Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau
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| Gouverneur Général de l'Inde française | |
| In office 1783–1785 |
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| Preceded by | Guillaume Léonard de Bellecombe, Seigneur de Teirac |
| Succeeded by | François, Vicomte de Souillac |
| Personal details | |
| Died | January 7, 1785 Pondicherry, French India, Kingdom of France |
Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau (born 1718 or 1720 – died 1785) was an important French leader. He served as the Governor General of the French colony of Pondicherry in India from 1783 to 1785. He was known for his bravery and skill, especially when working with Joseph François Dupleix in the East Indies. He even received a special award called the Order of Saint Louis.
Bussy helped France get Pondicherry back from Britain in 1748. Later, in 1782, he was chosen to lead all French military forces far away from France, beyond the Cape of Good Hope. He worked closely with Pierre André de Suffren and fought against the British during the Indian battles of the American Revolutionary War.
Contents
Early Life and Military Start
Charles Joseph Patissier de Bussy was born to a military family. His father was a colonel in the infantry. Charles was born either on February 8, 1718, in Bucy-le-Long, or on February 8, 1720, in Ancienville. He had a younger brother who was also a soldier, and a sister.
Bussy became a lieutenant in the army in 1733 and a captain in 1734. After his father passed away in 1736, he joined the French East India Company. This company was involved in trade and had its own military forces. In the same year, he arrived in Port-Louis on Isle de France (now Mauritius). There, he helped protect the island. By 1738, he was serving on Île Bourbon (now Réunion).
Bussy's Role in Yanam
The Yanam region in India was given to Marquis de Bussy. The King of Vizianagaram, Pusapati Peda Vijaya Rama Raju, gave it to him. This was a thank-you gift for Bussy's help in a fight against the rulers of Bobbili.
This happened around 1750. Bussy and his soldiers were near Hyderabad. Many of his soldiers became sick, and he was running low on money. Vijayaramaraju of Vizianagaram helped him with money and to rebuild his army.
The Carnatic Wars
The Carnatic Wars were a series of conflicts in India. They were fought between the French and British, along with their local allies, for control of different regions.
In 1753, a ruler named Salabat Jang, the Subedar (governor) of Deccan, gave Bussy control over several areas. These included Chicacole, Ellore, and Rajahmundry. These lands provided money (about 200,000 rupees a year) to support the French troops. This was a reward for Bussy helping Salabat Jang become the Subedar of Deccan. The agreement was signed in Aurangabad.
Bussy was a key helper for Joseph François Dupleix. Dupleix was a French leader who wanted to expand French influence in India. Bussy helped him spread French activities along the Northern Circars and the Coromandel Coast. Even the famous Hyder Ali of Mysore was among the soldiers under Bussy's command at one point.
In 1756, Marquis de Bussy visited Rajahmundry. Vijayaramaraju gave him a very warm welcome. There were disagreements between the Vizianagaram Maharaja and the ruler of Bobbili. This led to the Battle of Bobbili on January 23, 1757. The battle was fought between the Rajah of Vizianagaram, helped by Bussy and his French soldiers, and the Rajah of Bobbili. During this battle, the Bobbili fort was completely destroyed, and many Bobbili soldiers died. Today, there is still a street named after Bussy in Yanam.
Bussy and the Mughal Emperor
In 1755, Bussy received a letter from the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II. The Emperor asked French help to stop the Maratha Confederacy. Alamgir II wanted Bussy to send about 1,000 French soldiers. The Emperor also promised to pay a lot of money for the French soldiers' support. He even said he would help settle disputes in the Carnatic Wars in favor of the French East India Company.
Death
De Bussy passed away in Pondicherry on January 7, 1785.
Family Life
He married Marie in March 1754. She was the youngest stepdaughter of Dupleix, his former commander. They had a daughter together, but sadly, she died in Paris in 1759.
