French Imperial Navy
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The French Imperial Navy was the navy of the First French Empire which existed between 1804 and 1815. It was formed in May 1804 from the navy of the French First Republic, and spent its existence figh
View of the Port of Brest by Jean-François Hue, 1794
1850 illustration of Napoleon inspecting the Imperial Navy's Cherbourg squadron in May 1811
1836 painting of Bucentaure at Trafalgar by Auguste Mayer
The 1810 Battle of Grand Port, the Imperial Navy's greatest victory over the British
Battle of Grand Port
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The Battle of Grand Port was fought on 20–27 August 1810 between the British and French navies over the harbour of Grand Port, then in Isle de France, as part of the Mauritius campaign of the Napoleon
The French squadron at Grand Port. From left to right: Bellone, Minerve, Victor (background), and Ceylon, detail from Combat de Grand Port by Pierre-Julien Gilbert.
Detail from Combat de Grand Port by Pierre-Julien Gilbert. Visible from left to right: HMS Iphigenia (seen striking her colours), HMS Magicienne and HMS Sirius being set on fire by their crews, HMS Nereide surrendering, French frigate Bellone, Minerve, Victor (in the background), and Ceylon. Many of the details shown in the painting did not happen simultaneously, but were spread over several days.
Grand Port in 2023, the memorial to the battle.