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Charlemagne

Charlemagne was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Charlemagne class.

Charlemagne classMarine nationalePre-dreadnought eraVerified subject image
Charlemagne and his son, Louis the Pious. Grandes Chroniques de France , Paris (BnF Français 73, fol. 128v). Charlemagne et son fils, Louis le Pieux. Grandes Chroniques de France , Paris (BnF Français 73, fol. 128v).
Charlemagne and his son, Louis the Pious. Grandes Chroniques de France , Paris (BnF Français 73, fol. 128v). Charlemagne et son fils, Louis le Pieux. Grandes Chroniques de France , Paris (BnF Français 73, fol. 128v). Karl der Große und Ludwig der Fromme. Nagy Károly és fia, Jámbor Lajos[1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France , Mandragore, BNF · Public domainImage source
ClassCharlemagne class
NavyMarine nationale
CountryFrance
Builder / shipyardArsenal de Brest
Laid down1894
Launched1895
Completed1899

What is known about this ship

Charlemagne was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Charlemagne class.

Service history

Served primarily with French Mediterranean forces; all three remained in service into World War I.

Class context: Charlemagne class

The Charlemagne class introduced a more conventional French pre-dreadnought arrangement with four 305 mm guns in twin turrets fore and aft.

This ship is recorded as a member of Charlemagne class. Shared design history belongs on the class page; this page concentrates on the individual hull where evidence is available.

Sources and further reading

  1. CHARLEMAGNE - Cuirassé d'escadre ↗Service historique de la Défense · accessed 2026-09-18
  2. French Battleships of World War OneSeaforth Publishing
  3. The Development of a Modern Navy: French Naval Policy, 1871-1904Naval Institute Press
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905Conway Maritime Press
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