VILLARET DE JOYEUSE, LOUIS THOMAS (1750— 1812), French admiral, was born at Auch. He served for some time in the royal guard, but had to leave after killing one of his comrades in a duel. He then entered the navy, and in 1773 was lieutenant on the "Atalante" in Indian waters. In 1778 after the siege of Pondicherry, he was promoted captain. He took part in the battle of Cuddalore, and in 1781 was taken prisoner. He was released in 1783, and did not emigrate during the Revolution. In 1791 he commanded the "Prudente" at San Domingo, and in 1794 was appointed rear-admiral and assisted the Conventional, St. Andre, in the reorganization of the fleet. Villaret was in com
mand of the French fleet at the battle of the First on June. He was a member of the Council of the Ancients in 1796, and was sentenced to deportation in 1797 on account of his royalist sym pathies. He then lived in obscurity at Oleron. In 1801 he com manded the squadron which transported the French army to San Domingo, and in 1802 was made captain-general of Mar tinique, which he surrendered to the English in 1809. In 1811 he became governor-general of Venice.