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The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale (English: National Navy), is the naval branch of the French Armed Forces.
History
Atlantic slave trade
During the 1730s, the French Navy in the Caribbean played a significant part in policing the slave trade out of Port-au-Prince. As a result, a large number of French vessels were sunk by the vessel Experto Crede, captained by the Assassin and ally of the Maroon rebellion, Adéwalé, who had also previously sunk a French Treasure Fleet commanded by a Templar admiral.[1]
Seven Years' War
During the Seven Years' War, the French Navy was allied with the Colonial Assassins, who helped them to secure control over the North Atlantic while fighting the British Royal Navy. One of the French Navy's most powerful ships controlled the North Atlantic, the Couronne, but the Royal Navy privateer and Templar, Shay Cormac, managed to sink this ship at the Battle of Labrador and cripple their naval power with his ship, Morrigan. This was instrumental to France's defeat in the war that culminated in the British annexation of New France.[2]
In June 1759, the French Navy defended the Fortress of Louisbourg, then under the command of Augustin de Boschenry, Chevalier de Drucour, when it was beset by the Royal Navy. Despite the assistance of the Assassin Adéwalé at the helm of the Experto Crede, the French failed to relieve the siege, decimated as they were by the HMS Pembroke piloted by Shay Cormac. Late that same year, the French sent their navy to directly strike at mainland Britain, but their fleet was crushed on 20 November at the Battle of Quiberon Bay by Shay Cormac yet again, losing another powerful ship, the Formidable in the process.[2]
American Revolutionary War
In 1776, before France openly joined the American Revolutionary War, the French Navy secretly transported supplies for the Continental Army with ships repainted and renamed to appear Spanish. One of these ships, La Belladonna, was escorted through the Caribbean Sea by the USS Randolph before being abandoned. The Aquila resumed her escort and defended her when Nicholas Biddle alerted a British Man O' War to her location.[3]
Two years later, General John Sullivan caused a scandal when he wrote a letter criticizing the French's withdrawal at the Battle of Rhode Island. The Colonial Assassins' leader, Connor, sent his recruits to convince Admiral d'Estaing to ignore Sullivan's comments.
In 1781, the Aquila aided the French against the Royal Navy during the Battle of the Chesapeake. In return, Connor asked Admiral de Grasse to send a fleet, disguised as British ships, to bombard New York's militarized district, allowing him to infiltrate Fort George and assassinate Charles Lee.[3]
Notable ships
References
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