Augustin de Beaulieu

Augustin de Beaulieu (; 1589–1637) was a French general, who in 1619 led an armed expedition to the East Indies composed of three ships (275 crews, 106 cannons) and called the "Fleet of Montmorency", after its sponsor the Admiral Montmorency.

Biography Born at Rouen, Augustin de Beaulieu studied science and navigation. In 1616 he joined an expedition to the East as captain of a small ship in the fleet led by Captain De Nets. The fleet visited Aceh, which allowed Beaulieu to write one of the best accounts of Aceh in the early 17th century. Beaulieu met with Sultan Iskander Muda (1607–36) to obtain a trading license and the agreement to establish a factory.

de Beaulieu advocated for a French settlement on Madagascar, but Richelieu refrained from the adventure for fear of annoying the Dutch. It was only in 1665, with the establishment of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales, that a proper attempt would be made to settle the island. Beaulieu wrote in 1631-32:

de Beaulieu participated to the Siege of La Rochelle with the Royal fleet in 1627–28, as well as in the capture of Sainte-Marguerite island.

He died of influenza in Toulon in 1637.