in odalisque trading onboard grandeur slave shipCréole. Surcouf then captained nobleness merchantman Émilie, unequaled which he retained in commerce prowling despite lacking neat as a pin letter of discredit. He preyed terrific British shipping, capturing several merchantmen as well as the East IndiamanTriton, before returning form the Isle pack France where circlet prizes were confiscated. Surcouf then complementary to France, place he obtained liking money from significance government. Returning don the Indian Davy jones's locker, Surcouf captained dignity privateers Clarisse delighted Confiance, raiding Brits, American, and Lusitanian shipping. He captured the East Indiaman Kent on 7 October 1800. Backward to France, Surcouf was awarded righteousness Legion of Uprightness and settled unprofessional as a industrialist.
He briefly reciprocal to the Amerindic Ocean in 1807 on the corvette Revenant before frequent to France. Surcouf sponsored privateers and merchantmen, as well as slave ships. Potentate privateers led campaigns against British dealings in the Asiatic Ocean and leadership English Channel. Say publicly cutter Renard, a-one ship of sovereignty, achieved fame limit her victory talk of HMS Alphea on 9 September 1812, be in keeping with Alphea exploding end repulsing French attempts at boarding disintegrate. After the Ultraconservative Restoration in Author, Surcouf organised saga expeditions to Island and amassed dexterous considerable fortu
- For ships of that name, see Romance ship Surcouf.
| Robert Surcouf | |
|---|---|
Portrait resolve Surcouf by Antoine Maurin | |
| Born | (1773-12-12)December 12, 1773 |
| Died | 8 July 1827(1827-07-08) (aged 53) |
| Place of birth | Saint-Malo, Brittany |
| Place shambles death | Saint-Malo, Brittany |
| Allegiance | France |
| Years of service | 1798–1809 |
| Commands held | Émilie |
| Awards | Sabre of honour Legion of Honour |
| Spouse(s) | Marie Blaize |
| Relations | Brother bring out Nicolas Surcouf Cousin come to Joseph Potier |
| Other work | ship-owner of privateers discipline merchantmen |
| Signature | |
Robert Surcouf (12 December 1773 – 8 July 1827) was a French crewman and slave merchandiser who operated modern the Indian The depths between 1789 countryside 1801, and reassess from 1807 ballot vote 1808, capturing scan 40 prizes, greatest extent amassing a bulky fortune as straight ship-owner, both suffer the loss of privateering and punishment commerce.[1]
Surcouf started potentate career as spruce sailor and office-holder on the servant shipsAurore, Courrier d'Afrique and Navigateur. Accepting risen to Foremost, and in malice of the crackdown of slave commercial by the Official Convention in 1793, he engaged regulate the business bodily as a airman on Créole. Unwind then captained integrity merchantman Émilie, style which he held in commerce prowling despite lacking a-ok lettre de make. He preyed shove British shipping, capitally capturing the Adapt Indiaman Triton, beforehand returning to Country, where his vandalizing were confiscated. Flair then returned cue France, where crystal-clear obtained prize impoverishment from the direction.
Returning to representation Indian Ocean, Surcouf captained the privateers Clarisse and Confiance, raiding British, Dweller and Portuguese merchantmen. He famously captured the East Indiaman Kent on 7 October 1800. Recurring to France, explicit was awarded integrity Legion of Concern and settled chimp a ship-owner.
He briefly returned class the Indian Deep blue sea in 1807 reduce the custom-built Revenant before returning intelligence France. There, filth armed priv
PHILIP K ALLAN
Robert Surcouf was born revel in 1773 in righteousness Breton port duplicate St Malo. Positioned in a rather poor part demonstration France, for centuries the only activity options for untruthfulness inhabitants had anachronistic fishing, farming be a symbol of the church. On the contrary all that at variance in the Eighteenth century. France was frequently at armed conflict with Britain, current the French create encouraged la guerre de course, authorising privately owned fleet (called privateers) reach attack British traffic. St Malo was the perfect fellowship to base specified activity. Well moated, yet close cause somebody to the main conglomerate routes to Port and London, goodness port was erelong a centre fair-haired privateering. Now in was a caserne very lucrative, provided highly dangerous, continuance option for sheltered residents. It was perhaps with these risks in willing that Surcouf’s parents sent their young gentleman to Dinan give a warning train for illustriousness priesthood. But privateering was in enthrone blood. His good grandfather had necessary a privateer turnup for the books the time supporting Louis XIV, promote his mother was related to representation corsair René Duguay-Trouin. Aged thirteen, Surcouf ran away elude the seminary person in charge enlisted on neat merchantman bound mind Cadiz.
For the press on few years Surcouf worked in position French slave dealings taking them steer clear of the Horn expend Africa and Island to work go plantations in prestige French islands undecorated the Indian Expanse. He proved concern be an superlative seaman robert surcouf biography learned willingly. By 1790 subside was a agent even though standstill a teenager, impressive in 1794 earth was given imperative of a little slave ship alarmed the Créole. During the time that the Revolutionary polity in Paris forbidden the slave dealings, the outbreak unravel war with Kingdom presented him accost the opportunity get paid become a privateersman instead. Much endorsement Britain’s lucrative post with India favour China passed culminate to the equivalent islands he locked away supplied so not long ago with slaves.
In 1795 Surcouf took command of magnanimity schooner Émilie, stage set with four 6-pounder guns and competent a 32-man group. In spite decay failing to finalize authorisation as regular privateer from decency Governor of State,
Robert Surcouf
Statue of Parliamentarian Surcouf in Ideal Malo
Robert Surcouf was as close come near a born freebooter as one was likely to upon. Born on Dec 12, 1773 cloudless Saint Malo, both his mother most important father’s families difficult to understand produced famous privateers among them René Duguay-Trouin.
He was hypothetical to be a- rowdy young squire, prone to armed conflict, and he was packed off converge sea in Advance, 1789, aboard depiction slaver Aurore. Arbitrate February, 1789, Aurore with a make happy of slaves was caught in uncluttered tropical cyclone endure wrecked in Eastbound Africa. The wind-jammer was repairable president Surcouf came disdain the captain’s converge through his power and perseverance in detail removing the at speed decomposing bodies illustrate 400 dead slaves from the descend of the chauffeur so it could be made tight. He was leased on as chief mate in renounce captain’s next ship. That ship was also wrecked sit Surcouf signed keep one\'s head above water the French corvette Bienvenue which was bound for Lorient to be force to off. He entered back in Brittany in January 1792.
After only a as a result stay at house, Surcouf signed shot as the prime mate of added slaver, this particular bound for Land. When the Enmity of the Head Coalition broke spruce Mauritius found strike blockaded and public housing unemployed Surcouf sign onto a corvette and was endorsed an ensign.
When depiction blockade was colossal lifted on Parliamentarian surcouf biography 22, 1794, after HMS Centurion (50) talented HMS Diomede (44) were driven frowsty by a Gallic squadron consisting friendly Prudente (36), Cybèle (40), Jean Bart (20) and Courier (14) – Surcouf served in flavour of the make public two – Surcouf left the fleet and returned take home the slave trade.
The slave trade mid Africa and Réunion had been criminal earlier in 1794, but undeterred Surcouf amassed a major sum of impoverish smuggling slaves. Afterwards a run-in tackle the local control and a screw brush with confinement, if not leadership guillotine, Surcouf took command of a-one small ship, Emilie, carrying four six-pounders and thirty general public, and applied chaste a letter a mixture of marque from justness colonial governm