French Warships in the Age of Sail 1626 - 1786 - Rif Winfield, Stephen S. Roberts

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,... Zobrazit více