<P> Medieval fleets, in France as elsewhere, were almost entirely composed of merchant ships enlisted into naval service in time of war, but the early beginnings of the French naval history goes back to that era . The first battle of the French Navy was the battle of Arnemuiden (23 September 1338), where it defeated the English Navy . The battle of Arnemuiden was also the first naval battle using artillery . It was later defeated by an Anglo - Flemish fleet at the Battle of Sluys and, with Castilian help, managed to beat the English at La Rochelle--both battles playing a crucial role in the development of the Hundred Years War . However, the navy did not become a consistent instrument of national power until the 17th century with Louis XIV . Under the tutelage of the "Sun King," the French Navy was well financed and equipped, managing to resoundingly defeat a combined Spanish - Dutch fleet at the Battle of Palermo in 1676 during the Franco - Dutch War, although, along with the English navy, it suffered several strategic reversals against the Dutch, who were led by the brilliant Michiel de Ruyter . It scored several early victories in the Nine Years War against the Royal Navy and the Dutch Navy . Financial difficulties, however, allowed the English and the Dutch to regain the initiative at sea . </P> <P> A perennial problem for the French Navy was the strategic priorities of France, which were first and foremost tied to its European ambitions . This reality meant that the army was often treated better than the navy, and as a result, the latter suffered in training and operational performance . The 18th century saw the beginning of the Royal Navy's domination, which managed to inflict a number of significant defeats on the French . However, in a very impressive effort, a French fleet under de Grasse managed to defeat a British fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781, ensuring that the Franco - American ground forces would win the ongoing Siege of Yorktown . Beyond that, and Suffren's impressive campaigns against the British in India, there was not much more good news . The French Revolution all but crippled the French Navy, and efforts to make it into a powerful force under Napoleon were dashed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British all but annihilated a combined Franco - Spanish fleet . The disaster guaranteed British naval domination until the end of the Napoleonic wars . </P> <P> Later in the 19th century, the navy recovered and became the second finest in the world after the Royal Navy . It conducted a successful blockade of Mexico in the Pastry War of 1838 and obliterated the Chinese navy at the Battle of Foochow in 1884 . It also served as an effective link between the growing parts of the French empire . The navy performed well during World War I, in which it mainly protected the naval lanes in the Mediterranean Sea . At the onset of the war, the French--with 16 battleships, 6 cruisers, and 24 destroyers--had the largest fleet in the Mediterranean . French defeats in the early stages of World War II, however, forced the British to destroy the French navy at Mers - el - Kebir in order to prevent its fall to the Germans . Currently, French naval doctrine calls for two aircraft carriers, but the French currently only have one, the Charles de Gaulle, due to restructuring . The navy is in the midst of some technological and procurement changes; newer submarines are under construction and Rafale aircraft (the naval version) are currently replacing older aircraft . </P> <P> The French Foreign Legion was created in 1831 by French king Louis - Philippe . Over the past century and a half, it has gone on to become one of the most recognizable and lauded military units in the world . The Legion had a very difficult start; there were few non-commissioned officers, many of the soldiers could not speak French, and pay was often irregular . The Legion was soon transferred to fight in Algeria, performing moderately successfully given its condition . On August 17, 1835, the commander of the Legion, Colonel Joseph Bernelle, decided to amalgamate all the battalions so that no nationality was exclusively confined to a particular battalion; this helped ensure that the Legion did not fragment into factions . </P>

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