Charles de Tubières de Pastel de Levoy de Grimoire, marquis de Caylus (1698 – 12 May 1750) was a French naval officer who was governor-general of the French Windward Islands from 1745 to 1750. He had dissipated a considerable fortune and was deeply in debt when he took office, and used his power in wartime conditions to establish lucrative illegal arrangements to trade with France's enemies the English and the Dutch. A young nobleman arrived in Martinique in 1748, and for several months used revenues from his family estates on the island to give meals and dances for the elite. After he left it was found that he had been an impostor.
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Family
Charles de Tubières de Caylus was born in 1698.
He was seigneur of Thubières, Lévis, Postels and Grimoard.
His parents were Jean Anne de Tubières-Grimoard de Pestels de Lévis, compte de Caylus (c. 1665–1704), and Marthe Marguerite Hippolyte Le Valois de Villette (1671–1729).
He was the nephew of Daniel-Charles-Gabriel de Caylus, bishop of Auxerre.
In 1686 his uncle, the marquis de Caylus, married Marie-Marguerite de Villète, niece of Madame de Maintenon.
The famous antiquary Anne-Claude-Philippe de Caylus (1692–1765) was his brother.
Naval career
Caylus became a knight of the Order of Malta and infantry colonel.
In July 1741 Caylus was capitaine de vaisseau of the Borée (66) and commander of a small French squadron that included the Aquilon (46) and the Flore (26).
They were coming from Martinique.
On 25 July 1741 off Cap Spartel they met a British force under Captain Curtis Barnett of the Dragon (60) with the Feversham (44) and Folkestone (44).
The British asked to be allowed to board to confirm they were not Spanish, and opened fire when they refused.
After the ships on both sides had suffered some damage and loss of men, the British sent a boat to the Borée under a flag of truce and discovered the truth.
The French did not know whether France and Britain were still at peace, since there had been a risk of war when they left the West Indies, and demanded that Barnet's lieutenant swear that this was the case.
On 16 December 1744 the chevalier de Caylus led a squadron of six vessels into the harbour of Malta during a festival that the French were holding on that island to celebrate the convalescence of the king.
Caylus had all the vices of a fashionable man and had dissipated a considerable fortune.
His money had gone on gambling, women and food, and he had borrowed heavily from a Marseille merchant named Roux and other creditors.
To recover his fortunes he requested and obtained the governorship general of the Windward Islands.
Martinique
During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) the marquis de Caylus was made governor and lieutenant-general of the Windward Islands in 1745.
He replaced the marquis de Champigny.
At the start of 1745 the English attacked Dominica twice, and in the absence of any French naval presence in the Antilles captured all merchant ships.
The balance changed when two of the kings frigates, the Amphytrite and the Mégère, came as escort of a convoy of 10-12 merchant ships.
Two days later they were followed by the Espérance, Northumberland, Sérieux, Trident, Diamant and Aquilon, which anchored at Fort-Royal, Martinique.
Caylus was on the Espérance, and had given passage to a Spanish party including the archbishop of Santo Domingo.
Caylus had left Toulon around the start of 1745, touched at Cadiz and anchored at Fort-Royal on 30 April 1745.
He was received by de Champigny, who took passage on one of the ship of the squadron.
Caylus was formally recognized as governor general by the troops and the sovereign council in Martinique on 9 and 10 May 1745.
Later he was named chef d'escadre.
Caylus made his home in Saint-Pierre, Martinique.
He was there in 1747 when, to everyone's surprise, Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, governor of the French possessions in India, arrived at Fort-Royal on his way back to France.