page_title: Jean-Charles de Baas
section_title: Franco-Dutch War (1672–77)
hierarchical_section_title: Jean-Charles de Baas / Lieutenant-general of the Antilles / Franco-Dutch War (1672–77)
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Assaut des Hollandais repoussés du Fort Royal de la Martinique par Mr le Chevalier de Sainte Marthe en 1674, gravure de Pierre Brissart
context_page_description: Jean-Charles de Baas-Castelmore, marquis de Baas was governor and lieutenant general of the French Antilles from 1669 to 1677.
  As a young man he became a soldier during the Franco-Spanish War, and participated in the Fronde rebellion of 1648–53. King Louis XIV of France pardoned him for this, and he played an important role in the fighting in Italy. After being made governor general of the Antilles he transferred the administrative center from Saint Christopher Island to the more strategically located and economically important Martinique. He had to deal with constant crises in supplies caused by the ban on trading with the English and Dutch. He improved the administration, developed the defenses of Fort Royal, and helped fight off an attempted Dutch invasion in 1674.
context_section_description: In the second half of 1672 de Baas learned of the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War, and began to organize an expedition against the Dutch base on Curaçao.
  He led the expedition against Curaçao early in 1673.
  The assault failed and on 18 March 1763 he ordered a retreat.
  De Baas and Sainte-Marthe successfully repulsed the Dutch fleet of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter during the attempted Invasion of Martinique (1674).
  The king ennobled Sainte-Marthe for his victory against the Dutch.
  De Baas continued as governor and lieutenant general after the French West India Company was dissolved in 1674.
  On 17 December 1676 d'Estrées appeared before Cayenne, and the next day defeated the Dutch defenders.
  He then sailed north to Martinique, where de Baas raised several hundred men as reinforcements and gave information about the Dutch in Tobago.
  D'Estrées continued to Tobago, where he made an unsuccessful attack in the First Battle of Tobago in February–March 1677.
  De Baas was sick with dysentery for a long time.
  He died on 15 January 1677.
  Due to his religion he could not be buried in the cemetery but was buried on 16 January 1677 at his home, Fonds Capot, in what is now Bellefontaine.
  During his retreat to Grenada D'Estrées heard of the death of de Baas.
  Charles de Courbon de Blénac  was temporarily appointed his successor and returned to France with d'Estrées to have the appointment confirmed.
caption: Dutch attack on Fort Royal (1674)
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