Abraham Duquesne
Encyclopedia
Other topics that could fall under Duquesne can be found at Marquis Duquesne (disambiguation)
Abraham Duquesne, marquis du Bouchet (c. 1610 – February 2, 1688) was a French
naval officer, who also saw service as an admiral in the Royal Swedish Navy
. He was born in Dieppe, a seaport, in 1610, and was a Huguenot
. He was the son of a naval officer and therefore became a sailor himself, spending his early years in merchant service.
) in the French navy. In 1636, he was appointed to the "Neptune" squadron. In May 1637 he gained some fame for capturing the island of Lerins from the Spanish
. Around this time, his father died in a conflict with the Spanish, which permanently increased his animosity towards them and he sought revenge. He fought them viciously at the Battle of Guetaria in 1638, during the expedition to Corunna
in 1639, and in the battles at Tarragona
in 1641, Barcelona and the Cabo de Gata.
navy in 1643. On the side of the Swedes, he fought the Danish
fleet at the Battle of Colberger Heide
where King Christian IV
himself was in command of the Danish fleet, in the frigate Regina 34. Later at Fehmarn
, the Danes were decisively defeated, their admiral Pros Mund
killed and his ship taken. After a peace had been reached between the Danes and the Swedes in 1645, he returned to France.
He suppressed a revolt at Bordeaux
(which was materially supported by his most hated foe, the Spanish) in 1650, during the Fronde
outbreaks. During that same year, he created at his own expense a squadron with which he blockaded the Gironde
, forcing that city to surrender. This earned him a promotion in rank to chef d'escadre
(Rear-Admiral), a castle, and a gift of the entire isle of Indre, Loire-Atlantique
. The French and the Spanish made peace in 1659, which left him to fight pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
. In 1667 he is promoted Lieutenant-Général (Vice-Admiral). He distinguished himself in the Third Dutch War, fighting as second in command of the French squadron at the Battle of Solebay
and later supporting the insurgents in the revolt of Messina from Spain, fighting Admiral Michel Adriaanzoon de Ruyter
, who had the united fleets of Spain and the United Provinces
under his command. He fought the combined Dutch-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Stromboli
and the Battle of Agosta
where De Ruyter was mortally wounded. On the 2nd of June he was present as second in command when the French fleet under Comte and Vivonne attacked and partly destroyed the Spanish-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Palermo
, which secured French control of the Mediterranean. For this accomplishment he received a personal letter from Louis XIV
and was given, in 1681, the title of marquis
along with the estate of Bouchet
, even though he was a Protestant.
Duquesne also fought the Barbary pirates in 1681 and bombarded Algiers
between 1682 and 1683, to help Christian captives, and bombarded Genoa
in 1684.
in 1685, though he was exempted from the proscription. He died in Paris on 2 February 1688.
Marquis Duquesne (disambiguation)
Marquis Duquesne may refer to:*Abraham Duquesne , French naval officer*Michel-Ange Duquesne de Menneville , French Governor of Canada and naval officer...
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
naval officer, who also saw service as an admiral in the Royal Swedish Navy
Swedish Navy
The Royal Swedish Navy is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet – as well as marine units, the so-called Amphibious Corps .In Swedish, vessels of the Swedish Navy are given the prefix "HMS," short for Hans/Hennes...
. He was born in Dieppe, a seaport, in 1610, and was a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
. He was the son of a naval officer and therefore became a sailor himself, spending his early years in merchant service.
Service in the French navy
In 1635, he was capitaine de vaisseau (captainCaptain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
) in the French navy. In 1636, he was appointed to the "Neptune" squadron. In May 1637 he gained some fame for capturing the island of Lerins from the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Around this time, his father died in a conflict with the Spanish, which permanently increased his animosity towards them and he sought revenge. He fought them viciously at the Battle of Guetaria in 1638, during the expedition to Corunna
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
in 1639, and in the battles at Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
in 1641, Barcelona and the Cabo de Gata.
Service in the Royal Swedish navy
Duquesne then left to join the SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
navy in 1643. On the side of the Swedes, he fought the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
fleet at the Battle of Colberger Heide
Battle of Colberger Heide
The naval Battle of Colberger Heide took place on 1 July 1644 during the Danish-Swedish War , off northern Germany...
where King Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
himself was in command of the Danish fleet, in the frigate Regina 34. Later at Fehmarn
Action of 13 October 1644
The Action of 13 October 1644 took place north-west of the island of Fehmarn, now part of Germany, in the Baltic Sea. A combined Swedish fleet, with a large element of hired Dutch ships, defeated a Danish fleet and took 1000 prisoners, including Ulfeldt, Grabov and von Jasmund...
, the Danes were decisively defeated, their admiral Pros Mund
Pros Mund
-Early life:Pros Mund was the son of Niels Mund of Bjerkevoldand Ingeborg Prosdatter Hørb. He became naval lieutenant in 1624 and was promoted to captain in 1628...
killed and his ship taken. After a peace had been reached between the Danes and the Swedes in 1645, he returned to France.
Return to French service
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
(which was materially supported by his most hated foe, the Spanish) in 1650, during the Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
outbreaks. During that same year, he created at his own expense a squadron with which he blockaded the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
, forcing that city to surrender. This earned him a promotion in rank to chef d'escadre
Chef d'escadre
In the ancien Régime French Navy, the rank of chef d'escadre was equivalent to the present-day rank of rear admiral. It was replaced in 1791 by the rank of "contre-amiral" ....
(Rear-Admiral), a castle, and a gift of the entire isle of Indre, Loire-Atlantique
Indre, Loire-Atlantique
Indre is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-Etymology:The name Indre, pronounced in French, derives from that of Latin Antrum. The city was called Antrum and Antrinse monasterium in 840, Andra in 1144 was renamed Aindre and Indre.The inhabitants of Indre are known in...
. The French and the Spanish made peace in 1659, which left him to fight pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. In 1667 he is promoted Lieutenant-Général (Vice-Admiral). He distinguished himself in the Third Dutch War, fighting as second in command of the French squadron at the Battle of Solebay
Battle of Solebay
The naval Battle of Solebay took place on 28 May Old Style, 7 June New Style 1672 and was the first naval battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War.-The battle:...
and later supporting the insurgents in the revolt of Messina from Spain, fighting Admiral Michel Adriaanzoon de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
, who had the united fleets of Spain and the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
under his command. He fought the combined Dutch-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Stromboli
Battle of Stromboli
The naval Battle of Stromboli took place on 8 January 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War between a French fleet of 20 ships under Abraham Duquesne and a combined fleet of 19 Dutch and one Spanish ship under Lieutenant-Admiral-General Michiel de Ruyter that lasted eight hours and ended inconclusively...
and the Battle of Agosta
Battle of Agosta
The naval Battle of Augusta took place on 22 April 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War and was fought between a French fleet of 29 man-of-war, five frigates and eight fireships under Abraham Duquesne and a Dutch-Spanish fleet of 27 plus five fireships with Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral-General Michiel de...
where De Ruyter was mortally wounded. On the 2nd of June he was present as second in command when the French fleet under Comte and Vivonne attacked and partly destroyed the Spanish-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Palermo
Battle of Palermo
The naval Battle of Palermo took place on 2 June 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War, between a French force led by Abraham Duquesne and a Spanish force supported by a Dutch maritime expedition force. Largely because the Dutch and Spanish ships were at bay making repairs from earlier a battle, the...
, which secured French control of the Mediterranean. For this accomplishment he received a personal letter from Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
and was given, in 1681, the title of marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
along with the estate of Bouchet
Bouchet
Bouchet may refer toPeople* André du Bouchet – 20th century French poet.* Barbara Bouchet – American actress most notable for the role of Miss Moneypenny in the 1967 film Casino Royale...
, even though he was a Protestant.
Duquesne also fought the Barbary pirates in 1681 and bombarded Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
between 1682 and 1683, to help Christian captives, and bombarded Genoa
Bombardment of Genoa
The Bombardment of Genoa was a military event during the War of the Reunions when France bombarded the city of Genoa from the sea between May 18 and May 28 1684.- Background :...
in 1684.
Last years
In that same year, 1684, he retired from poor health. He may have foreseen the revocation of the Edict of NantesEdict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
in 1685, though he was exempted from the proscription. He died in Paris on 2 February 1688.
Trivia
- The Marquis Duquesne de Menneville, another famous mariner, was his grandnephew
- 8 vessels of the French Navy have been named in his honour, see French ship DuquesneFrench ship DuquesneEight ships of the French Navy have been named in honour of Abraham Duquesne:* Duquesne , a 74-gun ship of the line* Duquesne , a captured Russian 73-gun ship, used as a school ship* Duquesne, a 86-gun ship...