Philippe de Corguilleray, Sieur du Pont, was a Burgundian nobleman who is known for leading a group of Calvinist men from Geneva to the French colony of France Antarctique in Brazil in 1556.[1] The contingent he led included writer Jean de Léry.[2]
Philippe de Corguilleray, who was in retirement near Geneva, had been asked by Admiral Coligny to lead the contingent, following a letter from Villegagnon to Coligny asking for support in his effort to consolidate the French establishment in Rio de Janeiro.[2] He was also solicited by the Church of Geneva, and accepted to lead the mission.[2]
Philippe de Corguilleray further recruited for the trip theologians, including Pierre Richier and Guillaume Chartrier, altogether 14 people from Geneva.[2] The party arrived in Honfleur where they joined a French fleet of three ships financed by the king of France, the Vice-Admiral of which was Sieur Bois-le-Comte, a nephew of Villegagnon.[2] They left for Brazil on 19 November 1556.[2]
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