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This is Saint Malo, one of Frances’ nicest city’s and as you can probably
understand shipping is what has put this city on the map! And the greatest sea
fearer of them all he was of course from Saint Malo
Robert Surcouf is France’s most famous corsar. And what is a corsar you ask?
Well, a corsar was a privat captain with his own ship that was allowed by the
king, in this case the King of France, to rob ships, as long as he didn’t attack a French ship.
And Robert Surcouf was the greatest of them all.
Surcouf was born here in Saint-Malo in 1773 and when he was 15 he did what
som many young boys from this city did. He took hire an a ship heading for India.
In 1792 he returned to a different France. The revolution had changed the country,
for example it had become much more difficult to get a letters of Marque since
the King was in jail … But in 1798 he finally got the proof that he could sail the
open sea and attack the ships he wanted, as long as they weren’t French!
Surcouf had enormous success as a Privateer. He attacked especially british
ships and used the smaller french ships better manoeuvrability to his advantage
against the big and clumsy english ships. Within three short years he was a wealthy
man and retired to his home here in Saint Malo.
In 1803 Napoleon begged Surcouf to become a captain in the French navy, but
Surcouf refused. He liked better being a Privateer and the freedom that gave and it
wasn’t long before he gave up the comfy life of a retired captain and set sail again.
In 1807 his brother Nicolas, also a Privateer, was captured by the british and
Robert sailed out to rescue him. The ship, called Revenant, sailed for the Caribbean
on what was to become Robert Surcouf’s last and most successful mission.
He captured over 20 ships, most just gave up when they realised it was Surcouf that
was attacking them. I February 1809 he returned to France with over 8 million
franc in his treasure chest and was greeted by Napoleon himself.
Robert Surcouf lived the rest of his life her in Saint Malo. His wealth made the
city to one of the most important harbours in France and he was so rich
that even Napoleon came to him to borrow money for his campaigns.
He died in 1827.