The French Navy: Four Centuries of History

“The power of arms requires not only that the King be strong on land, but also that he be powerful at sea.” Richelieu, Political Testament

From Richelieu’s establishment of the Grand Mastership of Navigation and Commerce of France in 1626 to attack submarines and the planned next-generation aircraft carrier, the French Navy has shaped four centuries of history, science, and national glory. In October 1626, Richelieu established the Grand Mastership of Navigation and Commerce of France, bringing the admiralty courts under central authority. This new centralization came at a pivotal moment in military history and the consolidation of royal power. The Thirty Years’ War was ravaging Europe. Continental powers fought on land, but the powerful fleets of the Netherlands and Spain, along with the Royal Navy’s recent victories, convinced Richelieu of the urgent need for a capable navy. The growth of the first colonial empires and of transcontinental trade made that need still greater. Louis XIII’s kingdom had to be able to protect its coastline—one of Europe’s longest and most accessible—and ensure the safety of its merchants. Finally, unrest involving Protestants raised fears that English ships would return to the waters off La Rochelle. Technical, administrative, and economic efforts soon led to the creation of Louis XIV’s navy, among the finest in naval history. Not all the cardinal’s aims were achieved in his lifetime, but his reforms and foresight laid the foundations of French maritime power, which rose under Louis XIV and continues today with attack submarines and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

This book traces that remarkable history: from the Sun King’s galleons to the ironclads of the Second Empire, and from the tragedies of Trafalgar and Mers el-Kébir to postwar rebuilding. Each era reveals technological changes, political decisions, and the lives of the men and women who carried France across the world’s seas. Nearly 160 paintings, portraits, and depictions of landmark battles form a richly researched and illustrated account in which strategy, innovation, and human experience converge. A compelling journey through the history of French maritime power, from Richelieu to the present day. Patrick Villiers is professor emeritus of modern and contemporary history at the University of Boulogne-sur-Mer. He specializes in the navy of the Ancien Régime, particularly port economies, commerce raiding, fleet warfare, and privateers. Vice-president of the Société d’histoire maritime, he has written numerous books and more than a hundred articles on maritime history. Loïc Becker holds a master’s degree in journalism from Sciences Po Toulouse and specializes in contemporary military history. A regular contributor to the Caraktère group’s magazines, he has written dozens of articles and books on historical subjects including tanks, aircraft, and naval warfare.