Duc du Maine (slave ship)

The Duc du Maine was an 18th-century French slave ship, primarily involved in the traite négrière (slave trade) between Africa and the French colonies in the Americas, particularly the French West Indies (such as Saint-Domingue, modern-day Haiti). Details regarding specific voyages, ownership, and the number of enslaved people transported vary depending on the historical source. Typically, the Duc du Maine would have sailed from a French port like Nantes or Bordeaux, traveled to the coast of West Africa (often the region of modern-day Senegal, Gambia, or the Bight of Benin), where enslaved Africans were purchased or traded for goods. The ship would then transport the enslaved individuals across the Atlantic Ocean on the Middle Passage to be sold into slavery in the Americas. Conditions aboard such ships were notoriously brutal, with high mortality rates due to disease, malnutrition, and inhumane treatment. Records of the Duc du Maine's activities contribute to the broader historical understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and its devastating impact on Africa and the African diaspora. Further research into archival documents such as ship manifests, logbooks, and accounts from the period is necessary to build a comprehensive picture of the Duc du Maine's role in this trade.