Tom Souville and La Buse: privateer and pirate born in Calais
Did you know that Calais is the birthplace of a heroic privateer, Tom Souville, and a feared pirate, La Buse? One served his country bravely, the other chose the path of piracy. Both tell, each in their own way, the story of a port devoted to adventure, naval epics, and the mysteries of the sea.
Corsair or pirate: what’s the difference?
The privateer acts on behalf of a state, armed with a letter of marque authorizing him to attack enemy ships. His prizes are legal and shared with the crown. The pirate, on the other hand, acts outside the law, for his own profit, and lives off plunder and smuggling. In Calais, this distinction is essential to understanding why Tom Souville is honored as a local hero, while La Buse still fuels the legend of hidden treasure.
Tom Souville, the legendary corsair of Calais
Born in 1777, Antoine Thomas Souville embodies bravery and loyalty to his country. Nicknamed Captain Tom, he started as a cabin boy at 11, then became a privateer at 16. From the age of 18, he boldly attacked English ships. Often captured, he was imprisoned on the pontoons, England's floating prisons. But each time, he escaped and returned to sea. Having become commander of the privateer flotilla, he participated in the preparations for the Boulogne camp, which Napoleon planned to invade England. After 1815, he continued his career as captain of the Calais-Dover trunk ships, the forerunners of modern ferries.
In 1819, he initiated the construction of the first lifeboat in Calais, thus becoming a pioneer of maritime safety.
©Nohcab Tom Souville, who died in 1839, is buried in the Calais North Cemetery. Awarded the Legion of Honor and the Order of Saint Louis, he remains an emblematic figure of the city. Even today, Calais pays tribute to him: A sculpture by Arnaud Kasper stands facing the port;a nautical base bears his name and theThe Friends of the Tom Souville Monument Association maintains his memory.
In 2025, local journalist and historian Hervé Deguines published Tom Souville, the coronation and the heart, retracing his extraordinary life.
La Buse, the dreaded pirate... and his mysterious treasure
A century earlier, on November 5, 1695, Olivier Levasseur was born in Calais. Baptized in the church of Notre-Dame, he began his career as a privateer in the service of Louis XIV, before turning to piracy. Nicknamed La Buzzard for the speed of his attacks, he operated in the Caribbean and then the Indian Ocean. In 1721, he carried out one of the greatest piracy coups by capturing the Nossa Senhora do Cabo, nicknamed the Virgin of the Cape, loaded with gold and diamonds: a legendary haul.
Captured in 1730 on the island of Réunion, La Buse was publicly hanged. According to legend, he threw a cryptogram to the crowd, shouting: "My treasure, whoever can take it!" Since then, hunters and enthusiasts have dreamed of finding this lost treasure...
©Nohcab La Buse remains a pirate present in contemporary culture who has inspired many authors and creators:
- J.-MG Le Clézio in The Gold Digger,
- two comics by Jean-Yves Delitte, author specializing in maritime history
- the video game Assassin's Creed: Pirates,
- the manga One Piece, whose hero Gol D. Roger recalls his destiny.
In 2025, Cyrille Lougnon received the Grand Prix of the Académie de Marine for his work Olivier Levasseur known as La Buse.
Calais, port of stories and legends
From Tom Souville, heroic privateer, to La Buse, feared pirate, Calais has given birth to two contrasting but equally fascinating stories. One served his country loyally, the other chose freedom as an outlaw. Together, they embody the rich maritime history of Calais.
Calais is also a strategic location that has reinvented itself around its port identity. From Fort Risban (where the Lancaster Tower once stood) to the XXL port of our time, the city continues to cultivate its connection with the sea.
Dive into maritime identity
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