French frigate Pénélope (1806)

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Pénélope.

The Pénélope was a 44-gun Armide-class frigate of the French Navy.

Portrait of Pénélope by François-Geoffroi Roux
History
France
Name	Pénélope
Namesake	Penelope
Ordered	22 August 1803
Builder	Bordeaux
Laid down	12 February 1804
Launched	28 October 1806
Commissioned	6 November 1806
Decommissioned	1828
Fate	Sold for scrap 1828
General characteristics
Class and type	Armide-class frigate
Displacement	1,330 tonnes
Tons burthen	1,10430/94 (bm)
Length	47 m (154 ft)
Beam	12 m (39 ft)
Draught	5.5 m (18 ft)
Propulsion	Sail
Complement	French service: 339 British service: 284; later 315
Armament	28 × 18-pounder long guns 8 × 8-pounders 8 × 36-pounder carronades
Armour	Timber

Commissioned under Captain Bernard Dubourdieu in November 1806, Pénélope served in the Atlantic for some months.

On 21 January 1808, along with Thémis, she departed Bordeaux for a cruise to Toulon. They arrived on 28 March, having captured 12 British prizes en route, including the privateer Sirene.

On 1 January 1809, command of Pénélope was transferred to Captain Simonot. In the action of 27 February 1809, she and Pauline captured HMS Proserpine. Pénélope later took part in the action of 5 November 1813.

Pénélope was decommissioned at the Bourbon Restoration, on 31 August 1815, and was sold for scrap in 1828.

• 
  Capture of HMS Proserpine by Pénélope and Pauline. Watercolour by Antoine Roux.

Sources and references

• Roche, Jean-Michel (2005). Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours 1 1671–1870. p. 345. ISBN 978-2-9525917-0-6. OCLC 165892922.