TAVERNIER, Jacques (tah-vair-he-ay), called LE LYONNAIS, French buccaneer, born in Lyons, France, about 1625; died in Havana, Cuba, in 1673. He early followed the sea, served on privateers in the Gulf of Mexico, and later joined the buccaneers in Tortugas. He took part in most of the expeditions under the leadership of Laurent van Graaf, Grandmount, Jacques Nau, Pierre le Picard, Henry Morgan, and other famous chiefs, but never commanded a strong following, as he was unable to read and write. After 1664, however, he was the owner of the ship " La Perle," carrying twelve cannons, and he made some daring inroads on the coasts of Venezuela, Panama, Cuba, and even Mexico. He assisted at the capture of Maracaibo in 1666, and of Porto Cabello in 1667, was with Morgan at Panama in 1671, and later ravaged with Bradley the Bay of Honduras. On returning from the last expedition he fell in with two Spanish men-of-war; a desperate battle ensued, and one of the Spanish ships took fire and was obliged to head for the coast. Tavernier and his buccaneers boarded the other vessel and had nearly captured it, when a sudden storm parted the cables that lashed the two vessels together. The buccaneers retreated in great haste to their ship, but a few, including the chief, were unable to regain it, as the two vessels parted. The fight continued, nevertheless, for some time on board the Spanish vessel, but Tavernier being' severely wounded, the buccaneers, deprived of their chief, lost courage and were finally overcome. Tavernier was brought nearly dying to Havana, where he was immediately executed before the palace of the audiencia.