ENAMBUC, Pierre Vaudrosques Diel d', founder of French colonies in the West Indies, born about 1586; died in 1636. He belonged to a Norman family, and became a captain in the French navy, but, wishing to better his fortune, he fitted out a small-armed brig, and with about forty sailors sailed from Dieppe in the spring of 1625 for the West Indies. When opposite {he Cayman islands he met and vanquished a Spanish ship of thirty-five guns, but was obliged to put into St. Christopher for repairs. Here he found some French settlers, and, after deciding to remain with them, was elected their chief. He subsequently defeated an attempt of the Indians to massacre all Europeans on the island, and, eight months after his arrival in St. Christopher, sailed for Europe, taking with him tobacco and mahogany.

Cardinal Richelieu authorized D'Enambuc to found French colonies in all the Antilles from 11° to 18° north latitude, appointing him governor general and lieutenant of the king. On 14 February 1627, D'Enambue and his second, Durossey, sailed again for the West Indies, taking with them 600 colonists. D'Enambue and his followers met with many reverses, through sickness and the attacks of the English, and Durossey was sent to France for assistance. He brought back to St. Christopher six royal ships and six transports, so that the English were defeated, but soon afterward the Spaniards landed in the Island and destroyed the French possessions. Just then Durossey proposed to D'Enambuc to abandon St. Christopher, and to found a new colony at Antigua, and, although the latter was opposed to this venture, they sailed away, arriving at St. Martin after a voyage of three weeks. There Durossey left the expedition and sailed for France, where he was imprisoned in the Bastile for abandoning his chief. After a short sojourn at Antigua, D'Enambuc returned to St. Christopher, where he took possession of the land he had abandoned three months before. The colony soon flourished, and D'Enambuc prepared to colonize the neighboring islands. He sent his lieutenants to Guadeloupe, and set out in 1635 for Martinique, where he built Fort Saint Pierre. The colonies thrived, and D'Enambuc was about to found others when he died.