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| Celtic Radio Community > Brittany > Famous Bretons |
| Posted by: WizardofOwls 09-Jan-2005, 01:46 PM |
| This informations was found at: http://www.brittany-bretagne.com/pg/primauguet.htm Henri of Portzmoguer, known as "Primauguet" Born in Plouarzel around 1470. We don't know very much about him except for his famous and last combat. In 1512 Henri of Portzmoguer commanded the vessel "Marie La Cordelière". This ship of the Queen of France Anne de Bretagne is one of the rare ones of the French Fleet, which at this time was very feeble. A free hand was given to the English who came with impunity to make murderous descents on our coasts. This was the case in June of the same year when Admiral Howards landed at Conquet (near Brest). This Admiral had the audacity to burn the manor which Henry of Portzmoguer owned. One year later, on the 10th of August 1513, on the feast of Saint Laurent, a reception was organised on the Cordelière (cord). But the English were ready to land once again, this time at Saint Mathieu. Henri of Portzmoguer was warned of this and lets down the anchor near the ennemy, bringing on board his guests for the reception. The engagement was very violent. The "Marie La Cordelière" clings to the English Admiral's vessel "Kent". Primauguet feels that the end is near and that he cannot come out the winner of this combat by force of arms. He thus decides to undertake the maddest of actions. He blows up his ship and at the same time that of the English. He prepares his crew and his guests for death by this sentence "We are going to celebrate the feast of Saint Laurent whose peril was by fire !". The two ships sunk carrying with them more than two thousand souls, one of which was that ot Primauguet. "If the English bite you, bite them !" |