RV5620 SPANISH GALLEON

RV5620 SPANISH GALLEON

The galleon was a sailing or merchant ship of the early modern era. The first units of this type appeared in the first half of the 16th century, and their particularly intensive development and the time of "triumph" fell in the second half of the 16th century and the 17th century. The length of the galleon ranged from approx. 30 m to approx. 55 meters, width from 7 to 14 meters, and the capacity reached 600-700 tons, with the largest units of this type having a capacity of 2300 tons! Galleons were created in Western Europe as a development of medieval karakas. Compared to their predecessors, they were characterized by better shaped hulls, a clearly lower superstructure at the bow and a higher and more extensive aft superstructure. It is worth adding that thanks to these changes, as well as thanks to quite rich - for that era - sails, galleons were characterized by better seagoing and seaworthiness. Galleons were also designed as offshore units, with 3 masts (very rarely 4). Units of this type also had extensive artillery armament, reaching up to 100 guns of various weights in the mid-17th century. It is worth adding that it was the galleons at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries that were used to create line ships. One of the most famous galleons was the English Golden Hind, HMS Triumph, Spanish Santa Margarita, Swedish Vasa, Polish Aquarius and Portuguese San Martin.