Luc-Julien-Joseph Casabianca

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The Orient explodes during the Battle of Aboukir Bay.

Luc-Julien-Joseph Casabianca (Vescovato (Corsica) 7 February 1762 - Abukir 1 August 1798) was a French Navy officer.

He attended the military school in June 1775 and joined the Naval Guards in July 1778. He was made an ensign (enseigne de vaisseau) in November 1781 and served on the Terrible and the Zélé in the fleet of Admiral De Grasse, taking part in the fights of Fort-Royal (29 April 1781), Chesapeake (5th of September) and Saint-Christophe (January 1782). He was promoted to lieutenant (lieutenant de vaisseau) in March 1786. In September [1792]], he was elected deputy for Corsica at the Convention, and promoted to captain (capitaine de vaisseau) in January 1793. He was a Jacobin, but rather moderate, notably voting in favour of keeping Louis XVI in prison. During the Directory period, he worked at re-organising the Navy, and joined back in 1798. Made a division commander, he served in the expedition to Egypt as flag officer to Admiral Brueys.

He died at the Battle of Aboukir Bay on the Orient, the principal ship of the fleet which carried Napoleon Bonaparte and his army to Egypt. English cannon fire set his ship ablaze and further shooting prevented any firefighting. At around 11 o'clock, the ship's powder magazines exploded. The blast was so great it was felt 15 miles away in Alexandria. His 12-year-old son, Giocante, was also killed.

[edit] Trivia

The poem Casabianca, by Felicia Hemans, tells the story of his death and the heroic death of his son at the Battle of Aboukir Bay.
Several vessels of the French Navy were named in his honour, notably
- the Casabianca, the famous submarine which joined the Free French Forces during the Second World War, notably liberating Corsica.
- the Casabianca, a contemporary nuclear attack submarine
Camille de Casabianca, a descendant, is a French filmmaker/writer.