I continue to collect the material for my new project, "The Fright and Thrill of Navigation: Seafaring in the Medieval and the Renaissance Mediterranean".
Chapter 1 will introduce the topic: I will refer to the two brands of the Mediterranean watercraft, the galley and the round ship; I will speak about their designations, as a warship and as a cargo vessel; I will outline the compromise between speed, cargo capacity and seaworthiness.
I will explain how the galley construction had an impact on its performance at oars and the sail. I will point out that coastal shipping was not the only pattern available for sailing ships, especially if they were sturdy and gigantic. I will name additional types of craft including horse transports that played a crucial role in military operations on land. I will recognize that sailing in winter and at night were deliberate options for sea captains despite the obvious dangers. I will show how the need for stopovers for refueling restricted the operative range of the navy.
In addition, you will learn how sailors operated round ships. There will be a section that provides comparison and contrast between the galley and the sailing vessel, another one will mention the basic guidelines of the Mediterranean shipbuilding, and still another one will give details about the diet on board. The last section will sum up the topic developed in the chapter.
I will need some more time to look through my sources of information, including the leading writers on the subject. For example, this week I read extracts from the annals of Robert of Howden, an English historian and diplomat, who accompanied his king, Richard the Lionheart, on the outbound voyage to the Holy Land.
The Siege of Acre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_of_Howden
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