Augustin Coronel Chacon

Augustin Coronel Chacon was a Marrano merchant and representative at the court of King Charles II. He was born in Beira, Portugal, and has lived in France from 1640 until he arrived in London during the Cromwellian Protectorate as a merchant and perhaps as an agent of English Royalists. In London he acted as financial agent for the exiled Charles II and was known on the Royal Exchange as the “little Jue”. At the restoration he became consular and financial agent in London for Portugal, and is credited with being the first to suggest the marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza.

In 1660, he converted to Christianity and the same year received knighthood. In 1665 he became bankrupt, was expelled from the Exchange and was incarcerated for a time in Fleet prison. He spent the last years of his life abroad dependent on the generosity of his Mendes and da Costa relatives.