French Second Rate ship of the line 'L'Ambitieux' (1691)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
Update
San Ignacio de Loyola (20) 1754-1762
Spanish 20 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
Vincente PloSpanish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1795-1798
Update
Neptuno (80) 1795-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Argonauta (80) 1798-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Julian Martin de RetamosaSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1789-1798
Added Neptuno Class (1792)
Update
Fénix (80) 1749-1780
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Rayo (80) 1749-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Juan JorgeSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1747-1769
See more...

Recent Comments

Santisima Trinidad (136) 1805-1805
British 136 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1805)
Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (116) 1769-1805
Spanish 116 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Magicienne (32) 1781-1810
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
L'Africaine (18) 1796-1796
French 18 Gun
Unrated Unknown
(1796)
Quebec (32) 1781-1816
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
Diamond (38) 1794-1812
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1794)
Circe (28) 1785-1803
British 28 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1785)
Alcmene (32) 1794-1809
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1794)
See more...

L'Ambitieux
Nominal Guns	92	W033
Nationality	Royaume de France
Operator	Marine Royale
Launched	12.1691	W033
How acquired	Purpose built	W033
Shipyard	Rochefort - Aunis	W033
Constructor	Honoré MalletFrench Designer Ship Builder Service 1679-1698	W033
Category	Second Rate	W033
National Rate	Premier Rang	W033
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	W033
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	W033
Burnt in Action	2.6.1692	W033

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1661
Length of Gundeck158' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)51.3184 (168′ 4″ Imperial)
Length of Keel135' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)43.848 (143′ 10″ Imperial)
Breadth44' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)14.2912 (46′ 10″ Imperial)
Depth in Hold20' 0"French Feet (Pied du Roi)6.496 (21′ 3″ Imperial)
Burthen1,600Ton

Armament

4.1692Broadside Weight = 966 French Livre (1042.5072 lbs 472.857 kg)NNF-1661
Lower Gun Deck28 French 36-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck30 French 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 French 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle12 French 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
12.1691Home: 866 Peacetime: 666850 crew + 16 officersFWAS1626
4.1692731 NNF-1661

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
12.1691 - 2.6.1692Capitaine de VaisseauFWIKI

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1692 - 2.6.1692Lieutenant-Général des Armées NavalesTRN22.6.1692Vice-Amiral du LevantTRN2

Service History

DateEventSource
19.5.1692Battle of Barfleur
2.6.1692Battle of La Hogue

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

FWAS1626Stephen S. Roberts, Rif Winfield, Book

FWIKIVarious, Web Site

NNF-1661Alain Demerliac, Book

TRN2William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

W033Ronald Deschenes, Web Site

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:46	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:45	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Magicienne' (1781) (32) 1781-1810 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement