A Galleon Is an Old-fashioned Type of What?

For other uses, see Galleon (disambiguation).

A galleon firing its cannons by Veerbeck XVI.

A Castilian galleon.

Carracks, galleon (center/correct), foursquare rigged caravel (below), galley and fusta (galliot) depicted by D. João de Castro on the "Suez Trek" (function of the Portuguese Armada of 72 ships sent against the Ottoman armada anchored in Suez, Arab republic of egypt, in response to its entry in the Indian Ocean and the siege of Diu in 1538) - Tábuas da India in the João de Castro`s Roteiro do Mar Roxo (Routemap of the Red Sea) of 1540-1541. - Despite this kind of ship (or only a shut model of fine art) was already depicted in the heraldry of the Foral of Lisbon (of D. Manuel I) in 1502, it is in 1510 (every bit too in some of the following years subsequently 1510) the appearance of the Portuguese oceanic galleon in the records. It is even so from 1519 that their number increases substantially, only gradually. It was an development and a gradual comeback in the design made during the first quarter of the century - technical comeback which continued until the second half of the this century. The Portuguese galleon evolved from the square rigged caravel and was a compromise betwixt the great carrack or nau and the aforementioned foursquare rigged caravel or war caravel (also called caravela de armada or Portuguese man of state of war) that evolved into a new design of ship, but keeping its hull blueprint similar to the galley.^[1] It was also more maneuverable, more robust and heavily armed.

A galleon was a big, multi-decked sailing send used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries.

Etymology

The term "galleon" was originally given to certain types of war galleys in the Center Ages. The Annali Genovesi mentions galleons of lxxx, 64 and 60 oars, used for battle and on missions of exploration, in the twelfth and 13th centuries. It is very probable that the galleons and galliots mentioned in the accounts of the crusades were the aforementioned vessels.^{[ commendation needed ]} Later, when the term started to be practical to canvas only vessels, information technology meant, like the English term "human of war", a warship that was otherwise no unlike from the other sailing ships of the time.^{[ citation needed ]}

History

The galleon was an wind going ship type which devolved from the carrack in the second half of 16th century. A lowering of the forecastle and elongation of the hull gave galleons an unprecedented level of stability in the water, and reduced current of air resistance at the front, leading to a faster, more maneuverable vessel. The galleon differed from the older types primarily by being longer, lower and narrower, with a square tuck stern instead of a round tuck, and by having a snout or head projecting forrad from the bows below the level of the forecastle. With the introduction of the galleon in Portuguese India Armadas during the beginning quarter of the 16th century,^{[ii] [three]} carracks gradually began to be less armed and became most exclusively cargo ships (which is why the Portuguese Carracks were pushed to such large sizes), leaving whatever fighting to be washed to the galleons. One of the largest and most famous of Portuguese galleons was the São João Baptista (nicknamed Botafogo, 'spitfire'), a 1,000-ton galleon built in 1534, said to have carried 366 guns. Carracks also tended to be lightly armed and used for transporting cargo in all the fleets of other Western European states, while galleons were purpose-built warships, and were stronger, more heavily armed, and also cheaper to build (5 galleons could cost around the same as 3 carracks) and were therefore a much better investment for utilise equally warships or transports. There are disputes about its origins and development simply each Atlantic sea power built types suited to its needs, while constantly learning from their rivals. It was the captains of the Spanish navy Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and Álvaro de Bazán who designed the definitive long and relatively narrow hulled galleon in the 1550s.^{[iv] [5]}

The galleon was powered entirely by air current, using sails carried on three or four masts, with a lateen sail standing to be used on the last (usually third and fourth) masts. They were used in both armed services and trade applications, most famously in the Spanish treasure armada, and the Manila Galleons. While carracks played the leading role in early on global explorations, galleons also played a function in the 16th and 17th centuries. In fact, galleons were then versatile that a single vessel may have been refitted for wartime and peacetime roles several times during its lifespan. The galleon was the prototype of all square rigged ships with 3 or more than masts for over two and a half centuries, including the later full rigged send.

The main warships of the opposing English and Castilian fleets in the 1588 confrontation of the Spanish Armada were galleons, with the modified English language "race built" galleons developed by John Hawkins proving decisive, while the capacious Castilian galleons, designed primarily as transports, showed great endurance in the battles and in the great storms on the voyage dwelling; most survived the ordeal.

Construction

The galleon's pintle and gudgeon rudder

Galleons were constructed from oak (for the keel), pine (for the masts) and various hardwoods for hull and decking. Hulls were usually carvel-built. The expenses involved in galleon construction were enormous. Hundreds of adept tradesmen (including carpenters, pitch-melters, blacksmiths, coopers, shipwrights, etc.) worked mean solar day and dark for months earlier a galleon was seaworthy. To cover the expense, galleons were often funded by groups of wealthy businessmen who pooled resource for a new send. Therefore, most galleons were originally consigned for trade, although those captured by rival states were unremarkably put into armed forces service.

The well-nigh common gun used aboard a galleon was the demi-culverin, although gun sizes up to demi-cannon were possible.

Because of the long periods frequently spent at ocean and poor conditions on board, many of the crew sometimes perished during the voyage; therefore advanced rigging systems were developed so that the vessel could be sailed domicile by an agile sailing coiffure a fraction of the size aboard at departure.

Distinguishing features

Model of English galleon sporting a bonaventure mizzen mast

The nearly distinguishing features of the galleon include the long beak, the lateen-rigged mizzenmasts, and the square gallery at the stern off the captain's motel. In larger galleons, a fourth mast was added, commonly a lateen-rigged mizzen, called the bonaventure mizzen.

The galleon continued to be used into the 18th century, by which fourth dimension purpose-built vessels such every bit the fluyt, the brig and the total rigged ship, both as a trading vessel and ship of the line, rendered it obsolete for merchandise and warfare respectively.

The oldest English drawings

The oldest known scale drawings in England are in a manuscript called "Fragments of Ancient Shipwrightry" fabricated in almost 1586 past Mathew Baker, a master-shipwright. This manuscript, held at the Pepysian Library, Magdalene Higher, Cambridge, provides an authentic reference for the size and shape of typical English galleons built during this period. Based on these plans, the Science Museum, London has built a one:48 scale model ship that is an exemplar of galleons of this era.^[vi]

Notable galleons

• São João Baptista nicknamed Botafogo, the well-nigh powerful warship when launched (1534) by the Portuguese; became famous during the conquest of Tunis, where information technology was commanded by Infante Luís, Knuckles of Beja.
• Adler von Lübeck the largest ship of its day when launched in 1566.
• The Manila galleons , Spanish trading ships that sailed once or twice per year across the Pacific Ocean betwixt Manila in the Philippines and Acapulco in New Spain (now Mexico); (1565 - 1815).
• San Salvador , flagship vessel in the João Rodrigues Cabrilho's 1542 exploration of present twenty-four hour period California in the United states of america.
• San Pelayo, the big 906-ton galleon which served every bit the flagship of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés during his expedition to plant St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. Ironically, the vessel was and then large it could non enter St. Augustine'south harbor, so Menendez ordered information technology offloaded and sent it dorsum to Hispaniola. At a later on appointment her crew mutinied and sailed to Europe where the ship wrecked off the coast of Kingdom of denmark.
• Gold Hind, the send in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world 1577 -1580
• Ark Raleigh, the ship was designed and congenital by Sir Walter Raleigh. It was afterwards chosen by Lord Howard, admiral of the fleet to be the flagship of the English armada in the fight against the Spanish Fleet in 1588 and was summarily renamed the Ark Regal.
• Revenge, a galleon built in 1577, the flagship of Sir Francis Drake in the Battle of the Spanish Armada in 1588, was captured past a Spanish fleet off Flores in the Azores in 1591 and sank while existence sailed dorsum to Espana.
• São Martinho, the Portuguese galleon, the flagship of Duke of Medina Sidonia, commander-in-master of the Castilian Armada.
• Triumph, the largest Elizabethan galleon; flagship of Sir Martin Frobisher in the Battle of the Spanish Armada
• San Juan Bautista (originally chosen Date Maru, 伊達丸 in Japanese). She crossed the Pacific Bounding main from Japan to New Spain in 1614. She was of the Castilian galleon type, known in Japan every bit Nanban-Sen (南蛮船).
• Nuestra Señora de la Concepción , a Castilian Galleon, known to its crew as Cacafuego for its strong cannon.^[7] It was captured past Sir Francis Drake in 1578 and all its treasures were brought to England. Information technology was holding treasures mined in ane year by the Castilian in the Americas.
• Padre Eterno , a Portuguese galleon launched in 1663. It was considered to be the biggest send of its time, carrying 144 pieces of artillery and able to bear up to 2.000t of cargo.
• Vasa, the only original galleon to exist preserved. It sank in 1628 and was raised in 1961 for preservation as a museum transport. The Vasa tin can today be seen at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.

Meet also

• Spanish treasure armada
• Manila galleons
• Fluyt
• Portuguese India Armadas
• Square Rigged Caravel

Notes

1. ↑ [ane] Galeão - Navegações Portuguesas by Francisco Contente Domingues (in portuguese)
2. ↑ [two] Os Navios e as Técnicas Náuticas Atlânticas nos Séculos Fifteen due east XVI: Os Pilares da Estratégia 3C - Rear Admiral Antonio Silva Ribeiro - Revista Militar (in portuguese)
3. ↑ [3] Galeão - Navegações Portuguesas by Francisco Contente Domingues (in portuguese)
4. ↑ "The galleon evolved in response to Spain's need for an ocean-crossing cargo ship that could beat off corsairs. Pedro de Menéndez, along with Álvaro de Bazán (hero of Lepanto), is credited with developing the protypes which had the long hull - and sometimes the oars - of a galley married to the poop and prow of a nao or merchantman. Galeones were classed as 1-, ii- or three-deckers, and stepped two or more masts rigged with square sails and topsails (except for a lateen sheet on the mizzenmast). Chapters ranged up to 900 tons or more. Menéndez' San Pelayo of 1565 was a 900 ton galleon which was also called a nao and galeaza. She carried 77 crewmen, 18 gunners, transported 317 soldiers and 26 families, equally well equally provisions and cargo. Her armament was iron."p.100 Menéndez: Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, Captain General of the Sea Sea Albert C. Manucy, published 1992 past Pineapple Press, Inc
5. ↑ Walton, Timothy R. (2002).The Spanish Treasure Fleets. Pineapple Press Inc, p. 57. ISBN 1-56164-261-four
6. ↑ Fragments of Ancient English Shipwrightry
7. ↑ Little, Benerson (2010). "Spanish Galleons and Portuguese Carracks". Pirate Hunting: The Fight Against Pirates, Privateers, and Sea Raiders from Antiquity to the Present. Washington, DC: Potomac. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-59797-291-eight. "Called by her crew Cacafuego... fire shitter"

References

• Alertz, U. (1991) Vom Schiffbauhandwerk zur Schiffbautechnik : dice Entwicklung neuer Entwurfs- und Konstruktionsmethoden im italienischen Galeerenbau (1400-1700), Hamburg : Kovač, ISBN 3-925630-56-2
• Humble, R. and Bergin, G. (1993) A 16th century galleon, Within story serial, Hemel Hempstead : Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0-7500-1339-7
• Kirsch, P. (1990) The Galleon: the great ships of the Armada era, London : Conway Maritime, ISBN 0-85177-546-2
• Rutland, J. (1988) A galleon, second rev. ed., Connaty, Thou. (ed.), London : Kingfisher, ISBN 0-86272-327-ii
• Serrano Mangas, F. (1992) Función y evolución del galeón en la carrera de Indias, Colección Mar y América 9, Madrid : Editorial MAPFRE, ISBN 84-7100-285-X

External links

• The Evolution of the Total-Rigged Ship From the Carrack to the Total-Rigger

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