Ange René Armand, baron de Mackau
Encyclopedia
Ange René Armand, Baron de Mackau (17 February 1788 — 13 May 1855) was a French naval officer and politician.
who followed King James II
to France and grandson of the deputy governess of the sisters of Louis XVI, Ange de Mackau was raised in the same institution as Jérôme Bonaparte
, Napoleon's youngest brother, and entered the navy as a novice at 17.
. He was then called to command a station of the French coast guard, where he acquitted himself honorably in engagements with a British cruiser.
He subsequently made a long cruise on the frigate
L'Hortense, commanded by Commandant Baudin
. When Baudin was promoted to contre-amiral
, he attached Ange de Mackau as his deputy-adjunct in the Mediterranean squadron and kept him nearby until 1810.
At that time, Mackau went as first lieutenant on the brig
L'Abeille. On 26 May 1811, returning from a mission to Corsica, L'Abeille encountered HMS Alacrity
off Bastia
and attacked the larger brig without hesitation. After having seen all its officers lost in combat, fifteen crewmen killed, and twenty others wounded, Alacrity surrendered and was dragged in triumph to Bastia. For this success, Mackau was promoted to ship-of-the-line lieutenant
, made a knight of the Legion of Honor, and granted command of the captured ship.
After several other battles and the capture of several merchant vessels, Mackau was named in 1812 as a frigate captain at the age of only twenty-four. He received command of the French squadron charged with protecting the Tuscan
coast, where in December he participated in the defense of Livorno
. The next year, he returned to Toulon
with every ship-of-the-line in his squadron unharmed and a great quantity of supplies drawn from Livorno and Genoa
.
and Madagascar
, where he obtained and provided useful information. In 1816, he was named second-in-command for the frigate L'Eurydice, and in 1818 he received the command of Golo and campaigned in almost every sea in the world while participating in important hydrographic work.
Named ship-of-the-line captain on 1 September 1819, he was directed to Senegal
where the French government planned to found new settlements. After investigation, he decided to abandon this project and only maintain the existing ones. According to him, Senegal could only be a trading colony and not a farming one. During this mission, he also gathered information on the black slave trade.
On his return to France, he was named a gentleman of the chamber of King Louis XVIII. In June 1821, he then received command of La Clorinde, a 58-gun frigate, which he sailed to the Pacific in order to conduct negotiations with the new states of Chile
and Peru
.
In command of La Circe, he was next directed to Haiti
in order for it to accept the "Ordinance of Emancipation" of 17 April 1825, which partially recognized the independence of the formerly French half of the island (while leaving Haiti's occupation of the formerly Spanish half unrecognized, and in the event withholding full diplomatic recognition for another decade) while ordering, in return, five annual payments of ₣30 million in specie from the impoverished nation, opening of the ports to trade from all nations, and a tariff rate for French goods half that of any other nation. The Haitians particularly objected to the exemption of the Spanish section from any obligation or recognition under the treaty, a stipulation which would lead to the Dominican War of Independence
, but being met by the addition squadrons under Admirals Jurien de la Gravière
and Grivel and threatening French reconquest of the nation, Mackau obtained confirmation of the order.
Named counter admiral
on 1 September 1825, member of the Council of the Admiralty in 1828, and director of naval personnel on 17 September 1829, he participated in the preparation of the Algerian Expedition and displayed there a marked firmness of will and power.
, Admiral Mackau was elected deputy by the 2nd electoral arrondissement of Morbihan
on 23 June 1830.
He took the oath to the July monarchy
, renounced his position in personnel, and was named in 1831 as commander of the Squadron of the Downs, whose purview at the time included the war between the Netherlands
and its rebellious southern provinces, which had declared independence as Belgium
. This squadron transported the garrison of Antwerp from Dunkerque to Vlissingen and was charged with blockading the Dutch ports.
Returned to Cherbourg, Admiral Mackau was named commander of the Antilles
station. During this time, the French consul, Adolphe Barrot, was brutally jailed. After informing the government of New Granada
of the reparations demanded by the French government and being rebuffed, Admiral Mackau prepared his force for action pending instructions from Paris. After nearly a year, he received orders permitting him the widest latitude and left Martinique
with five vessels and the consul, arriving unexpected at Cartagena
, forcing the Boca Chica
, and placing himself in a position to capture the forts guarding the sole entrance to the port. Reopening negotiations, he obtained complete reparations.
After having rendered to the navy other important services, the admiral was charged with the inspection of French fishing establishments at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and the island of Newfoundland. He was barely returned to France when a rupture with the United States
became imminent. Admiral Mackau was named commander in chief of the naval forces of the Antilles and governor of Martinique in order to take measures to protect French settlement and commerce in the Antilles and Atlantic, but the war was averted. In these functions, Mackau was preoccupied with the anti-slavery movement which arose and strove to improve the plight of the blacks.
Mackau left Martinique. On the way, the frigate La Terpsichore, on which he travelled with all his family, was assailed by a terrible tempest and remained several days in distress off the coast of Ireland. In these grave circumstances, he assumed command of the frigate and assisted by its captain, officers, and crewmen, he managed to conduct La Terpischore into the port of Cork
.
On 30 May 1837, he was named a Vice-Admiral and new member of the Council of the Admiralty.
In 1840, Admiral Mackau went at the head of 43 warships to make vigorous demonstrations in the Río de la Plata
in order to conclude an agreement with Rosas
, dictator of Argentina
, which was completed 29 October.
Created a peer of France on 20 July 1842, he was commanding the Mediterranean squadron when he was called to head the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies on 24 July 1843 as a replacement for Admiral Albin Roussin
. During his administration, he reorganized the departments of control and accountability; proposed the laws of 18 and 19 July 1845, called the Mackau Law, which made preparations for the abolishment of slavery throughout the French Empire
; and also the law of 3 July 1846 opening a credit of ₣93 million for the improvement of the French war fleet. He received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on 29 October 1845.
Several trials called public attention to the abuses and disorder within the naval administration. Mackau tried unsuccessfully to fix them and was forced to accept an inquiry demanded by the Chamber of Deputies
. Furthermore, the French Parliament considered the measures against slavery insufficient, and the deputies adopted the proporsal of Alexandre Ledru-Rollin on the subject. Faced with a vote of no confidence, Mackau resigned on 8 May 1847. Nevertheless, he was promoted to full admiral on 23 December.
, he became a senator during the Second Empire by right of his admiralty on 26 January 1852. He died three years later after having vainly sought a command in the Crimean War
.
He was the father of Armand de Mackau (1832-1918), a deputy of the Third Republic.
Early History
Descendant of an ancient family of IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
who followed King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
to France and grandson of the deputy governess of the sisters of Louis XVI, Ange de Mackau was raised in the same institution as Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, French Prince, King of Westphalia, 1st Prince of Montfort was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him king of Westphalia...
, Napoleon's youngest brother, and entered the navy as a novice at 17.
During the Napoleonic Era
On the orders of Prince Jérôme, he embarked on the ship-of-the-line Le Vétéran. Upon his return from its campaign in the Atlantic and the Caribbean in 1808, his conduct and excellent exam scores earned him the rank of Aspirant, 1st classAspirant
Aspirant is a military rank in the Canadian Navy, French military, Brazilian military, Romanian Navy and Polish Police.-Canadian Navy:Similar to the French usage, the Canadian Navy uses the French-language rank of "Aspirant de marine" to denote a junior officer under training. The same rank in the...
. He was then called to command a station of the French coast guard, where he acquitted himself honorably in engagements with a British cruiser.
He subsequently made a long cruise on the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
L'Hortense, commanded by Commandant Baudin
Charles Baudin
Charles Baudin , was a French admiral, whose naval service extended from the First Empire through the early days of the Second Empire....
. When Baudin was promoted to contre-amiral
Counter Admiral
Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral...
, he attached Ange de Mackau as his deputy-adjunct in the Mediterranean squadron and kept him nearby until 1810.
At that time, Mackau went as first lieutenant on the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
L'Abeille. On 26 May 1811, returning from a mission to Corsica, L'Abeille encountered HMS Alacrity
HMS Alacrity (1806)
HMS Alacrity was a built by William Row at Newcastle and launched in 1806. She served in the Baltic and was at the capture of Copenhagen in 1807. She captured a large privateer before herself falling victim to a French man-of-war in 1811 in an action in which her captain failed to distinguish...
off Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
and attacked the larger brig without hesitation. After having seen all its officers lost in combat, fifteen crewmen killed, and twenty others wounded, Alacrity surrendered and was dragged in triumph to Bastia. For this success, Mackau was promoted to ship-of-the-line lieutenant
Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant
Ship-of-the-line lieutenant is a common naval rank, equivalent to the naval rank of Lieutenant in the UK, Commonwealth and US.The name of the rank derives from the name of the largest class of warship, the ship of the line, as opposed to smaller types of warship .The rank is lieutenant de vaisseau...
, made a knight of the Legion of Honor, and granted command of the captured ship.
After several other battles and the capture of several merchant vessels, Mackau was named in 1812 as a frigate captain at the age of only twenty-four. He received command of the French squadron charged with protecting the Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
coast, where in December he participated in the defense of Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
. The next year, he returned to Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
with every ship-of-the-line in his squadron unharmed and a great quantity of supplies drawn from Livorno and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
.
During the Restoration
Under the Restoration, which preserved his rank, he requested and obtained important missions to Île BourbonRéunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, where he obtained and provided useful information. In 1816, he was named second-in-command for the frigate L'Eurydice, and in 1818 he received the command of Golo and campaigned in almost every sea in the world while participating in important hydrographic work.
Named ship-of-the-line captain on 1 September 1819, he was directed to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
where the French government planned to found new settlements. After investigation, he decided to abandon this project and only maintain the existing ones. According to him, Senegal could only be a trading colony and not a farming one. During this mission, he also gathered information on the black slave trade.
On his return to France, he was named a gentleman of the chamber of King Louis XVIII. In June 1821, he then received command of La Clorinde, a 58-gun frigate, which he sailed to the Pacific in order to conduct negotiations with the new states of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
In command of La Circe, he was next directed to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in order for it to accept the "Ordinance of Emancipation" of 17 April 1825, which partially recognized the independence of the formerly French half of the island (while leaving Haiti's occupation of the formerly Spanish half unrecognized, and in the event withholding full diplomatic recognition for another decade) while ordering, in return, five annual payments of ₣30 million in specie from the impoverished nation, opening of the ports to trade from all nations, and a tariff rate for French goods half that of any other nation. The Haitians particularly objected to the exemption of the Spanish section from any obligation or recognition under the treaty, a stipulation which would lead to the Dominican War of Independence
Dominican War of Independence
The Dominican Independence War gave the Dominican Republic independence from Haiti in 1844. Before the war, the whole island of Hispaniola had been under Haitian rule for 22 years when Haiti occupied the newly independent state of Haití Español in 1822....
, but being met by the addition squadrons under Admirals Jurien de la Gravière
Pierre Roch Jurien de La Gravière
Pierre Roch Jurien de La Gravière was a French naval officer.- Biography :Born at Gannat in Allier, La Gravière entered the service under the name Jurien Desvarennes as a novice pilot on the corvette La Favorite in May 1786.Volunteer aspirant on the frigate La Flore 29 November 1787, aspirant, 1st...
and Grivel and threatening French reconquest of the nation, Mackau obtained confirmation of the order.
Named counter admiral
Counter Admiral
Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral...
on 1 September 1825, member of the Council of the Admiralty in 1828, and director of naval personnel on 17 September 1829, he participated in the preparation of the Algerian Expedition and displayed there a marked firmness of will and power.
During the July monarchy
President of the electoral college of LorientLorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
, Admiral Mackau was elected deputy by the 2nd electoral arrondissement of Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
on 23 June 1830.
He took the oath to the July monarchy
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
, renounced his position in personnel, and was named in 1831 as commander of the Squadron of the Downs, whose purview at the time included the war between the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and its rebellious southern provinces, which had declared independence as Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. This squadron transported the garrison of Antwerp from Dunkerque to Vlissingen and was charged with blockading the Dutch ports.
Returned to Cherbourg, Admiral Mackau was named commander of the Antilles
Antilles
The Antilles islands form the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north and west, including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the...
station. During this time, the French consul, Adolphe Barrot, was brutally jailed. After informing the government of New Granada
New Granada
New Granada may refer to various former national denominations for the present-day country of Colombia.*New Kingdom of Granada, from 1538 to 1717*Viceroyalty of New Granada, from 1717 to 1810, re-established from 1816 to 1819...
of the reparations demanded by the French government and being rebuffed, Admiral Mackau prepared his force for action pending instructions from Paris. After nearly a year, he received orders permitting him the widest latitude and left Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
with five vessels and the consul, arriving unexpected at Cartagena
Cartagena
-Colombia:*Cartagena, Colombia, a city in the Bolivar Region, the largest city bearing this name*Cartagena de Chairá, Colombia-Other:*Cartagena *Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety*FC Cartagena, a football club based in Cartagena, Spain-See also:...
, forcing the Boca Chica
Boca Chica
Boca Chica is a municipality of the Santo Domingo province in the Dominican Republic. Within the municipality there is one municipal district : La Caleta....
, and placing himself in a position to capture the forts guarding the sole entrance to the port. Reopening negotiations, he obtained complete reparations.
After having rendered to the navy other important services, the admiral was charged with the inspection of French fishing establishments at Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and the island of Newfoundland. He was barely returned to France when a rupture with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
became imminent. Admiral Mackau was named commander in chief of the naval forces of the Antilles and governor of Martinique in order to take measures to protect French settlement and commerce in the Antilles and Atlantic, but the war was averted. In these functions, Mackau was preoccupied with the anti-slavery movement which arose and strove to improve the plight of the blacks.
Mackau left Martinique. On the way, the frigate La Terpsichore, on which he travelled with all his family, was assailed by a terrible tempest and remained several days in distress off the coast of Ireland. In these grave circumstances, he assumed command of the frigate and assisted by its captain, officers, and crewmen, he managed to conduct La Terpischore into the port of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
.
On 30 May 1837, he was named a Vice-Admiral and new member of the Council of the Admiralty.
In 1840, Admiral Mackau went at the head of 43 warships to make vigorous demonstrations in the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
in order to conclude an agreement with Rosas
Rosas
Rosas may refer to:*Rosas, , a town in Catalonia, Spain*Rosas , a Spanish surname*Juan Manuel de Rosas, a nineteenth century Argentine governor*Cesar Rosas, a Mexican musician*Fernando Rosas, a Portuguese academic and politician...
, dictator of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, which was completed 29 October.
Created a peer of France on 20 July 1842, he was commanding the Mediterranean squadron when he was called to head the Ministry of the Navy and Colonies on 24 July 1843 as a replacement for Admiral Albin Roussin
Albin Roussin
Albin Reine Roussin was a French admiral and statesman.-Republic and Empire:His father was a lawyer who was arrested during the French Revolution when Roussin was aged twelve. He left home in Dijon and travelled to Dunkerque where he enlisted as a cadet in the French Navy in December of 1793. He...
. During his administration, he reorganized the departments of control and accountability; proposed the laws of 18 and 19 July 1845, called the Mackau Law, which made preparations for the abolishment of slavery throughout the French Empire
French Empire
The term French Empire can refer to:* Two Empires of the French founded by members of the House of Bonaparte,** The First French Empire of Napoleon I and II ** The Second French Empire of Napoleon III...
; and also the law of 3 July 1846 opening a credit of ₣93 million for the improvement of the French war fleet. He received the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on 29 October 1845.
Several trials called public attention to the abuses and disorder within the naval administration. Mackau tried unsuccessfully to fix them and was forced to accept an inquiry demanded by the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or can refer to a unicameral legislature.-Description:...
. Furthermore, the French Parliament considered the measures against slavery insufficient, and the deputies adopted the proporsal of Alexandre Ledru-Rollin on the subject. Faced with a vote of no confidence, Mackau resigned on 8 May 1847. Nevertheless, he was promoted to full admiral on 23 December.
During the Second Republic and Empire
Avoiding the Second RepublicFrench Second Republic
The French Second Republic was the republican government of France between the 1848 Revolution and the coup by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte which initiated the Second Empire. It officially adopted the motto Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité...
, he became a senator during the Second Empire by right of his admiralty on 26 January 1852. He died three years later after having vainly sought a command in the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
.
He was the father of Armand de Mackau (1832-1918), a deputy of the Third Republic.