Fire and Sea: perception and design of fireships in France under Colbert

This essay concerns the important role that fireships played in the French Navy under Colbert. In a time in which hulls were made of wood, and almost all the materials on vessels were flammable, fire was one of the most dangerous elements, and thus, a powerful weapon. This idea developed from the ancient times to the creation of fireships, where ships themselves became “fire-carrying weapons”. The French minister Colbert did not miss the importance of these ships for the navy and became a champion of fireships, allowing the development of their design in France in the 17th century.