Admiral comte Pierre André de Suffren de Saint Tropez, bailli de Suffren, Château de Saint-Cannat was a French Navy officer and admiral. Beginning his career during the War of the Austrian Succession, he fought in the Seven Years' War, where he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lagos. Promoted to captain in 1772, he was one of the aids of Admiral d'Estaing during the Naval battles of the American Revolutionary War, notably taking part in the Siege of Savannah.
Suffren was then appointed to serve in the Indian Ocean under Thomas d'Estienne d'Orves, but assumed command himself at his death. Leading a 15-ship squadron, he fought five intense and evenly matched battles for control of the sea against Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes. Through these battles, Suffren managed to secure French dominance of the seas in Indian waters until the conclusion of the war at the Treaty of Paris. At his return, he was promoted to vice-admiral. He died shortly before he was to take command of the Brest squadron of the French fleet.