Jean-Joseph de Rafélis de Broves

Jean-Joseph de Rafélis de Broves (Brovès, 8 July 1715[1]Brovès, 12 November 1782[2]) was a French Navy officer. He served in the War of American Independence. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, and Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Louis.[3]

Jean-Joseph de Rafélis de Broves
Born8 July 1715 Edit this on Wikidata
Brovès Edit this on Wikidata
Died12 November 1782 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 67)
Brovès Edit this on Wikidata
OccupationOfficer of the French Navy Edit this on Wikidata
FamilyJean-François de Rafélis de Broves Edit this on Wikidata
Awards
  • Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis
  • Society of the Cincinnati
  • Commandeur of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis (1771) Edit this on Wikidata
RankGardes de la Marine (1730–), lieutenant de vaisseau (1746–), brigadier des armées navales (1765–), chef d'escadre (1771–), lieutenant général des armées navales (1779–) Edit this on Wikidata

Biography

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Broves was born to a family of Provence. He was brother to Jean-François de Rafélis de Broves, and uncle to Charles François Auguste de Rafélis de Broves and to Joseph Barthélémy de Rafélis de Broves.[4]

Broves joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine in 1730, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1746. He served in the Navy during the Seven Years' War.[3]

In 1765, he was promoted to Brigadier des Armées navales. He commanded the squadron of the French conquest of Corsica in 1768, and directed the French bombardment of Tunisia in 1770, with his flag on Provence. On 14 November 1770, he signed a peace treaty with Ali II ibn Hussein, in an effort to settle the question of the Barbary pirates.[3]

In 1771, he was promoted to Chef d'escadre and made a Commander in the Order of Saint Louis.[3] From 1772 to 1777, he continued to direct expeditions in the Mediterranean against privateers.[3]

In 1778, he was appointed second in command under Estaing in the French expeditionary force for War of American Independence, with his flag on the 74-gun César.[3] He took part in the Battle of Rhode Island, in the Battle of Grenada on 6 July 1779, and in the Siege of Savannah.[3]

After Estaing was wounded at Savannah, Broves took effective command until the fleet returned to France in late 1779.[3]

Returned to France, Broves was promoted to Lieutenant général des Armées navales.[3]

Sources and references

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Notes

References

  1. ^ Rafélis de Broves (1891), p. 77.
  2. ^ Rafélis de Broves (1891), p. 147.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Contenson (1934), p. 147.
  4. ^ Rouxel, Jean-Christophe. "Joseph Barthélémy de RAFELIS de BROVES". Parcours de vie dans la Royale. Retrieved 28 May 2020.

Bibliography