French ironclad Gloire

The French ironclad Gloire ("Glory") was the first ocean-going ironclad, launched in 1859. She was developed following the Crimean War, in response to new developments in naval gun technology, especially the Paixhans guns and rifled guns, which used explosive shells with increased destructive power against wooden ships, and followed the development of the ironclad floating batteries built by the British and French for the bombardment of Russian forts during the Crimean War.