Moise Vauquelin
Encyclopedia
Moise Vauquelin or Moses Vanclein (fl.
1650-1670) was a 17th century French buccaneer. During his four-year career as a privateer, he served as an officer under l'Ollonais and formed a brief partnership with Pierre Le Picard
. He and Philippe Bequel
later co-wrote a book detailing their explorations of the Honduran and Yucatan coastline.
, France
around 1650. He was part of a buccaneering fleet being organized by l'Ollonais at the pirate haven of Tortuga and which would loot and plunder Spanish settlements throughout the Spanish Main
during the next two years. Vauquelin was one of several officers serving in this expedition and was present at the raids against Maracaibo
and Gibraltar
in 1666 and Puerto de Cavallo and San Pedro
in 1667.
l'Ollonais and his fleet eventually split up, arguing over l'Ollonais desire to sail for Guatemala
, shortly after the capture of a Spanish ship off the coast of the Yucatan. He and Pierre le Picard chose to leave the expedition, some accounts suggesting they were the ringleaders and instigators of the fleet's disbandment, and began privateering together for a time. Sailing along the coast of Costa Rica
, he captured the town of Veraguas although he was driven from the area when he failed to take the nearby town of Nata
and the two split up soon after. This defeat was later recorded in Alexander Esquemeling's The Buccaneers Of America almost twenty years later.
Vauquelin seems to have lost his ship after this, although the circumstances are unrecorded. He did, however, manage to join the French privateer Chevalier du Plessis later that year. After du Plessis' death, Vauquelin was elected as his successor by the crew. He and his crew were able to successfully capture a Spanish prize, carrying a large cargo of cacao, near the port of Havana, Cuba before returning to Tortuga. In 1670, he and fellow buccaneer Philippe Bequel
wrote an account of their careers at the Vice-Admiral Jean d'Estrées
. The book contained detailed information of the geography of the Caribbean and West Indies, particularly the coasts of Honduras and the Yucatan, which were used by the Royal French Navy
as well as later buccaneers.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1650-1670) was a 17th century French buccaneer. During his four-year career as a privateer, he served as an officer under l'Ollonais and formed a brief partnership with Pierre Le Picard
Pierre le Picard
Pierre le Picard was a 17th century French buccaneer. He was both an officer to l'Ollonais as well as Sir Henry Morgan, most notably taking part in his raids at Maracaibo and Panama, and may have been one of the first buccaneers to raid shipping on both the Caribbean and Pacific...
. He and Philippe Bequel
Philippe Bequel
Philippe Bequel was a 17th century French privateer.Possibly born in La Rochelle, France, Bequel may have served under privateers Mathurin Gabaret and François Beaulieu during the 1650s and, by the end of the decade, he had become captain of his own ship...
later co-wrote a book detailing their explorations of the Honduran and Yucatan coastline.
Biography
Vauquelin first arrived in the Caribbean from NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
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...
around 1650. He was part of a buccaneering fleet being organized by l'Ollonais at the pirate haven of Tortuga and which would loot and plunder Spanish settlements throughout the Spanish Main
Spanish Main
In the days of the Spanish New World Empire, the mainland of the American continent enclosing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico was referred to as the Spanish Main. It included present-day Florida, the east shore of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Mexico, Central America and the north coast of...
during the next two years. Vauquelin was one of several officers serving in this expedition and was present at the raids against Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
and Gibraltar
Gibraltar, Venezuela
Gibraltar is a town located in Zulia State in Venezuela between Bobures to the south and Boscan to the north. It is on the shore of Maracaibo Lake. The population is around 4,000....
in 1666 and Puerto de Cavallo and San Pedro
San Pedro
- Places :Argentina:* San Pedro, Buenos Aires Province* San Pedro Partido* San Pedro Department, Jujuy* San Pedro Department, MisionesBelize:*San Pedro Town, a town on the island of Ambergris Caye Chile:...
in 1667.
l'Ollonais and his fleet eventually split up, arguing over l'Ollonais desire to sail for Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, shortly after the capture of a Spanish ship off the coast of the Yucatan. He and Pierre le Picard chose to leave the expedition, some accounts suggesting they were the ringleaders and instigators of the fleet's disbandment, and began privateering together for a time. Sailing along the coast of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, he captured the town of Veraguas although he was driven from the area when he failed to take the nearby town of Nata
Nata
Nata is a small village in the Paphos area of southwest Cyprus. It is a small relatively unspoilt traditional village situated on the south-eastern hillside of the Xeros River Valley with approximately 300 residents that is slowly growing due to the number of foreigners wanting to live there. The...
and the two split up soon after. This defeat was later recorded in Alexander Esquemeling's The Buccaneers Of America almost twenty years later.
Vauquelin seems to have lost his ship after this, although the circumstances are unrecorded. He did, however, manage to join the French privateer Chevalier du Plessis later that year. After du Plessis' death, Vauquelin was elected as his successor by the crew. He and his crew were able to successfully capture a Spanish prize, carrying a large cargo of cacao, near the port of Havana, Cuba before returning to Tortuga. In 1670, he and fellow buccaneer Philippe Bequel
Philippe Bequel
Philippe Bequel was a 17th century French privateer.Possibly born in La Rochelle, France, Bequel may have served under privateers Mathurin Gabaret and François Beaulieu during the 1650s and, by the end of the decade, he had become captain of his own ship...
wrote an account of their careers at the Vice-Admiral Jean d'Estrées
Jean d'Estrées
Jean d'Estrées was a French priest and politician.He was born in Paris, the nephew of Cardinal César d'Estrées and brother of Marshal Victor Marie d'Estrées, both academics. In 1692, Jean d'Estrées was given his first diplomatic mission, being responsible for the assurance of Portuguese...
. The book contained detailed information of the geography of the Caribbean and West Indies, particularly the coasts of Honduras and the Yucatan, which were used by the Royal French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
as well as later buccaneers.