The Age of the Ship of the Line

“As always, in discussing the warfare of the period, Dull displays an easy mastery of diplomatic history. Long out of fashion, it is a wonderful aid to comprehension. Along the way he offers several shrewd insights into the success of the British and the failure of the French. . . . This wonderful synthesis is both a handy primer for students seeking an introduction to naval warfare in the age of sail and an insightful overview containing shrewd observations for those who study these conflicts in detail. . . . The book is highly recommended for anyone interested in gaining a balanced overview of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century naval warfare in the age of the sail.”—James Pritchard, Northern Mariner

“Jonathan Dull is a supreme naval historian.”—Paul Kennedy, author of The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery

"Among the great strengths of this book are its clear, vivid prose and the quality of its scholarship. Dull writes with flair and is capable of condensing large amounts of information on events, ideas, and personalities into a lucid, well-organized narrative. While Dull has crafted his account largely from secondary sources, he has drawn on some of today's best scholarship in military, naval, diplomatic, political, and economic history published in several languages, including English, French, and Spanish."—Charles E. Brodine Jr., Naval History

"[Dull] offers an excellent introduction to the Anglo-French Wars of 1650-1815 in this tour de force."—R. Higham, CHOICE

"Dull explains the role of French and British ships of the line in the outcome of these wars in a way that has never been done before, and that is a magnificent achievement and an important historiographical marker for all naval historians."—Sam Willis, Journal of Military History

"[Age of the Ship of the Line] will be an invaluable guide to the serious scholar who wishes to enter further the labyrinthine politics of Western Europe in the long eighteenth century. . . . The book is admirably produced and will endure as a source of reference."—Roger Morriss, International Journal of Maritime History