Antonio Barceló

Of humble origins, Barceló rose to officer of the Spanish Navy on military merits alone, an unusual event at his time.He was a leading figure against Barbary piracy and slave trade in the western Mediterranean, adopting their tactics to counter them and serving himself as a pirate hunter for most of his career.[1] He was the oldest of the five sons of Onofre Barceló, a small time privateer against the Muslim piracy that attacked the coasts of the western Mediterranean.[1] With the Spanish Navy focused on the War of Jenkins' Ear since 1739, Barceló and other privateers were recruited and received the official mission to prevent further piracy.Today, on the feast day of the Viring of Carmel, blessing of boats still takes place in many Spanish towns.
Antonio Rafael BarcelóSpanish namesurnamePalma, MajorcaSpanish EmpireSpanish NavyLieutenant generalGeneral admiralConquest of OranInvasion of AlgiersGreat Siege of GibraltarBombardment of AlgiersBarbary piracyslave tradeMediterraneannaval artillerygunboatsfuerzas sutilesprivateerMuslim piracyPalma de MallorcaBarcelonaWar of Jenkins' EarAlgiersBombardment of Algiers in August 17832nd Bombardment of Algiers in July 1784Virgin of CarmelSt. Elmoblessing of boatsVocento