Chevalier Paul

Several years later, Paul returned to Malta and served as a soldier at Fort Saint Elmo. In 1614, resenting his corporal, he challenged him to a duel and killed him. He was immediately arrested, but some French knights of the Order obtained pardon from the Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt, on condition that he leave the Order[2][note 1]. They made him embarque on an armed brigantine bound for commerce raiding at La Ciotat.

On the brigantine, his courage and drive coupled with his natural nautical talent quickly caused him to be famed for his exploits against the Barbary Pirates. During combat against the Turks, the captain was killed and he was chosen by the crew to replace him[2][note 2].

From then on he declared war on the Turks. Wherever he could, he stole merchandise and even raided buildings within their ports. This considerably augmented Paul’s reputation. On the isle of Moscovici near Lesbos, he installed artillery guns in a tower, which carries to this day the name of Captain Paulo, in order to cannonade the enemy warships which were within their range.

With a single small boat, he fought against five Turkish galleys, forcing them to retreat after having broken their masts and sails[2][note 3].

Cardinal Richelieu at this time was searching for marine officers to reorganize the French royal navy. In 1638 Paul entered into the Royale with the rank of Capitaine de Vaisseau (captain) and took command of the vessel Le Neptune. He joined the squadron of Henry de Sourdis, Archbishop of Bordeaux and Lieutenant General of the naval armies, and took a leading role in many instances of combat against the Spanish fleet. Aboard La Licorne, he took part in the Battle of Getaria, 22 August 1638. Richelieu wrote to Paul on this occasion to congratulate him. The same year, together with Abraham Duquesne, Paul saved (under fire from the guns of San Sebastian) French ships which were run aground and were about to be burned. Also in 1638, he stole an Algerian ship in the Malta Canal, and was received at Malta by the Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris.

On 9 August 1643, he distinguished himself in naval battle off the coast of Cap de Gata, won by Brezé. On 4 September, he commanded Le Grand Anglois during the Battle of Cartagena, the siege of Roses,[2] and at Tarragona in 1645, as well as at Salines and Santo-Stefano. In the squadron of the Marquis de Brézé on 22 May 1646, Paul led the disembarkation of Talamone in Tuscany and on 14 June was prominent in the Battle of Orbetello during which he destroyed two enemy frigates.

Paul was promoted to chef d’escadre, and was sent to the gulf of Piombino in 1647 at the head of five ships and two fire ships, in order to assure the communication between the posts of Porto-Longone on the isle of Elba and Piombino on the mainland which had been taken over by the Marshal of Meilleraie. At the beginning of April 1647, Paul fought near Naples for five days against the Spanish fleet, which was much stronger[note 4], commanded by the Duke of Arcos, the Viceroy of Naples, and won a victory which grew his reputation further still. Chevalier Paul was also present on 22 December 1647 in a battle off the coast of Castellammare against an Austro-Spanish fleet.

In June 1648, he attacked and stole, under cannon fire of the city of Pozzoli, a ship full of grain sent by Genoa for the Viceroy of Naples. Some time after, accompanied by a knight of Perriere, he took two other ships filled with goods and sailed them to Porto-Longone.

At the start of 1649, he crossed near Malta an English ship which had 36 cannons on its way to Smyrne with important cargo. This ship refused to salute the French pavilion and so Chevalier Paul attacked and sank the ship.[3] From the enemy crew only three or four men were saved, and the other 140 crew members perished by drowning. During the same campaign, Paul captured many other goods, which were estimated to be worth more than 300 000 écus (silver coins).[3]

Having left from Provence in April 1650 on the Flagship La Reine, 52 canons and 600 crewmen and troops, Chevalier Paul was escorting some small warships filled with munitions when he discovered between Cap Corsica and the isle of Capraja five Spanish warships which had crossed in order to stop reinforcements, rations and munitions that France sent to Porto-Longone on the isle of Elba. Not wishing to flee this superior force, Paul engaged in combat and received more than 150 bullets on the side of his ship when at the same time he sent 1200 to his enemies. At the end of four hours of combat, the badly damaged Spanish-Napolitan fleet retreated.[3]

On 21 January 1651 he was rewarded with a Cross of the Knight of Grace by Grand Master Lascaris[note 5][note 6].

In 1654, he was promoted to lieutenant-general and vice-admiral of the Levant Fleet. The same year, he met the king. Paul, who had never mounted a horse before, was noted for his handling and manner with his horse at the time of the cavalcade given for the coronation of Louis XIV. Returning to Toulon, he took back to sea at the head of three ships and six galleys, and fought outside of Castellammare near Naples against fifteen enemy galleys, which he was forced to withdraw from. This largely individual action turned out to be decisive for the survival of the French contingent disembarking at Tuscany.[4]

In 1655, he returned to the French court. The Duke of Vendome presented him to Louis XIV who gave Paul an honorable welcome, praising his bravery and congratulating him on his many victories. In the same year Paul was posted to Barcelona by the Duke of Vendome.[5] One source on the combat noted that “Chevalier Paul showed on this occasion such valor and conduct, that we do not know how to dignifiedly speak of it[2].”

Chevalier Paul entered into the port of Malta with three French galleys, and there received honors from Grand Master Rafael Cotoner. In 1657, he commanded a squadron of seven ships, and flew for the first time the flag of vice-admiral. In June-July 1658, he was sent by the Duke of Mercoeur, governor of Provence, to block the port of Marseille.

In 1659, he received the charge of commander of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Louis XIV held Paul in high esteem and made him a noble. In 1660, while in Toulon, the king honored Paul by visiting him in his property “La Cassine”, in the company of his court. While present, the poets Chapelle and Bachaumont recorded what ensued during the royal visit.

Source:[6][3]

“We found at Toulon, Monsieur Chevalier Paul, who, by his office, by his merit and by his expense, is the first and most considerable of the country.

It’s this Paul, which the experience

Greedy of the Sea and Wind;

Which the happiness and valiance

Made France formidable

To all the people of the Levant.

These verses are as magnificent as his face; but, in truth, though it has something proud to it, does not fail to be convenient, soft and entirely honest. He served us in his home, which is so clean and well maintained, that it seemed to be a small delightful palace.”

The provincial biographer Claude-François Achard, described:

Chevalier Paul was quite tall, he had something dark about his face: his mustache and tuft of hair formed a type of Maltese cross. He was however more polite than was usual for sailors, and so gentle that he was never angered. He had a very soft voice, and spoke little. He treated soldiers with extreme kindness. Never was there a man so intrepid in danger, nor a captain who carried out his duties better.