François de Souillac

François de Peynier, vicomte de Souillac was born on 2 July 1732 in Périgord. He was Governor of Isle Bouron (now Réunion), Governor General of the Mascarene Islands and Pondichéry.

François de Souillac
Born2 July 1732 
Died11 March 1803  (aged 70)

Biography

Souillac joined the Navy as a Garde-Marine on 24 September 1744. He was promoted to Ensign in 1749, Lieutenant in 1757, and to Captain in 1772.[1]

From 1775, he was military commander of Isle Bourbon (now La Réunion).[1] On 15 October 1776, Souillac wrote an ordinance founding the "Quartier du Repos de Laleu". On 8 March 1777, he issue another decree attempting to make hunting for the runaway slaves more humane.

Souillac served in the War of American Independence under Suffren.[1]

On 1 May 1779 he became Governor General by interim of the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon. On 30 January 1780 he was confirmed in that position.

Souillac was promoted to Chef d'escadre in 1784.[1]

He left the Indian Ocean in 1787 and died in 1803.

Legacy

Today a village of Mauritius is named after him. There is a street named after him in Pondicherry. A small beach in the Port Glaud district of Mahé, Seychelles is named "Anse Souillac" after him.

Titles
Government offices
Preceded by
Jean-Guillaume Steinauer		 Governor General of Réunion
26 October 1776–30 April 1779		 Succeeded by
Joseph Murinay de Saint-Maurice
Preceded by
Charles Joseph Pâtissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau		 Gouverneur Général de l'Inde française
1785		 Succeeded by
David Charpentier de Cossigny
Preceded by
Joseph Murinais, Comte de, Saint-Maurice
(Acting)		 Governor General of Mascarene Islands
14 February 1782 – 3 July 1785		 Succeeded by
Camille Charles Leclerc, Chevalier de Fresne (Acting)


Notes, citations, and references

Notes

    Citations

    1. Martin-Allanic (1964), p. 481, Note 23.

    References

    • Martin-Allanic, Jean-Étienne (1964). Bougainville Navigateur et les Découvertes de son Temps (in French). Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. OCLC 729759706.



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