French Second Rate ship of the line 'Le Saint Esprit' (1691)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Pedro de Linze y BerasteguiSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1754-1769
Update
Galga (36) 1744-1784
Spanish 36 Gun
Privateer Frigate
Added
Lorenzo BeyenisSpanish
Ship Owner
Service 1769
Update
Juan Agustin de IradySpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Guipuzcoano (64) 1778-1780
Spanish 64 Gun
Merchant Ship of the Line
Update
San Rafael (30) 1774-1780
Spanish 30 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Update
Luis ArburuSpanish
Naval Sailor
Update
Fermín UrtizbereaSpanish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780
Update
San Carlos (32) 1772-1780
Spanish 32 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
See more...

Recent Comments

Philip AffleckBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1799
George SarradineBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1794-1802
Discovery (10) 1789-1834
British 10 Gun
Other Discovery Vessel
(1789)
Mark RobinsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1787
Ethalion (38) 1797-1799
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1797)
Zeehund (7) 1798-1798
Dutch 7 Gun
Privateer Lugger
(1798)
Hound (16) 1796-1800
British 16 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1796)
Le Capitaine Thurot (2) 1797-1797
French 2 Gun
Privateer Cutter
(1797)
King George (12) 1796-1799
British 12 Gun
Hired Cutter
(1796)
Seagull (16) 1795-1805
British 16 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1795)
See more...

Le Saint Esprit
Nominal Guns	76	NNF-1715
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Ordered	10.1689	NNF-1715
Keel Laid Down	3.1690	NNF-1715
Named	6.1690	NNF-1715
Launched	1691	NNF-1715
First Commissioned	5.1691	NNF-1715
How acquired	Purpose built	NNF-1715
Shipyard	Rochefort - Aunis	NNF-1715
Designed by	Jean GuichardFrench Ship Builder Service 1665-1690	NNF-1715
Constructor	Jean GuichardFrench Ship Builder Service 1665-1690	NNF-1715
Category	Second Rate	NNF-1715
National Rate	Second Rang	NNF-1715
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	NNF-1715
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	NNF-1715
Broken Up	1718	NNF-1715

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1715
Length of Gundeck151' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)49.0496 (160′ 11″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 1"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.0191 (42′ 8″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold17' 2"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.5293 (18′ 1″ Imperial)
Burthen1,550Ton
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentFWAS1626
Length of Gundeck151' 9"French Feet (Pied du Roi)49.0496 (160′ 11″ Imperial)
Breadth40' 1"French Feet (Pied du Roi)13.0191 (42′ 8″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold17' 2"French Feet (Pied du Roi)5.5293 (18′ 1″ Imperial)
Draught Forward19' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1712 (20′ 2″ Imperial)
Draught Aft19' 3"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.1802 (20′ 3″ Imperial)
Displacement1,380Ton
Burthen1,200Tonneaux

Armament

1691Broadside Weight = 636 French Livre (686.3712 lbs 311.322 kg)NNF-1715
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle16 French 8-Pounder
Roundhouse4 French 4-Pounder

5.1691Broadside Weight = 726 French Livre (783.4992 lbs 355.377 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck18 French 36-Pounder
Lower Gun Deck8 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle18 French 6-Pounder

1696Broadside Weight Unknownref:1837
Gun Deck66 French Canons de Fer

1706Broadside Weight = 612 French Livre (660.4704 lbs 299.574 kg)FWAS1626
Lower Gun Deck26 French 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 French 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle16 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
5.1691Home: 490 Peacetime: 400 FWAS1626
5.16934599 officers, 450 menNNF-1715
1696380 ref:1837

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
1696 - 1.5.1696Capitaine de Vaisseau†ref:6871703Capitaine de Vaisseauref:6871705Capitaine de Vaisseauref:687

Service History

DateEventSource
19.5.1692Battle of Barfleur
1696

At Toulon .

ref:1837
13.8.1704Battle of Malaga
1706Rerated as a 74 gunnerFWAS1626
1707

Scuttled at Toulon but refloated

FWAS1626
25.5.1716

Order to be converted to a careening hulk.

FWAS1626
6.1716

Condemned

FWAS1626
10.8.1717

Ordered to be broken up.

FWAS1626

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWAS1626Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1837 Digital Book

ref:687Philippe de Vilette-Mursay, Book

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement