37. From Courtier to Pirate
Jean-Francois Roberval (1500 – 1560) was a French nobleman, adventurer, and pirate, who began his career in the French army in Italy. There, he met and befriended France’s crown prince, the future King Francis I, who became Roberval’s lifelong pal, and frequent guest and hunting companion on the Roberval estates.
Moving into high society, hosting royalty, and living as a courtier was pretty expensive though, and it eventually drove Roberval deep into debt. In 1541, Francis I commissioned Roberval to establish a settlement of about 500 French colonists in Canada. However, the king did not furnish his friend with sufficient funds, so to make ends meet, Roberval turned to piracy to help finance the settlement.