Levant Fleet

Levant Fleet
The Royal Louis, Admiral Vessel (French: ) of the Levant Fleet under Louis XIV.
Active	1689 – 1792
Country	Kingdom of France
Branch	Royal French Navy
Type	Fleet
Role	Naval operations in the Mediterranean
Garrison/HQ	Arsenal of Toulon Arsenal of Galères
Engagements	Franco-Dutch War Nine Years' War War of the Spanish Succession War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War Independence War of the United States (U.S.)

The term Fleet of the Levant designated under the Ancien Regime the ensemble of naval vessels of the Royal French Navy (French: ) destined for naval operations (naval supremacy, protection of convoys) in the Mediterranean. The fleet is the alter ego of the Flotte du Ponant (French: ), based in Manche and in the Atlantic.

First based in Fréjus, the fleet garrisoned at the beginning of the 17th century in two specialized aresenals:

The Admiral Vessel (French: ) is traditionally the Réale, bearing the mark of général des galères (grand-officer of the crown of France) (French: ) is exposed at the Musée national de la Marine.

For the naval vessels, the Admiral Vessel was always the most powerful unit ship present in Toulon, under Louis XIV, the Royal-Louis of 110 cannons constructed in 1667 and in 1692 (vessels where the batteries were painted in red, the higher decks (French: ) in blue and all underlined with dorure), and under Louis XVI the Majestueux (Majestic) of 110 cannons constructed in 1780 then the Commerce de Marseille of 118 cannons constructed in 1788.

The commandment of the two fleets ( Levant and du Ponant ) was entrusted on November 12, 1669 to two Vice-admirals.