Bertrand d'Ornesan
Encyclopedia
Bertrand d'Ornesan, also Bertrand d'Ornezan, Baron de Saint-Blancard, was a French admiral
in the service of King Francis I of France
. He was general of the galleys of the Mediterranean (Amiral de la Flotte du Levant).
Bertrand d'Ornesan tried to establish a French trading post at Pernambuco
, Brazil
in 1531.
In 1533 Bertrand d'Ornesan joined the Ottoman embassy to France (1533)
going to meet Francis I.
In 1537, Ornesan began a two-year involvement in operations with the Ottoman Empire
under terms of the Franco-Ottoman alliance
between Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent
. He led a fleet of galleys to Corfu
to join the fleet of Barbarossa at the siege of Corfu
, but finally failed to convince the Ottomans to participate in a proposed major expedition against Italy
. Saint-Blancard had left Marseille
on 15 August with 12 galleys and arrived at Corfu in early September 1537. Eventually Suleiman, worried by a plague
among his troops, decided to return with his fleet to Istambul by mid-September without having captured Corfu.
The fleet of Saint-Blancard wintered in Chios
until 17 February 1538. It was decided that three ships would go to Constantinople, while the rest of the fleet returned to France. In Constantinople, they were received by the French ambassador Charles de Marillac
. Hayreddin Barbarossa provided for the expenses, and the French galleys finally left on 11 April 1538 to return to Nice
through Monastir
.
Jean de la Vega
, a member of his staff, wrote the account of his travels.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in the service of King Francis I of France
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
. He was general of the galleys of the Mediterranean (Amiral de la Flotte du Levant).
Bertrand d'Ornesan tried to establish a French trading post at Pernambuco
Pernambuco
Pernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1531.
In 1533 Bertrand d'Ornesan joined the Ottoman embassy to France (1533)
Ottoman embassy to France (1533)
An Ottoman embassy to France was sent in 1533 by Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Ottoman Governor of Algiers, vassal of the Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent....
going to meet Francis I.
In 1537, Ornesan began a two-year involvement in operations with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
under terms of the Franco-Ottoman alliance
Franco-Ottoman alliance
The Franco-Ottoman alliance, also Franco-Turkish alliance, was an alliance established in 1536 between the king of France Francis I and the Turkish ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent. The alliance has been called "the first non-ideological diplomatic alliance of its kind between a...
between Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
. He led a fleet of galleys to Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
to join the fleet of Barbarossa at the siege of Corfu
Siege of Corfu (1537)
The Siege of Corfu in 1537 was led by the Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent, against the Republic of Venice-held island of Corfu. It is part of the Ottoman–Venetian War , one of the numerous Ottoman–Venetian Wars of the period....
, but finally failed to convince the Ottomans to participate in a proposed major expedition against Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Saint-Blancard had left Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
on 15 August with 12 galleys and arrived at Corfu in early September 1537. Eventually Suleiman, worried by a plague
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
among his troops, decided to return with his fleet to Istambul by mid-September without having captured Corfu.
The fleet of Saint-Blancard wintered in Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
until 17 February 1538. It was decided that three ships would go to Constantinople, while the rest of the fleet returned to France. In Constantinople, they were received by the French ambassador Charles de Marillac
Charles de Marillac
Charles de Marillac was a French prelate and diplomat.-Career:De Marillac was, by the age of twenty-two, an advocate in parliament in Paris...
. Hayreddin Barbarossa provided for the expenses, and the French galleys finally left on 11 April 1538 to return to Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
through Monastir
Monastir
-Places:Italy* Monastir, Sardinia - a comune in the Province of CagliariOttoman Empire* Monastir Province, Ottoman Empire, a vilayet covering parts of modern Albania, Greece and the Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia...
.
Jean de la Vega
Jean de la Vega
Jean de la Vega, also Jehan de la Vega, was a French traveler and writer of the 16th century. He was a member of the fleet Bertrand d'Ornesan which collaborated with the Ottomans under the Franco-Ottoman alliance....
, a member of his staff, wrote the account of his travels.