André, marquis de Nesmond
Encyclopedia
André, marquis de Nesmond (Bordeaux
, November 17, 1641 – Havana
, June 11, 1702) was a French naval commander from the seventeenth century.
He was the second son of Henri de Nesmond (1600-1651). Henri de Nesmond
(1655-172) was his younger brother.
In 1658 he became member in the Order of Malta.
In 1662 he entered in the service of the French Navy and was wounded in 1663 in a battle with 3 Algerian corsairs. in 1667 he was promoted to captain and fought under François, Duke of Beaufort
in the Siege of Candia
in 1669.
In the Franco-Dutch War
he commanded the Vaillant in the Battle of Solebay
in 1672, the Conquérant in the Battle of Schooneveld
in 1673 and again the Vaillant in the Battle of Texel
.
In 1674-1675 he commandes the Actif and defeated Engel de Ruyter
near The Lizard
.
In 1677-1678 he commanded the Belliqueux in the Caribbean
, where he was implicated in the foundering of the fleet of Jean II d'Estrées
, in the disaster of the Las Aves Archipelago
.
During the War of the Grand Alliance
, on the Content he escorted French troop ships to Ireland in 1690. He fought in the Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
as captain of the Souverain.
During the Battle of Barfleur
on board the Monarque, he commanded a division, and held off the Dutch vanguard until the end of the battle. In the lost Battle of La Hogue, he saved part of his division and passed with the remaining 2 ships Monarque and Aimable, through the Straits of Dover and led them north-about round Britain.
The Marquis of Nesmond then gained a reputation as a formidable raider, capturing many ships and their valuable cargo. In the Battle of Lagos (1693)
he captured two Dutch warships and several marchant ships from the Smyrna Convoy.
In 1695 he captures the Engish warship Espérance (72) and later that year, two merchant ships from the East India Company
.
In 1696 he captures his greatest price : 2 English merchant ships coming from India, which a cargo that is sold for 3.150.000 pounds. Later that year he also captures a merchant fleet of 9 ships from Ostende. In 1697 he operates in North America.
At the beginning of the War of Spanish Succession he is send to the Caribbean to protect the Spanish treasure fleet, but in June 1702, he gets sick and dies on board the Ferme in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.
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...
, November 17, 1641 – Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, June 11, 1702) was a French naval commander from the seventeenth century.
He was the second son of Henri de Nesmond (1600-1651). Henri de Nesmond
Henri de Nesmond
Henri de Nesmond was a French churchman, bishop of Montauban, archbishop of Albi and archbishop of Toulouse.- Life :He was a son of Henri de Nesmond...
(1655-172) was his younger brother.
In 1658 he became member in the Order of Malta.
In 1662 he entered in the service of the French Navy and was wounded in 1663 in a battle with 3 Algerian corsairs. in 1667 he was promoted to captain and fought under François, Duke of Beaufort
François, Duke of Beaufort
François de Vendôme, Duc de Beaufort was the illegitimate grandson of Henry IV of France. He was also cousin to Louis XIV. He was a prominent figure in the Fronde, and later went on to fight in the Mediterranean. His mother was the heiress Françoise de Lorraine...
in the Siege of Candia
Siege of Candia
The Siege of Candia was a military conflict in which Ottoman forces besieged the Venetian-ruled city and were ultimately victorious. Lasting from 1648 to 1669, it was the longest siege in history.-Background:...
in 1669.
In the Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
he commanded the Vaillant in 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:...
in 1672, the Conquérant in the Battle of Schooneveld
Battle of Schooneveld
The Battles of Schooneveld were two naval battles of the Franco-Dutch War, fought off the coast of the Netherlands on 7 June and 14 June 1673 between an allied Anglo-French fleet commanded by Prince Rupert of the Rhine, and the fleet of the United Provinces, commanded by Michiel de Ruyter.The...
in 1673 and again the Vaillant in the Battle of Texel
Battle of Texel
The naval Battle of Texel or Battle of Kijkduin took place on 21 August 1673 between the Dutch and the combined English and French fleets and was the last major battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, which was itself part of the Franco-Dutch War , during which Louis XIV of France invaded the...
.
In 1674-1675 he commandes the Actif and defeated Engel de Ruyter
Engel de Ruyter
Engel Michielszoon de Ruyter was a Dutch vice-admiral.-Life:He was the son of lieutenant admiral Michiel de Ruyter and his second wife Cornelia Engels. He began his naval service on board his father's ship on his expeditions in 1664 and 1665...
near The Lizard
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
.
In 1677-1678 he commanded the Belliqueux in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, where he was implicated in the foundering of the fleet of Jean II d'Estrées
Jean II d'Estrées
Jean II d'Estrées, , was a Marshal of France, and an important naval commander of Louis XIV.Jean d'Estrées was born in a noble family from Picardie...
, in the disaster of the Las Aves Archipelago
Las Aves Archipelago
The Las Aves Archipelagois a pristine archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, and is part of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela. It is located north of the Venezuelan states of Aragua and Carabobo, between the Dutch island Bonaire in the west, and the Los Roques Archipelago in the east, at . The prime...
.
During the War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
, on the Content he escorted French troop ships to Ireland in 1690. He fought in the Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
as captain of the Souverain.
During the Battle of Barfleur
Battle of Barfleur
This article deals in detail with the action on 19 May 1692. For an overview of the battle, its background and aftermath, see Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue...
on board the Monarque, he commanded a division, and held off the Dutch vanguard until the end of the battle. In the lost Battle of La Hogue, he saved part of his division and passed with the remaining 2 ships Monarque and Aimable, through the Straits of Dover and led them north-about round Britain.
The Marquis of Nesmond then gained a reputation as a formidable raider, capturing many ships and their valuable cargo. In the Battle of Lagos (1693)
Battle of Lagos (1693)
The Battle of Lagos was a sea battle during the Nine Years' War on 1693-06-27 , when a French fleet under Tourville defeated an Anglo-Dutch fleet under George Rooke...
he captured two Dutch warships and several marchant ships from the Smyrna Convoy.
In 1695 he captures the Engish warship Espérance (72) and later that year, two merchant ships from the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
.
In 1696 he captures his greatest price : 2 English merchant ships coming from India, which a cargo that is sold for 3.150.000 pounds. Later that year he also captures a merchant fleet of 9 ships from Ostende. In 1697 he operates in North America.
At the beginning of the War of Spanish Succession he is send to the Caribbean to protect the Spanish treasure fleet, but in June 1702, he gets sick and dies on board the Ferme in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.