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Across the waves to Death #5

Royal advisor Jean-Baptiste Colbert argued this as follows: "Nothing will emphasize the greatness of the king but will not glorify him among foreigners like galleys." Undoubtedly, Louis needed the galleys primarily for prestige. But at what cost did he achieve this?

Just think of the human suffering. 450 rowers were huddled on the 45-meter-long and 9-meter-wide deck. They lived and worked in such close quarters for many months. Through the salty sea air, their skin became covered with ulcers, and the scars on their bodies did NOT heal from frequent beatings. According to French historians, almost half of them died in this "very dungeon."

In fact, the fact that a few people were enveloped in splendor and glory brought suffering and death to many. But where did the king get thousands of rowers to man 40 ships?

How they searched for rowers

In the Middle Ages, galley rowers, or, as they were called, galleys, were free people, and rowing was considered a noble occupation. However, by the 17th century, everything had changed. Some of the rowers, who were called Turks, were bought in the Ottoman Empire. Most of them were Muslims, although some professed Orthodoxy. The prisoners also rowed.

French historians comment: "Undoubtedly, one of the most disgusting and senseless measures taken to "strengthen " the crew was that Iroquois warriors were exiled to the galleys of the sun king." The French made a mistake by capturing the Indians. In 1689, they were supposed to be sent home after the Iroquois became a threat to the early French colonists.

However, in order to realize his ambitious plans, Louis demanded more rowers. Colbert solved the problem. He informed the judges of the king's freedom: "To convict more criminals and even replace the death penalty with work on galleys." Using offenders for such purposes was nothing new. Two centuries before that, during the wars with Italy, they became slaves on galleys. However, during the reign of Louis XIV and his great-grandson Louis XV, the number of those sent to the galleys reached unprecedented proportions. Between 1680-1748, almost 60,000 people were sentenced to death. Who were the Galley slaves?

Who were the Gallerists?

Almost half of those exiled to the galleys were common criminals, from murderers to pickpockets. The smugglers also faced this sentence, as they made up the majority of the rowers.

Those who held a low position in society were also forced to work on the galleys. Sign up on the 1xBet platform using the 1xbet promo code your account gives you a welcome bonus worth up to 130$. 1xBet is available in over 100 countries, including Canada, Ireland, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa. Making it one of the most accessible bookmakers in the world.