Buccaneers > French Buccaneers > Michel le Basque
Michel le Basque
Background
Michael le Basque - Pirates of the Spanish Main (1888)
Michel Etchegorria said Michel Basque labourdin is a filibuster, a native French pirate of the Kingdom of Navarre in the southwest of France, and companion of Jean David Nau Olonnais1.Contents [hide]1 Biography1.1 Taking Maracaibo2 References3 See also3.1 Bibliography3.2 Related articles3.3 External LinksBiography [edit | edit the code]The Ile de la Tortue the mouth of the Three Rivers (woodcut Th. Weber, 1878)Francis Ollonais (Oexmelin 1678)Etchegorria Michel Saint-Jean-de-Luz is first buccaneer, he hunts wild pigs and oxen of Turtle Island (Santo Domingo) or neighboring islands in preparing and preserving meat by smoking (boucaner) in order to sell to privateers, pirates and early settlers.On the death of Tomás de Larraspuru (1632), the Dutch naval power would exceed that of the Spaniards in the Caribbean, the field is free the Antilles. In 1666 in Portobelo, he grabs a galleon of the fleet of Tierra Firme and a nice booty, a million dollars. The rover Michel Basque then joins the Corsair "The Olonais" (François d'Olonne and Jean-François Nau Sables d'Olonne or I'Olonnais Nau), which had seized six boats and light a frigate fitted with crews. The Basque, meanwhile, brought the troupe to terrestre2 fight.In the late seventeenth century, the wars of Louis XIV carried sees the climax of the Basque race, which however small, contributes to the development and economic prosperity of the region3. Race war is distinguished from piracy: the Basque corsairs as privateers of other European kingdoms of the seventeenth century are governed by a number of rules as auxiliaries of war commissioned by a king.After the capture of Maracaibo, Michel Basque continues few years Course. Michel Basque and Bayonne Junqua with two small vessels took the collision of larger Spanish ships, thanked the governor of Cartagena have well equipped with good ships and their intention to pursue. Again in 1667, the Basque Michel renews with only forty men, the attack of Maracaibo and takes the wealthiest inhabitants as hostages against rançon4.It would then be returned to the Basque Country. Legends and novels have popularized the adventures of Michel Etchegorria, commander of the land forces of an army of nearly a thousand combatants, remembered for his bravery and endurance. Just like Ducasse, Darribeau, CPCE and Elissagaray it was received and welcomed by the Sun King.Taking Maracaibo [edit | edit the code]In 1666, Michel Basque and Olonnois undertaking the first great expedition of filibusters on the South American continent. The two men meet for this campaign eight sailboats and a landing force of 650 men under their command. On the way to Maracaibo (Venezuela present), purpose of their raid, they grab a few good catches, including a large Spanish sailing ship loaded with cocoa and 300,000 silver talers.Maracaibo, located at the end of the lake of the same name, is connected to the sea by a narrow channel defended by a fort. The Olonnois and the Basque land their troops out of range of the guns of the fort and stormed. Then they made their way into the channel and attack the city, which then had 4,000 inhabitants, which fiercely defends. While they are still busy plundering, buccaneers learn a Spanish detachment was sent as reinforcements. The Olonnois walking to meet this troupe with 380 men, and puts them in pieces near the small town of Gibraltar (Panama). The Spaniards lost 500 men while the filibusters only count 40 dead and 30 wounded. The Olonnois spent six weeks in the city of Gibraltar, he sacked, bringing together a rich booty. But an epidemic broke out in the ranks of the pirates. They then put the town on fire and returned to Maracaibo, they plunder again, this time dramatically. The booty buccaneers amounts to 260 000 pieces of eight (reals) and about 100,000 crowns of religious objects and jewelry.
