What were Spanish galleons used for?
armed cargo carriers
Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal vessels drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the mid-1600s.
Did the Spanish use galleons?
The Spanish favoured galleons for the transportation of valuable cargoes over long distances. The two annual treasure fleets stopped off at specific collection points: the treasure ports of the Spanish Main. One fleet sailed to the Caribbean coast of South America, and the other to Mexico.
How much is a Spanish galleon worth?
about US$17 billion
San José was a 64-gun, three-masted galleon of the Spanish Navy. It was launched in 1698, and sank in battle off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1708, while laden with gold, silver and emeralds worth about US$17 billion as of 2018….Spanish galleon San José
| History | |
|---|---|
| Spain | |
| Tons burthen | 1,200 tons |
| Propulsion | Sails |
What replaced the Galleon?
This was now the trend in 17th-century ship design as the large and unwieldy galleon was replaced by sleeker vessels like the brigantine, barque, and frigate.
How fast was a Spanish galleon?
For their size, Galleon had great speed (about eight knots). The treasure ships as a rule, would move in convoy or flotas typically with the strongest ships hauling the most treasure.
How much gold did Spanish galleons carry?
11 million gold
The ship sank somewhere in the wide area off Colombia’s Baru peninsula, south of Cartagena, and is believed to have been carrying 11 million gold and silver coins, emeralds and other precious cargo from Spanish-controlled colonies.
How much gold did a Spanish galleon carry?
Did Pirates use galleons?
A galleon, could sustain a crew of over 200 with more than 70 canons and guns. However, its cumbersome maneuvers and slow speed because of its large square sails made it fair game for pirates.
Where did the galleon come from?
Though its exact origins are uncertain, the galleon design combined distinct features of ships from the Mediterranean and northern Europe – two regions in which the Spanish found themselves fighting. In the Mediterranean, oared galleys were common as fighting ships, and by the early 16 th century these carried cannons at the front.
Why was the Spanish galleon so important?
Their presence was vital to protect these heavily laden and incredibly valuable ships from attack by foreign powers and pirates. Emerging in the mid-16 th century, the Spanish galleon quickly became hugely important both to naval warfare and to securing civilian trade from the Americas. It remains one of the most influential warships in history.
What ships did the Spanish use in the 16th century?
Among the ships used by the Spanish explorers in the 16th Century were the Carracks, known in Spain as “naos”, the Caravels, and the Galleons, which were off-springs of the earlier naos and caravels. Naos had great capacity for storing cargo, and were used both as flagships and storage ships.
How many galleons were in the Spanish Armada?
By 1588 AD, there were only around 20 galleons among over 120 ships of the Armada – but they formed the offensive ‘spearhead’ of the much-vaunted fleet.