The Exchange of French Captives during the Modern Era

Abstract

Being a structural phenomenon in the Mediterranean in modern times, racing off the French coast experienced its golden age after the Battle of Lepanto (1571). Trade and the exchange of captives developed concomitantly with the intensification of the use of galleys and the rise of the “Nordic” powers in the Mediterranean.

In addition to “classic” captives and renegades, a final typology of exchanged captives appeared, when the private role of intermediaries and merchants took on importance to save captives meant to be exchanged.