François l’Olonnais

François l’Olonnais was a French buccaneer operating from Tortuga and Hispaniola, notorious in contemporary accounts for extreme brutality toward Spanish captives, including the sack of Maracaibo and Gibraltar (Venezuela) in 1666-1667. Much of what is known about him comes from Alexandre Exquemelin’s 1678 book Buccaneers of America. He reportedly met a violent end at the hands of indigenous people in Central America around 1668.

Quick Facts

Real NameJean-David Nau
AliasesL'Olonnais
Bornc. 1630 (unverified)
Diedc. 1668 (unverified)
NationalityFrench
Years Active1660s
FateReportedly killed and dismembered by indigenous people in Panama or present-day Nicaragua around 1668, according to Alexandre Exquemelin's account

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