Tourville, ANNE HILARION DE COTENTIN, COUNT DE, was born at the château Tourville, near Coutances, 24th November 1642. Entering the French navy, he became, though of delicate health, almost immediately conspicuous for bravery and enterprise; and his early services in wars against the Turks and Algerines established his reputation. In 1677 he fought against the combined fleets of Spain and Holland. In the war which broke out after the English revolution of 1688, between France on the one part and England and Holland on the other, Tourville was put at the head of the French navy. In June 1690 he entered the English Channel with a powerful fleet, and inflicted a disastrous and ignominious defeat on the united English and Dutch armament near Beachy Head. Tourville ranged the Channel unopposed; and on 22d July his fleet east anchor in Torbay. In 1692, Louis XIV. having resolved to invade England on behalf of James II., an immense fleet was assembled at Brest under Tourville in order to protect the descent. On the 16th May of this year the French fleet was described from the cliffs of Portland, and on the following morning the English and Dutch force stood out to give battle. From the morning of the 19th to the afternoon of the 24th raged one of the greatest naval battles of modern times, that of Cape La Hogue (see TACTICS, NAVAL, p. 44). It ended in the complete defeat of the French, sixteen of their men-of-war being utterly destroyed. In spite of this disaster Tourville was graciously received at Versailles, as having maintained the honour of his country, and was made a Marshal of France. Sailing from Brest harbour in the spring of this year, he attacked an English merchant fleet under inadequate convoy, and succeeded in inflicting a damage on English traders estimated at some millions sterling. Sir George Rooke, who commanded the convoy, had some difficulty in saving his own squadron from destruction. This was the last exploit of the great French admiral; he died at Paris, 28th May 1701.
The Mémoires published in his name (1758) were not genuine. See Macaulay's History; and Delarbre, Tourville et la Marine de son Temps (1889).