Pierre-Charles-Jean-Baptiste-Silvestre de Villeneuve (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ ʃaʁl ʒɑ̃ batist silvɛstʁ də vilnœv]; 31 December 1763 – 22 April 1806) was a French naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. He was in command of the French and the Spanish fleets that were defeated by Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Early career
Villeneuve was born in 1763 at Valensole, and joined the French Navy in 1779. He took part in naval operations in the American Revolutionary War, serving as an ensign on Marseillais, in de Grasse's fleet.Despite his aristocratic ancestry, he sympathised with the French Revolution, dropping the nobiliary particle from his name, and was able to continue his service in the Navy when other aristocratic officers were purged. He served during several battles, and was promoted to rear admiral in 1796 as a result of this.
At the Battle of the Nile in 1798 he was in command of the rear division. His ship, Guillaume Tell...
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