Académie de Marine
Encyclopedia
The Royal Naval Academy of France was founded at Brest
by a ruling of 31 July 1752 by Antoine Louis de Rouillé, comte de Jouy, Secretary of State for the Navy
. This institutionalised an earlier initiative by a group of officers from the Brest fleet headed by the artillery captain Sébastien Bigot de Morogues
who all wanted to contribute to the modernisation of the French Navy
, a group which had very quickly received the approbation of Louis XV
.
de Morogues was named the Academy's first president and the institution gathered in astronomers, hydrographers, mathematicians and so on, including such names as Dumaitz de Goimpy
, Borda, Thévenard, Marguerie
, and Claret de Fleurieu, and three of its members (Claret de Fleurieu, Fleuriot de Langle, d'Escures
) were to be found amongst La Perouse
's expedition to the Solomon Islands
which later disappeared. The Academy contributed greatly to the improvement of navigational instruments, and its graduates included Étienne Eustache Bruix
.
The institution disappeared temporarily from 1764 to 1769, at the end of the Seven Years' War
. In 1769, Aymar Joseph de Roquefeuil, commandant of the Brest fleet, obtained permission for its re-establishment from Louis XV and from Choiseul-Praslin
, Secretary of State for the Navy. The Academy was linked to the Académie des sciences by an edict of 1771, but was finally suppressed by the National Convention
on 8 August 1793 at the same time as all the other academies. It was restored again under the Empire
as the "Académie de marine" and continues its work today.
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
by a ruling of 31 July 1752 by Antoine Louis de Rouillé, comte de Jouy, Secretary of State for the Navy
Secretary of State of the Navy (France)
The Secretary of State of the Navy was one of the four or five specialized secretaries of state in France during the Ancien Régime. This Secretary of State was responsible for the French navy and for French colonies...
. This institutionalised an earlier initiative by a group of officers from the Brest fleet headed by the artillery captain Sébastien Bigot de Morogues
Sébastien Bigot de Morogues
Sébastien-François Bigot, vicomte de Morogues, , was a French soldier and sailor and military naval tactician.-Life:...
who all wanted to contribute to the modernisation of the French Navy
History of the French Navy
Although the History of the French Navy goes back to the Middle Ages, its history can be said to effectively begin with Richelieu under Louis XIII.Since the establishment of her present territory, France had to face three major challenges on the naval level:...
, a group which had very quickly received the approbation of Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
.
de Morogues was named the Academy's first president and the institution gathered in astronomers, hydrographers, mathematicians and so on, including such names as Dumaitz de Goimpy
Dumaitz de Goimpy
François-Louis-Edme-Gabriel, Comte du Maitz de Goimpy, seen in some English-language histories as Dumaitz de Goimpy, was a French naval commander. He fought in the Battle of Martinique , and commanded the 74 gun Destin at the 1781 Battle of the Chesapeake. He was also an active lecturer at the...
, Borda, Thévenard, Marguerie
Jean-Jacques de Marguerie
Jean-Jacques de Marguerie was a French naval officer and mathematician.-Life:He began his studies at the collège at Caen, discovering Euclid's Elements aged around 18 and soon moving to study mathematics alone. He made such progress in this area that the geometer Alexis Fontaine, who he met in...
, and Claret de Fleurieu, and three of its members (Claret de Fleurieu, Fleuriot de Langle, d'Escures
Charles Gabriel Morel d'Escures
Charles Gabriel Morel d'Escures was a French navigator and explorer and a member of the La Pérouse expedition and of the Académie de Marine.-Life:...
) were to be found amongst La Perouse
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania.-Early career:...
's expedition to the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
which later disappeared. The Academy contributed greatly to the improvement of navigational instruments, and its graduates included Étienne Eustache Bruix
Étienne Eustache Bruix
Étienne Eustache Bruix was a French sailor.-Life:From a distinguished family originating from Béarn, he embarked as a volunteer on a slaving vessel commanded by captain Jean-François Landolphe...
.
The institution disappeared temporarily from 1764 to 1769, at the end of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. In 1769, Aymar Joseph de Roquefeuil, commandant of the Brest fleet, obtained permission for its re-establishment from Louis XV and from Choiseul-Praslin
César Gabriel de Choiseul
César Gabriel de Choiseul, duc de Praslin was a French officer, diplomat and statesman.On 30 April 1732, he was married with Anne Marie de Champagne de Villaines de la Suze....
, Secretary of State for the Navy. The Academy was linked to the Académie des sciences by an edict of 1771, but was finally suppressed by the National Convention
National Convention
During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
on 8 August 1793 at the same time as all the other academies. It was restored again under the Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
as the "Académie de marine" and continues its work today.