Flotte du Ponant | |
---|---|
Active | 1669 – 1792 |
Country | Kingdom of France |
Branch | Royal French Navy |
Type | Naval fleet |
Role | Naval operations in the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Americas |
Garrison/HQ | Arsenal of Brest, Le Havre, Rochefort, Lorient, Cherbourg and Brouage |
Engagements | Franco-Dutch War Nine Years' War War of the Spanish Succession War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War American War of Independence |
The Flotte du Ponant was the designation under the Ancien Regime for the naval vessels of the Royal French Navy in the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and Americas, the latter principally in the French West Indies and New France. The fleet carried out operations such as asserting naval supremacy and protecting convoys. Its counterpart was the Levant Fleet, based in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Flotte du Ponant was created by Cardinal Richelieu (A former Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom in 1629). The fleet initially had three principal bases: Le Havre, Arsenal of Brest and Hiers-Brouage. Under Louis XIV, the arsenal of Brest was the principal base, supported by the arsenals of Rochefort and Lorient. Under Louis XVI the military port of Cherbourg was developed, with some elements only were recently completed on the outbreak of the French Revolution.
The fleet flagship was the most powerful ship at Brest. A number of different ships served in this role during the fleet's existence:
The first commander of what became the Flotte du Ponant was Aymar de Clermont-Chaste-Gessans, who was appointed Vice-admiral of Les Mers du Ponant. The command of the Levant and du Ponant fleets were entrusted on 12 November 1669 to two vice-admirals. The vice-admirals of the du Ponant fleet were:
Name | Portrait | Tenure | Note |
Jean II d'Estrées Count d'Estrées (1624-1707) |
1669–1707 | Tenure at age 45 until his death in 1707 | |
Victor-Marie d'Estrées (son of Jean II d'Estrées) (1660-1737) |
1707-1737 | Tenure at age 46 until 1737 | |
Antoine François de Pardaillan de Gondrin Marquis d' Antin (1709-1741) |
- | (1737-1741) | Tenure at age 28 until 1741 |
François de Bricqueville Count de La Luzerne (1665-1746) |
- | (1741-1746) | Tenure at age 79 until 1746 |
Claude-Élisée de Court de La Bruyère (1666-1752) |
- | 1750-1752 | Admiral aboard the Terrible in 1744, flying the flag of a Lieutenant-General of the naval forces Vice-Admiral tenure at age 84 in 1750 until 1752 |
François-Cornil Bart (son of Jean Bart) (1677-1755) |
1752-1755 | Tenure at age 75 | |
Charles-Félix de Poilvilain Count de Cresnay (1693-1756) |
- | 1755-1756 | Tenure at the age of 62 until 1756 |
Jean-Baptiste Mac Nemara Irish descendant (1687-1756) |
- | 1756-1756 | Tenure at age 66 and died the second day after his nomination |
Hubert de Brienne Count de Brienne (1690-1777) |
- | 1756-1777 | Tenure at age 66 until 1777 |
Joseph de Bauffremont (1714-1781) |
1777-1781 | Tenure at age 63 until 1781 | |
Paul-Hippolyte de Beauvilliers Marquis de La Ferté-Saint-Aignan (1712-1788) |
- | 1781-1788 | Tenure at age 69 until 1788 |
Pierre-Antoine de Raymond, bailli d'Éoux | - | 1788-1792 | Tenure at age 82 until 1792 |
Although Jean II d'Estrées commanded the fleet during the battles of the reign of Louis XIV, his successors were too old to have likely served at sea. In practice, the squadrons at sea were under officers with the rank of Lieutenant général des Armées navales.