Charles Henri d'Estaing
Jean-Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing (born November 20, 1729 at Ravel Castle, Auvergne, † April 28, 1794 executed in Paris) was a French naval officer and admiral during the Seven Years' War and American War of Independence .
Military career
Charles Henri d'Estaing originally began his military career with the infantry, due to his aristocratic origins immediately as a colonel and regimental commander. In the Seven Years' War he fought in the East Indies . During the siege of Madras 1758 / 1759 he fell into British captivity, but was paroled. Despite this promise not to take part in the fighting, d'Estaing undertook a pirate voyage in the Persian Gulf. Captured again, he was imprisoned in Portsmouth .
American War of Independence
After the Peace of Paris in 1763 , d'Estaing joined the Navy with the rank of lieutenant. At the outbreak of the American War of Independence , he was promoted to Vice Admiral in 1775, and he was given command of a squadron in North America. His military successes in this war were initially rather modest. Admiral Howe escaped him through his hesitant approach to the Delaware . In August 1778 he succeeded in destroying five British frigates in Naragansett Bay . A battle with Howe, who was able to strengthen his squadron in the meantime, was prevented by bad weather. In December of the same year he tried in vain to recapture the island of St. Lucia , which was occupied by Barrington . In return, however, he managed to take the island of Grenada in July 1779 . In the ensuing naval battle of Grenada , he was able to repel the British under Admiral John Byron . A reconquest of the island by the English was prevented, but his hesitant behavior after the battle spared the British a definite defeat. In August he attacked the English in Savannah , which they took on December 29, 1778. Even if it was not possible to conquer the city together with American ground troops, the British were forced to strengthen their troops. Therefore Rhode Island was evacuated and the British naval base in Naragansett Bay was abandoned.
On his return to France, d'Estaing was still celebrated as a hero, despite lack of success. Until the peace of 1783 he was in command of the Franco-Spanish squadron of Cadiz .
French Revolution
After the outbreak of the French Revolution , he became commander of the National Guard in Versailles . During the procession of the Poissards to Versailles on October 5th and 6th, 1789, he remained passive for the time being, but then transferred the royal couple from Versailles to the Palais des Tuileries in Paris with the National Guard . In the trial of Marie Antoinette in October 1793 he was called as a witness against the Queen, but could not or would not bring forward anything really incriminating. In March 1794 - now himself accused of conspiracy - he was to death by the guillotine convicted. With the words "Send my head to the English - they will pay well for it!" He took the judgment counter and was on April 28, 1794 executed .
With the death of Charles Henri d'Estaing, the line of Count d'Estaing ended - the future French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing does not come from this family; his father bought the title of admiral in 1922.
literature
- World history of seafaring, Volume 4, Biographical Lexicon by Helmut Pemsel , Vienna 2005, ISBN 3-7083-0024-6 , ISBN 3-7822-0836-6
- World history of seafaring, Volume 6, Seeherrschaft II by Helmut Pemsel, Vienna 2005, ISBN 3-7083-0026-2 , ISBN 3-7822-0838-2
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Estaing, Charles Henri d ' |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Estaing, Jean-Baptiste Charles Henri Hector comte d ' |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French admiral |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 20, 1729 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ravel Castle, Auvergne |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 28, 1794 |
| Place of death | Paris |