Jean D’Ango

Jean D’Ango was a famous French ship-owner and merchant adventurer who built a vast fortune mainly as a commissioned privateer in the service of the French king.

Born in Dieppe in 1480, D’Ango became one of the greatest merchants involved in the expeditions to Africa and the Americas. Initially he was involved in lucrative Levantine spice trade, but after the Ottomans started endangering the Mediterranean trade he turned to trade with Newfoundland and the Caribbean.

D’Ango built a fabulous wealth mainly as a privateer in the service of the French king Francois I who wanted to break Portuguese monopoly in the Atlantic trade. Ordered to seize all Portuguese trading ships carrying valuable cargo from Mexico, D’Ango eventually extended this command to English and Holland ships as well. It is said that the fleet which d'Ango commanded contained more than 100 vessels. The greatest moment in his privateering career was the interception of the Cortez’s Treasure Fleet in 1523 on its return to Spain which carried fabulous loot from Montezuma’s palace.

Pleased with his performance, the king appointed D’Ango a Governor of Dieppe, and later a Viscount. He was also a frequent guest in Dieppe in D’Ango home. However, the king’s grace was ambiguous. Obliged to provide large loans to the king, which were never repaid, D’Ango fell into difficulties and was gradually ruined.