26 Facts About Chevalier Paul

Jean-Paul de Saumeur, often called Chevalier Paul, was a French admiral and naval officer who served in several Mediterranean campaigns.

Chevalier Paul was named a knight of grace and a commander by the Grand Master Martin de Redin.

Chevalier Paul ended his career in 1666 by transporting the princess of Savoie-Nemours to Lisbon, who would later become the queen of Portugal.

However, Captain Georges Bourgoin, Secretary of the Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts in Marseille, discovered that Chevalier Paul was not the natural child of the Marquis and a washerwoman.

Chevalier Paul highlighted Paul's legitimate parentage of an officer from a Catholic and bourgeois family in the Dauphine, Captain Elzias Samuel and young lady Jeanne Riche, who were married in Marseille.

Chevalier Paul spent the first years of his life at Chateau d'If with Father Julien de Malaucene, but from a young age he felt the desire to travel.

Chevalier Paul travelled for three years before entering into the service of a commander of the order of St John of Jerusalem as a sailor.

Several years later, Chevalier Paul returned to Malta and served as a soldier at Fort Saint Elmo.

Chevalier Paul 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.

In 1638 Chevalier Paul entered into the Royale with the rank of Capitaine de Vaisseau and took command of the vessel Le Neptune.

Chevalier Paul 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.

Chevalier 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.

Not wishing to flee this superior force, Chevalier 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.

Chevalier 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.

Chevalier Paul entered into the port of Malta with three French galleys, and there received honors from Grand Master Rafael Cotoner.

In 1661, Chevalier Paul fought using the lone vessel L'Hercule, which had 28 cannons and 320 crewmen, against 25 Turkish ships for an entire day.

Chevalier Paul led the first relief force sent by Louis XIV to the Venetians who were under siege by the Turks at Candia.

Chevalier Paul was the vice-admiral of this fleet which sank more than twenty Algerian warships, and led the admiral to the ports of France.

The last campaign of Chevalier Paul was when he sailed in 1666 accompanying Maria Francisca of Savoy to Lisbon, where she was to mary King Alphonso VI.

Chevalier Paul, notified of the king's visit several hours beforehand, served him as well as his court a splendid meal.

Chevalier Paul commanded the fleet to Toulon until his death.

Chevalier Paul served us in his home, which is so clean and well maintained, that it seemed to be a small delightful palace.

Chevalier Paul was quite tall, he had something dark about his face: his mustache and tuft of hair formed a type of Maltese cross.

Chevalier Paul was however more polite than was usual for sailors, and so gentle that he was never angered.

Chevalier Paul had a very soft voice, and spoke little.

Chevalier Paul sat down at his side, and spoke with him of the adventures of youth, enquired if he had children, recommended to him to go and wait at his hotel; the same day procured for him in the navy an employ which allowed him to honorably support his family.