Jean Fleury, known as Florin, was a Norman privateer in the service of the Dieppe shipowner Jean Ango. In 1523, off the Azores, he seized part of the Aztec treasure that Hernán Cortés was shipping to Charles V, revealing to Europe the fabulous riches of the New World.
Jean Fleury(1480 — 1527)
Jean Fleury
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Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Around 1521-1523: he fitted out privateering ships on behalf of the shipowner Jean Ango, in Dieppe.
- 1523: off Cape St. Vincent (Azores) he captured several caravels carrying the Aztec treasure sent by Cortés to Charles V.
- His plunder (gold, pearls, emeralds, precious Mexican objects) revealed to Europe the scale of the riches of conquered Mexico.
- 1527: captured by the Spanish during a naval battle, he was executed on the orders of Charles V.
Works & Achievements
Interception of the Spanish ships carrying back Moctezuma's gold: the most famous feat of French privateering, which revealed the wealth of the New World.
Repeated campaigns against Spanish and Portuguese merchant ships, making Fleury the terror of the Iberian sea routes.
Seizures of cargoes of spices, sugar, and precious metals that enriched Dieppe and weakened the trade of Charles V.
Naval support for the Kingdom of France in its conflict against the emperor, striking Spain along its gold supply lines.
By challenging the Iberian monopoly over the New World, Fleury launched France's defiance of the division set by Tordesillas and inspired the privateers who followed.
Anecdotes
In 1523, off the Iberian coast, Jean Fleury captured several Spanish caravels that were carrying part of Hernán Cortés's treasure back to Seville: gold, jewels, masks, and Aztec objects torn from the empire of Moctezuma. It was the first time the fabulous riches of the New World fell into French hands, and the news caused a sensation throughout Europe.
The Spanish, who feared him like the plague, called him “Juan Florín.” His nickname was so dreaded that some Iberian sailors refused to put to sea whenever his presence was reported on the Atlantic routes.
It is said that the discovery of the Aztec loot revealed to Francis I the scale of the treasures Spain was drawing from the Americas. The king of France reportedly quipped that he would like to see “the clause in Adam's will” that reserved the New World for the king of Spain and the king of Portugal alone.
Jean Fleury sailed on behalf of Jean Ango, the immensely wealthy shipowner of Dieppe. Ango financed the ships, the crews, and the provisions, then shared in the prizes: it was a true privateering enterprise, organized and backed by the merchants of Normandy.
In 1527, his luck turned: Jean Fleury was captured at sea by a Spanish squadron. Handed over to the authorities of Charles V, he was sentenced to death and executed, paying with his life for the blows he had dealt to the pride and the coffers of Spain.
Primary Sources
In it, Cortés mentions the gifts and gold intended for the emperor, shipped by sea to Castile — a cargo of which part was intercepted by French corsairs in 1523.
The chronicler of the Spanish court describes the astonishment caused by the capture, by French pirates, of the Mexican treasure that Cortés was sending to the emperor.
The historian reports that the corsair “Juan Florín” seized the ships laden with Moctezuma's gold, and was later captured and executed by the Spanish.
Key Places
Norman port and base of the shipowner Jean Ango, from which Jean Fleury's privateering ships set sail. A major center of French maritime trade during the Renaissance.
Port at the mouth of the Seine estuary, home to Norman sailors and privateers, often associated with Jean Fleury's origins.
Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, on the return route of galleons laden with gold, where Fleury captured Cortés's treasure in 1523.
Southwestern tip of Portugal, an unavoidable passage for ships coming from the Americas and a favorite ambush zone for privateers.
Spanish city toward which the gold of the Americas converged, destination of Cortés's ships intercepted by Fleury.
Inland town in Castile where, according to tradition, Jean Fleury was taken and executed on the orders of Charles V's authorities in 1527.
Typical Objects
Official document issued by the king or the admiralty authorizing a privateer to attack enemy ships. It set the privateer — a lawful combatant — apart from the outlaw pirate.
A large sailing ship armed with cannon, used for boarding and for carrying off the loot. It was the working tool of the Norman privateer.
A long, slender cannon mounted on a ship's deck, able to fire from a distance to dismast or intimidate the enemy. A centerpiece of naval combat in the Renaissance.
A haul of masks, jewelry, ingots, and precious objects plundered from the Aztec Empire by Cortés, then captured by Fleury. It revealed to Europe the wealth of the New World.
A graduated instrument used to measure the height of the Sun or a star in order to estimate one's latitude. Essential for crossing the Atlantic without any landmark.
A short, sturdy blade, ideal for close combat on the crowded decks of ships. The symbolic weapon of the privateering sailor.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Daily Life
Morning
On board, the day began before dawn with the watch and prayer. The privateer and his crew checked the sails, the stowage and the artillery, then scanned the horizon in search of an enemy sail to intercept.
Afternoon
The afternoon was spent in maneuvers and navigation: they took their bearings with the astrolabe and tended to the rigging and the cannons. When prey was spotted, the whole crew feverishly prepared for the chase and the boarding.
Evening
When evening came, they shared a meal and spoke of past and future prizes. The captain consulted his charts and set the course for the night, while the off-duty men rested between watches.
Food
The sailor's everyday fare consisted of ship's biscuit, salted meat and fish, dried peas and cheese, all washed down with wine or beer. Fresh provisions ran short quickly, and captured ships sometimes made it possible to improve the menu.
Clothing
Fleury wore sturdy woollen clothing suited to the wind and the sea spray: a shirt, a doublet, breeches and boots. For battle, he might don a light cuirass or a coat of mail, sword or cutlass at his side.
Housing
At sea, his “home” was the cramped stern cabin of the ship, cluttered with charts and instruments. On land, between campaigns, he lodged in the Norman ports such as Dieppe or Honfleur, close to the shipowners and the shipyards.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Capture du trésor aztèque de Cortés
1523
Course atlantique au service de Jean Ango
vers 1520-1527
Prises sur la route des Indes et des Amériques
années 1520
Contribution à la guerre de course de François Ier
1521-1527
Ouverture de la rivalité franco-espagnole sur les océans
1523
