X-Nico

4 unusual facts about French corsairs


French corsairs

Jean-François de La Roque de Roberval (c. 1500–1560) was a French nobleman and adventurer who, through his friendship with King Francis, became the first Lieutenant General of New France.

During the French Revolution, the convention government disapproved of lettres de course, so Surcouf operated at great personal risk as a pirate against British shipping to India.

When his appointment as the first Lieutenant General of New France did not work out, he attempted to pay off his debts through privateering.

The "corsair" activities started in the Middle Ages the main goals really being to compensate for the economic problems in war periods; and the ship owners did not accept that the war was an obstacle to their trade.


Étienne Pellot

Étienne Pellot "Montvieux", aka le Renard Basque (the Basque fox), (1 September 1765, Hendaye, France – 1856, Hendaye), was the last known French corsair, renowned for his bravery and success.


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