Jean-François, comte de Durat facts for kids

Jean-François, comte de Durat (born October 30, 1736 – died 1830) was a French nobleman and military officer. He served as the Governor of Grenada from 1779 to 1783.

Born at Chateau Vauchaussades in Combrailles, part of the Auvergne region of France, Durat came from a family with a long history of military service. He joined the French Army in 1751, when he was just 15 years old.

Early Military Career

Durat served in the Seven Years' War, a major global conflict. He showed great bravery during the Siege of Fort St Philip. After this, he was assigned to defend France's coastlines until 1759.

Later, he was part of a planned expedition to Ireland, but it couldn't happen because British ships blocked the French ports. In 1763, he was sent to the West Indies, where he became the chief of artillery on the island of Martinique. For his dedicated service, he received the Order of Saint Louis in 1774, which was a special award for French military officers.

Capturing Grenada

By 1778, Durat had become a lieutenant colonel in the Regiment de Cambrésis. The next year, he joined comte d'Estaing's expedition to capture Grenada from the British. Durat led an advance unit that played a key role in storming a place called Hospital Hill.

After the French successfully captured Grenada, d'Estaing rewarded Durat by making him the island's governor. Durat held this important position until 1783. That year, the British regained control of Grenada as part of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolutionary War.

Governing Grenada

During Durat's time as governor, some British residents on the island felt that his rule was very strict. These feelings led to some difficulties between the French and British residents later on. These disagreements contributed to a major uprising known as the Fédon Rebellion in 1795–96, which almost succeeded.

Later Life and Family

After returning to France, Jean-François de Durat continued to advance in his military career. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1784 and then to field marshal in 1788.

He passed away at his home, Chateau Vauchaussade, on January 20, 1830. Durat was married twice. With his second wife, he had a son named Sébastien Henri de Durat (1788–1806). Sébastien also joined the military, serving in the 34th Line Infantry Regiment. Sadly, he died from wounds he received during the Battle of Jena.