Guillaume Le Testu, also called Têtu, (c. 1509 or 1512 - April 29, 1573) was a 16th century French corsair, explorer and navigator during the Elizabethan age. He was a successful privateer during the early years of the French Wars of Religion. In 1573 he and Sir Frances Drake attacked a Spanish mule train escorting gold and silver to Nombre de Dios on the Atlantic coast of Panama, and he was subsequently killed following his capture by the Spanis...
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Guillaume Le Testu, also called Têtu, (c. 1509 or 1512 - April 29, 1573) was a 16th century French corsair, explorer and navigator during the Elizabethan age. He was a successful privateer during the early years of the French Wars of Religion. In 1573 he and Sir Frances Drake attacked a Spanish mule train escorting gold and silver to Nombre de Dios on the Atlantic coast of Panama, and he was subsequently killed following his capture by the Spanish.
He was one of the foremost cartographers of his time, being one of the last students to be taught at Dieppe, and is one the authors of the Dieppe maps. Many of his maps are distinguished by a high degree of sophistication and extensive detail, his work influencing future generations of navigators and explorers over the course of the next century. His work was also used by Admiral Gaspard de Coligny and French Huguenots hoping to establish themselves in Brazil, Florida, the Caribbean and even Terra Australis; however these attempts were...
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