Antonio Barceló

Antonio Barceló y Pont de la Terra (1 January 1717, in Palma, Majorca – 30 January 1797, in idem) (in Catalan Antoni Barceló i Pont de la Terra) was a Spanish mariner, lieutenant general (equivalent to Admiral) of the Spanish Royal Armada.

For the Puerto Rican politician, see Antonio Rafael Barceló.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Barceló and the second or maternal family name is Pont de la Terra.
Portrait of Antonio Barceló.

He began as privateer at the service of the Spanish Empire and thanks to his merits, he became lieutenant general of the Spanish Royal Armada and fought against Algerians pirates.[1]

He is famous for his anti-Algerian privateer campaigns, bombardments of Algiers (Bombardment of Algiers in August 1783 and 2nd Bombardment of Algiers in July 1784) and use of gunboats during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

Antonio is also credited of putting sailors and ships under the patronage of the Virgin of Carmel and shifting away from the patronage of St. Elmo. Today, on the feast day of the Viring of Carmel, blessing of boats still takes place in many Spanish towns.[2][3]

See also

References
  1. P. Villatorio, Manuel (20 December 2016). "El corsario español Antonio Barceló machacó el nido de piratas de Argel sin tener apenas bajas". ABC (in Spanish). Vocento. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. Raventós, Carme (1998). Nuestra Señora del Carmen. Centre de Pastoral Litúrgica. p. 16. ISBN 9788474674668. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  3. "Festa de la Mare de Déu del Carme". www.barcelona.cat. Ajuntament de Barcelona. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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