Jacques Francis facts for kids

Jacques Francis, also known as Jaques Frauncys, was a skilled African diver from the 1500s. He was born around 1527. Jacques Francis became famous for leading a team to recover valuable items from sunken ships.

One of his most important jobs was helping to get King Henry VIII's cannons from the famous warship Mary Rose. He also made history in 1548. He was the first African person known to speak in an English court. During this time, some people tried to say he was a slave to make his words seem less important. But he was actually paid for his work, proving he was not a slave. Slaves were not allowed to speak in court, which made his appearance even more special.

Early Life and Diving Skills

Jacques Francis was born about 1527. He was from Africa, likely from Arguin Island in what is now Mauritania. People at the time called him a "Guinea diver." They knew he was very talented at diving and recovering things from under the sea.

He worked for a man named Piero Corsi. Corsi was in charge of a big project in 1546. They were trying to get items from the Mary Rose, a large warship that had sunk. Earlier attempts to raise the ship had not worked.

Salvage Missions and Court Appearance

Jacques Francis and his team had other important jobs too. They worked to salvage valuable goods from two merchant ships. These ships, the Sancta Maria and Sanctus Edwardus, had sunk near Southampton.

During one of these missions, Piero Corsi, Jacques's boss, was accused of stealing. This was a serious charge. Because Jacques Francis was the lead diver, he was a very important witness. He knew what had happened.

However, there was a big debate about whether he could speak in court. This was because of his race and his position in society. In February 1548, he made history. He became the first known African person to speak in an English court.

Jacques Francis told the court he was Corsi's "famulus," which means assistant. This showed he was not a slave. It is not known what happened to Jacques Francis after February 1548. His exact death date is also unknown.

Even though Jacques Francis spoke in court, it did not change things for other black people. His legal appearance did not set a new rule for their rights in the future.