Career
Charles Martel was laid down in January April 1891 and launched in August 1893. After completing fitting-out work, she was commissioned into the French Navy in June 1897. She was delayed in completing her sea trials, as her boiler tubes had to be replaced with a safer, weld-less design, following an accident aboard Jauréguiberry with her welded tubes. Following her commissioning for service, she was assigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. In 1900, she became the flagship of Rear Admiral Roustan, the commander of the Second Division of the Mediterranean Squadron. The Mediterranean Squadron, including Charles Martel, conducted an extensive cruise with the Northern Squadron in June–July 1900, which culminated in a Grand Review of the fleet in Cherbourg at the end of July. During the 1901 maneuvers, Charles Martel was hit by a training torpedo fired by the submarine Gustave Zédé, which created an uproar in the press.
By 1903, Charles Martel was transferred to the Reserve Squadron, along with three other battleships and three armored cruisers. The ship did not participate in the annual fleet maneuvers in July–August of that year. She remained in the Reserve Squadron, which was renamed the Second Squadron in 1906; by that time, she was in the Second Division of the Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Germinet. The ship was maintained in a state of en disponibilité armeé, a state of reduced readiness with a minimal crew. Charles Martel was in full commission for three months of the year, and in reserve with a reduced crew for the remainder. She remained in this status for the duration of 1907.
By the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Charles Martel had been laid up in the port of Brest, along with Carnot. Both ships were retained on the effective list, however, pending the completion of the new Normandie-class battleships. Charles Martel was ultimately stricken from the naval register in 1922 and sold for scrapping that year.
Read more about this topic: French Battleship Charles Martel
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