Скачать или смотреть This French Battleship Was a Floating DISASTER

In the world of naval innovation, the late 19th century was a time of experimentation and ambition—but not every battleship was a success. In this episode, we explore the story of the French battleship Brennus, a ship that symbolized both the Marine Nationale’s leap into modern battleship design and the serious pitfalls of overambition and political compromise.

Laid down in 1889 and launched in 1891, Brennus was intended to be France’s first true pre-dreadnought and a response to the growing naval power of Italy and Germany. Yet her journey from blueprint to battleship was anything but smooth. Plagued by stability issues, questionable design decisions, and the chaotic influence of the Jeune École school of naval thought, Brennus quickly earned a reputation as one of the most problematic capital ships of her era.

We break down the political climate of 1880s France, when ministers like Admiral Aube pushed for fleets dominated by torpedo boats rather than battleships. This delay in capital ship construction meant that when the French Navy finally returned to building battleships, it had to cram every modern idea into one hull—resulting in a design with an oversized superstructure, unbalanced turrets, and dangerously poor stability.

Using sources like Stephen S. Roberts’ French Warships in the Age of Steam and John Jordan’s French Battleships of World War One, we follow the design changes that led Brennus to list 28 degrees during trials, dipping her casemate guns below the waterline. We'll also explore how, despite her flaws, Brennus served as the prototype for future French designs and introduced innovations like Belleville boilers and all-steel armor belts.

So, was Brennus the worst French battleship ever built? That’s for you to decide. But there’s no denying she was an influential stepping stone—one built on unstable foundations. If you're fascinated by strange designs, failed experiments, and the naval arms race of the pre-dreadnought era, this is the video for you.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a comment with your thoughts—was Brennus an unfortunate misstep or a necessary part of progress?

Intro 0:00
Brennus 0:41
Conclusion 15:55

Sources/Other Reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Mussolinis-Nav...

https://www.amazon.com/War-Mediterran...

https://www.amazon.com/French-Battles...

https://www.amazon.com/Naval-War-Medi...

https://www.amazon.com/French-Warship...

https://www.amazon.com/The-French-Fle...

https://www.amazon.com/French-Battles...

Video Information:
Copyright fair use notice. All media used in this video is used for the purpose of education under the terms of fair use. All footage and images used belong to their copyright holders, when applicable.