French ship Brillant (1690)

Brillant entered service one year into the war with England and Holland, and started taking part in operations under Captain de Beaujeu.

She was part of the squadron under Tourville that departed Brest on 23 June 1690, leading to the Battle of Beachy Head on 10 July.

In 1692, De Combes took command of Brillant and she took part in Tourville's operation to cover an invasion of England from 12 May.

Brillant, under François-Joseph, comte de Choiseul-Beaupré, was part of the first division, under comte de Chavagnac, with five ships and one frigate, bound for Martinique[5] The armament of Brillant was improved to 64 guns (twenty-six 24-pounder long guns, twenty-six 12-pounders, and twelve 6-pounders[6]).

He then returned to Martinique, where he found Iberville, who had arrived on 7 March with the second division, which comprised four ships-of the-line and one frigate.

Brillant took position in front of one of the forts and bombarded it as a diversion, while Iberville conducted a nighttime landing on the rear of the British defences, defeating them on 4 April.

[4] In 1711, Brillant was reactivated for a raid on Rio de Janeiro, under Duguay-Trouin, with seven ships of the line, six frigates, a bombship and three transports.

The squadron departed in early June, slipped past British cruisers, and arrived at Rio on 12 September.

After the Battle of Rio de Janeiro ended in Portuguese surrender and payment of a tribute, Brillant returned to France during November.