Ship Types: The Galleon

The Galleon

A large, multi-decked ship used from the Sixteenth to Eighteenth century by all the European powers, the galleon was a staple for both battle and commerce. All the great trading nations, Spain, Portugal, and the Dutch in all the Seven Seas employed galleons. They were extremely stable on the water and were powered entirely by sails. They had three to five masts and sails wherever they could find room. The famous Spanish Armada was made of galleons and was finally defeated by the English who had modified the traditional galleon design for speed. Man-o-wars and clippers eventually replaced them in the Eighteenth Century.