 Richelieu's niece had been unhappily married to de La Vallete and his father, Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, had publicly struck de Sourdis four years before).In 1639, de Sourdis was in command of a powerful fleet of 37 ships, plus fireships and transports.He was to attack a Spanish fleet of 35 ships in La Coruña, but the Spanish were in a strongly defended position and the attack was called off.