Protecteur was a Souverain-class ship of the line 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy, the only to have borne the name.

Career

She was laid down in 1757 and launched in 1760. In 1762, under Captain de L'Ilsle Calian, Protecteur was part of Bompart's squadron. In 1766, she escorted merchantmen under Captain de Broves. In 1788, Under Captain Dapchon, Protecteur was appointed to Admiral d'Estaing's squadron and took part in the American Revolutionary War. She took part in the Battle of Grenada under Grasse-Limermont. In 1782, Protecteur was part of the escort of a 20-sail convoy, along with the ship FRENCH SHIP Pégase and the frigates FRENCH FRIGATE Indiscrète and FRENCH FRIGATE Andromaque. The English HMS Foudroyant (1758) and HMS Queen (1769) intercepted, yielding the Third Battle of Ushant in which they captured Pégase and four transports, but where the rest of the French convoy escaped. From 1784, Protecteur was hulked and used as a hospital in Rochefort.

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