Bernard Dubourdieu
Encyclopedia
Bernard Dubourdieu was a French rear-admiral who led the allied French-Venetian forces at the Battle of Lissa
in 1811, during which he was killed.
A native of Bayonne
, Dubourdieu started sailing on a merchantman at 16, before joining the Navy in 1792. He quickly rose to ensign aboard the Entreprenant
. He transferred to the frigate Topaze the next year in Latouche-Tréville's squadron.
Captured at Toulon by the British and transferred to Gibraltar, he escaped to Lorient. Promoted to enseigne de vaisseau, Dubourdieu sailed on the corvette Gaieté. Gaieté was captured and Dubourdieu was imprisoned again until 1799.
Captured a third time in Alexandria in 1800, he was exchanged and promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau. In 1805, he was made a Frigate Captain
. In 1807, he took command of the frigate Pénélope and captured 13 British merchantmen. On 27 February 1809, along with the frigate Pauline
, he captured HMS Proserpine blockading Toulon.
On 23 October 1810, he raided Lissa
and captured 6 ships in the harbour. He was then tasked to capture the island and establish a base there. Promoted to contre-amiral, Dubourdieu set sail with 6 frigates. In the ensuing Battle of Lissa
, the French were routed and Dubourdieu was killed.
Battle of Lissa (1811)
The Battle of Lissa was a naval action fought between a British frigate squadron and a substantially larger squadron of French and Venetian frigates and smaller ships on 13 March 1811 during the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars...
in 1811, during which he was killed.
A native of Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, Dubourdieu started sailing on a merchantman at 16, before joining the Navy in 1792. He quickly rose to ensign aboard the Entreprenant
French ship Entreprenant (1787)
The Entreprenant was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy.In December 1792, she assisted the Languedoc. She was taken by the British when they captured Toulon, but was recaptured....
. He transferred to the frigate Topaze the next year in Latouche-Tréville's squadron.
Captured at Toulon by the British and transferred to Gibraltar, he escaped to Lorient. Promoted to enseigne de vaisseau, Dubourdieu sailed on the corvette Gaieté. Gaieté was captured and Dubourdieu was imprisoned again until 1799.
Captured a third time in Alexandria in 1800, he was exchanged and promoted to lieutenant de vaisseau. In 1805, he was made a Frigate Captain
Frigate Captain
Frigate captain is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries.It is, usually, equivalent to the Commonwealth/US Navy rank of commander.Countries using this rank include Argentina and Spain , France , Belgium , Italy ,...
. In 1807, he took command of the frigate Pénélope and captured 13 British merchantmen. On 27 February 1809, along with the frigate Pauline
French frigate Pauline (1807)
The Pauline was a 44-gun Hortense class frigate of the French Navy.On 27 February 1809, along with Dubourdieu's Pénélope, she captured the 32-gun HMS Proserpine ....
, he captured HMS Proserpine blockading Toulon.
On 23 October 1810, he raided Lissa
Vis (island)
Vis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
and captured 6 ships in the harbour. He was then tasked to capture the island and establish a base there. Promoted to contre-amiral, Dubourdieu set sail with 6 frigates. In the ensuing Battle of Lissa
Battle of Lissa (1811)
The Battle of Lissa was a naval action fought between a British frigate squadron and a substantially larger squadron of French and Venetian frigates and smaller ships on 13 March 1811 during the Adriatic campaign of the Napoleonic Wars...
, the French were routed and Dubourdieu was killed.