HMS Belliqueux was a 64-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 5 June 1780 at Blackwall Yard in London. As a ship of the line, she was designed to engage in fleet battles, carrying a significant armament suited for line-of-battle tactics. Her name, meaning "warlike," was derived from a French ship captured in 1758. Throughout her service, HMS Belliqueux participated in several notable naval engagements. In 1781, she took part in the Battle of Fort Royal, a significant engagement in the Caribbean during the American Revolutionary War. The following year, she fought in the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, a major British victory that thwarted French efforts to control the West Indies. Under the command of Captain John Inglis in 1796, Belliqueux continued her active service, notably during the Battle of Camperdown in October 1797, where Inglis commanded her bravely. The ship also distinguished herself at the action of 4 August 1800, capturing the French frigate Concorde, showcasing her combat effectiveness. In 1806, after the Dutch surrender of the Cape Colony, Belliqueux played a role in escorting a convoy of East Indiamen—including William Pitt, Jane, Duchess of Gordon, Sir William Pulteney, and others—to Madras. Her leadership earned her the gratitude of the convoy captains, who presented Captain George Byng with a silver plate worth £100 for his conduct. During this period, on 8 April 1807, Lieutenant-Governor Philip Dundas of Penang died aboard Belliqueux while she was in the Bay of Bengal. Later in her career, HMS Belliqueux was repurposed as a prison ship from 1814. After nearly four decades of service, she was broken up in 1816. Her extensive involvement in significant battles and her varied roles highlight her importance in late 18th and early 19th-century Royal Navy operations.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.