The French navy and war entrepreneurs: Identity, business relations, conflicts, and cooperation in the eighteenth century

International audienceThe aim of this article is to provide comprehensive insight into the identity and role of war entrepreneurs in the service of the French navy. The markets that link the state to economic actors can be complex, from simple commercial agreements to deliver hardware or provide a service to a richer relationship leading to a partnership where entrepreneurs participate in the overall improvement of the armed forces (infrastructure financing, integration of the economic and technical standards of the navy, etc.)