French Warships in the Age of Sail, 1626–1786

Design, Construction, Careers and Fates

Rif Winfield, Stephen S Roberts

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781473893511
• eBook ISBN: 9781473893535
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

"The first comprehensive listing of these ships in English. . . . Profusely illustrated [and] impressively informative." — Midwest Book Review
 
The origins of a permanent French sailing navy can be traced to the work of Cardinal Richelieu in the 1620s, but this naval force declined rapidly in the 1650s and a virtually new Marine Royale had to be re-created by Colbert from 1661. Thereafter, Louis XIV's navy grew rapidly to become the largest and most powerful in the world, at the same time establishing a reputation for the quality of its ship design that lasted until the end of sail.
 
The eighteenth century was to see defeat and decline, revival and victory, but by 1786 the French Navy had emerged from its most successful naval war having frequently outfought or outmaneuvred the British Navy in battle, and in the process making a major contribution to American independence. This book provides significant technical and building data as well as highlights of the careers of each ship in every class. For the first time, it is possible to form a clear picture of the overall development of French warships throughout the whole of the sailing era.
 
"A handy and quick reference to a variety of vessels . . . [A] top notch reference book." — British Tars, 1740-1790

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Structure and Organisation of the Book
• French Naval Technology and Organisation from Colbert to Castries
• Historical Overview
• Chronology
• French Naval Operations from 1626 to 1786
• Sources and Bibliography
• Glossary and Abbreviations
• Preamble: The Legacy of Richelieu and Mazarin – Ships of the French Navy from 1626 to 1661
• Chapter 1 The First Rank (Vaisseaux du premier rang) with 80 or more guns after 1715
• Chapter 2 The Second Rank (Vaisseaux du second rang) with 68 to 78 guns after 1715
• Chapter 3 The Third Rank (Vaisseaux du troisième rang) with 56 to 66 guns after 1715
• Chapter 4 The Fourth Rank (Vaisseaux du quatrième rang) with 40 to 54 guns after 1715, sometimes described as Frigates of the 1st Order (Frégates du 1er ordre), and 12pdr-armed and larger frigates after 1747
• Chapter 5 The Fifth Rank (Vaisseaux du cinquième rang) sometimes described as Frigates of the 2nd Order (Frégates du 2e ordre), and 8pdr-armed frigates after 1740
• Chapter 6 Light Frigates (Frégates légères)
• Chapter 7 Bomb Vessels and other Coastal Warfare Craft (Galiotes à mortiers, Galiotes à bombes, Prames, Chaloupes-canonnières, etc)
• Chapter 8 Fireships (Brûlots)
• Chapter 9 Storeships and Cargo Ships (Flûtes and Gabarres)
• Chapter 10 Corvettes and Barques Longues
• Chapter 11 Minor Warships – Ponant types (Barques, Brigantines, Snows, Cutters, Luggers, Schooners, Brigs, etc)
• Chapter 12 Minor Warships – Levant types (Barques, Brigantines, Tartanes, Feluccas, Xebecs, etc)
• Chapter 13 Minor Support Vessels
• Addendum The Galley Corps (corps des galères)
• Appendix A. Strength of the French Navy, 1660–1786
• Appendix B. Financial Expenditures on the French Navy, 1662–1786
• Appendix C: French Warship Ranks and Changes in Ranks, 1669–1789
• Appendix D. Standard Armaments of French Ships, 1674 and 1689
• Appendix E. French Monarchs, Political and Naval Leaders, 1626–1786
• Appendix F. Selected French Master Shipwrights and Master Sculptors, 1661–1786
• Appendix G. Action stations of the 80-gun ship of the line Foudroyant of 1750
• Appendix H. Colbert’s mass ship renamings of 24 June 1671.
• Appendix J. Lists of the French Fleet as at 1672 – 1682 – 1692 – 1702 – 1712 – 1723 – 1734 – 1743 – 1752 – 1765 – 1772 and 1786