French Warships in the Age of Sail, 1626–1786

“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 establi