Galleons and Galleys
by John Francis Guilmartin
Category: History

The turn of the 16th century saw the start of a revolution in sea warfare, driven by gunpowder, galleys (long, low boats propelled principally by oars), and galleons (heavy, square rigged sailing ships). Suddenly, Europe dominated the waters. A beautifully written account of the age conveys exactly how Portugal could establish outposts throughout the world, how Christian fleets wrested control of the Mediterranean from the Ottoman Empire, and why the "invincible" Spanish armada met with disaster when attempting to invade England.