Merchant Galleys: Medieval Seafaring

I have decided to revise the plan for my project, “The Fright and Thrill of Navigation.” Originally, I intended to cover shipping in the medieval and early modern Mediterranean. However, the wealth of information available, particularly regarding the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, would make my research excessively lengthy and difficult to read. Therefore, I will focus my investigation exclusively on shipping in the medieval Mediterranean. Here is the revised outline:

“The Fright and Thrill of Navigation”

Volume 1: Seafaring in the Medieval Mediterranean

Prelude:

I. A Tale of Two Brands

Part 1: Galleys in the Medieval Mediterranean

Part 2: Sailing Ships in the Medieval Mediterranean

Part 3: The Galley vs. the Sailing Ship. Comparison & Contrast: Reappraisal

(?)  The Vagaries of Navigation in the Medieval Mediterranean

(?) The Sailor

(?) The Port

Unit I: The Age of the Galley

1.       The Early War Galleys

2.       Byzantine Contribution

3.       Latin Galleys, Horse Transports, and Purpose-Built Oared Craft: Medieval Cutting-edge Technology

 

Unit II: The Intricacies of Naval Warfare

1.       The Battle of Ad Decimum

2.       The Omayyad Siege of Constantinople (August 717-August 718)

3.       The Portage of Ships across the Isthmus

4.       The Siege of Chandax: The Byzantine Recovery of Crete

5.       The Fall of New Rome (April 12, 1204) 

6.       The Battle of Meloria (August 1284)

7.       The Battle of Les Formigues

8.       The Battle of Chioggia

 

Unit IV: Merchant Galleys

? Naval mechanical artillery

Unit V: The Age of Sail

Unit VI: The Age of Navigation Aids

I am currently developing a narrative about merchant galleys, with a particular focus on the Venetia-Flanders route. As usual, I have encountered many misconceptions surrounding this topic. In addition to transporting valuable cargoes, these rowing vessels also carried many "mundane" commodities, such as alum and wine. On the inbound voyage, metals procured in England were used as ballast. Some ships operated on multiple routes; for example, they traveled from Alexandria to Venice and then from Venice to Flanders, or Flanders galleys visited African ports on their way home. Political events sometimes hindered the continuation of these trips. Great galleys were generally more seaworthy than warships and often functioned like sailing craft; however, they could be vulnerable to unpredictable weather and pirate attacks.