Did Admiral Villeneuve sail from self-interest or because he believed he was the best man for the job?
Short answerBoth, together with Napoleon's order: his replacement would sail anyway, and success was Villeneuve's only route to professional redemption.
NotesNo single motive explains Villeneuve's decision to sail. The admiral believed he remained the best available commander for a mission that his replacement would attempt anyway. Napoleon's order left little room for an alternative strategy. Sailing also offered Villeneuve his only plausible chance to redeem his career and protect his position, joining institutional pressure to personal interest.