Henri de Sourdis

Henri d'Escoubleau de Sourdis (1593 – 18 June 1645) was a French naval commander and Archbishop of Bordeaux.

Like many churchmen of his day, de Sourdis was a military man as well as a prelate. He fought in the Thirty Years' War and in 1628 served as commander of the artillery at the Siege of La Rochelle. The next year, 1629, Henri succeeded his brother François de Sourdis as Archbishop of Bordeaux. The succession had been legally arranged several years before and was confirmed by Cardinal Richelieu the day François died.

In 1635 Richelieu declared war on Spain (see Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)). However, the Spanish fleet mobilised more quickly and Spain seized the Lérins Islands in September 1635. In 1635 Henri, Count of Harcourt was put in charge of a large fleet of 25 ships, 6 fire ships and 12 flutes, with orders to drive the Spanish out. According to Jenkins an early difficulty in the French navy was that officers would only obey those whose birth placed them in a higher social position. Richelieu was well aware that a navy required experienced officers who would work together and support each other. The Comte d'Harcourt's flag-captain was the Chevalier Philippe des Gouttes, an experienced, fighting seaman. It seems that Richelieu hoped that des Gouttes would give the necessary advice to de Sourdis who would have the personality to force it on to d'Harcourt. Squabbles between the officers rendered the fleet inoperable throughout 1636 and it wasn't until February 1637 when de Sourdis attacked Oristano in Sardinia. The purpose was to exchange Oristano for the Lérins.

The expedition against Oristano failed, but officers and crews gained valuable experience. In March 1637, d'Harcourt attacked the Lérins, taking Sainte-Marguerite after heavy fighting, and Saint-Honorat, shortly afterwards.

Richelieu had learned the folloy of a divided command and de Sourdis was placed in sole command of the Atlantic squadrons. He was ordered to take Fuenterrabia. He surprised the Spanish and having established the blockade, divided his fleet into the usual three squadrons. He left Claude de Razilly to maintain the blockade, sent Montigny to scout westwards to warn of any approaching Spanish fleet, and kept his own squadron in reserve.

...
Wikipedia