Description Soleil Royal Model Ships The Soleil Royal was one the most powerful ships of her day. Built by the French, who at the time were leaders in ship construction, this vessel was faster, stronger and bigger than most of her contemporaries. The Soleil Royal was named in honour of the great French King Louis XIV and the title meant” the royal sun”. Soleil Royal: Design and Architecture 17th century French ships and naval skill made the nation a force to reckon with on the high seas. King Louis had rightly estimated the need for a formidable navy in order to further his expansionist policies. He was aided in the task by his minister and confidante Jean Colbert. Colbert, who is widely regarded as the Father of the French Navy, had spent over 20 years modernising the force. The plan of the Soleil Royal was drawn by engineer Laurent Hubac. The ship itself was awe-inspiring, with a displacement of about 1630 tonnes. She measured about 187 feet at the waterline. Her overall length was an impressive 250 feet and her beam was about 51 feet. From keel to topmast her mainmast height was 245 feet. As the leading ship in the French navy she was armed with around 100 bronze guns. There were an impressive 28 36 pounders on board this vessel each weighing 5 tonnes with barrels that were 11 feet long. These guns were so big and heavy that it took 15 members to crew each of these. During war time she could carry almost a 1200 strong crew. The Soleil Royal bore the emblem of the King. The hull was painted blue and the ship was ornately decorated with contributions from the best artists and sculptors of France at the time which included the court painter of King Louis, Charles Le Brun and sculptor Antoine Corsevoix. Premier Ship Models presents intricately carved, scale models of this historic ship, available from our range of Standard, Superior and Premier models to suit your budget. You can view other hand-made models from our website and choose your favourite modern or historic craft. To view more of our ship models please browse our website or feel free to Contact Premier Ship Models with any questions you may have.
