![]() Such massive sizes were complemented by graceful designs, with a sharper stern, sleeker length-to-beam ratio (when compared to bulkier carracks), and a more effective hull shape for carrying artillery. And by 1588 AD, when the Spanish Armada arguably was at its peak, the crown boasted three humongous 1,000-ton galleons accompanied by eight 800-ton galleons and eight 600-ton galleons. The Royal Galleon of the Spanish Fleet Source: īy the 1570s, the size of the Spanish galleon was increased even further to average capacities of around 500 tons. Quite intriguingly, even the English designed their own version of a galleon (or a vessel that was somewhat visually akin to a galleon) in 1545 AD known as the gallyon, but the craft was smaller in size with sweeps. It should also be noted that the Spanish may have used the term galleon (or galeón) for most types of warships in their navy, while the Portuguese possibly used it to denote a particular type of warship. This trend of adopting larger sizes for Atlantic convoys explains the (later) removal of oar-based systems from the vessels since sweeps mostly came in handy in coastal areas and calm seas, not the high seas. These ships were also progressively used as escort vessels (in place of the ponderous naos) for the naval convoys that traveled between Spain and the Americas. For example, while the earlier galleons had capacities for 120 toneladas (Spanish tons), the post-1560 galleons tended to cross thresholds of 330 toneladas. ![]() These well-armed vessels relied on sails while being also accommodated with secondary oars (or sweeps) until the latter mechanism was totally relegated by the 1560s.ĭuring the time of King Philip II’s reign (1556-98), the Spanish galleon increased in size and capacity. Interestingly enough, the Spaniards themselves used the term galeón (meaning – ‘armed merchant ship’) for one of their vessels that was designed to fight the Barbary pirates in circa 1517 AD.īy the 1540s, the Spanish galeón was built as a dedicated warship (with some cargo carrying capacity) that was typically smaller than naos. In the 1520s, the Portuguese used patrol vessels in the Indian Ocean known as galleones, while by the 1530s, the French referred to the Spanish warships as galeons. The First Galleons of the 16th Century Source: South China Morning Post Simply put, while the earlier carracks and naos were used as ‘multirole’ cumbersome warships and merchant vessels, the galleon was possibly developed as a specialized large sailing ship with a keel-up design dedicated primarily to naval battles and encounters (but modified over time with cargo-carrying capacity – discussed later in the article). In that regard, during the Battle of Preveza, circa 1538 AD, a Venetian ship, described as a galleon, was said to have countered multiple Turkish galleys – thereby suggesting how the vessel was well-armed and yet maneuverable. In essence, it can be surmised that the galleon design was inspired by the combination of both the maneuverability of caravels and the hefty nature of carracks, bolstered by the millennia-old tradition of shipbuilding along the Mediterranean coast. However, the galleon also shared some design features with the nao, given its sturdier construction and stronger sailing rig. To that end, one hypothesis put forth in the academic circles relates to how the galleon was based on the design of caravels, possibly because of its ‘sleeker’ form factor. By this time, the caravel was the highly-maneuverable sailing ship used for exploration, while larger carrack (or the Mediterranean equivalent – the nao, with slightly different features), based on the design of cogs, appeared as the dominant warship and merchant’s vessel for many a European navy. Source: NautarchĪccording to historian Angus Konstam, the early 16th century was a period of innovation for ship designs, with the adoption of better sailing rigs and onboard artillery systems. Honorable Mention – The Golden Hind The Development of the Galleon A Portuguese Caravel.The Evolution of the Galleon into a True Warship.
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