French Second Rate ship of the line 'Le Courtisan' (1676)

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Le Courtisan ➡ 1678 Belliqueux
Nominal Guns	74	FWAS1626
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Keel Laid Down	5.1674	FWAS1626
Named	28.6.1678	FWAS1626
Launched	28.6.1676	FWAS1626
First Commissioned	1677	FWAS1626
How acquired	Purpose built	FWAS1626
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	FWAS1626
Ship Class	Constant Class (1674)	W033
Designed by	Laurent Hubac (Sieur de Kervalennec)French Designer Ship Builder Service 1637-1682	FWAS1626
Constructor	Laurent Hubac (Sieur de Kervalennec)French Designer Ship Builder Service 1637-1682	FWAS1626
Category	Second Rate	FWAS1626
National Rate	Second Rang	W033
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	W033
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	W033
Broken Up	1708	FWAS1626

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentFWAS1626
Length of Gundeck143' 6"French Feet (Pied du Roi)46.4502 (152′ 4″ Imperial)
Length of Keel120' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)38.976 (127′ 10″ Imperial)
Breadth38' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)12.3424 (40′ 5″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold18' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.8464 (19′ 2″ Imperial)
Draught Forward18' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.8464 (19′ 2″ Imperial)
Draught Aft19' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1712 (20′ 2″ Imperial)
Burthen1,350Tonneaux

Armament

28.6.1676Broadside Weight = 548 French Livre (591.4016 lbs 268.246 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck12 French 24-Pounder
Lower Gun Deck14 French 18-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck14 French 18-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck12 French 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck18 French 8-Pounder
Roundhouse4 French 4-Pounder

1696Broadside Weight = 730 French Livre (787.816 lbs 357.335 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck16 French 36-Pounder
Lower Gun Deck10 French 24-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck26 French 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 French 8-Pounder
Roundhouse4 French 4-Pounder

1696Broadside Weight Unknownref:1837
Gun Deck70 French Canons de Fer

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
28.6.1676280Design Complement
1696500 ref:1837

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
1678Chef d'EscadreNNF-1661

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1690Capitaine en Secondref:687

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1690Enseigne de Vaisseauref:687

Service History

DateEventSource
17.3.1677/78Second Battle of Ouessant
28.6.1678Renamed BelliqueuxFWAS1626
1679Rerated as a 76 gunnerFWAS1626
1688Rerated as a 74 gunnerFWAS1626
30.6.1690Battle of Beachy Head
1691Rerated as a 76 gunnerFWAS1626
1696

At Toulon .

ref:1837
1.1706

Condemned

FWAS1626
19.9.1708

Ordered to be broken up

FWAS1626

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWAS1626Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

NNF-1661Alain Demerliac, Book

W033Ronald Deschenes, Web Site

ref:1837 Digital Book

ref:687Philippe de Vilette-Mursay, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:19	Jon Miller	Robert BaylisBritish Naval Sailor Service 1790-1795
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:17	Jon Miller	French Privateer brig 'La Cantabré' (1798) (14) 1798-1798 French 14 Gun Privateer Brig
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:16	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Cambrian' (1797) (40) 1797-1828 British 40 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Monday 15th of June 2026 04:12	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Kingfisher' (1782) (18) 1782-1798 British 18 Gun Unrated Sloop
Sunday 14th of June 2026 18:29	Jon Miller	French Privateer 'La Résolue' (1798) (18) 1798-1798 French 18 Gun Privateer Unknown

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