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Spanish Galleon Merchant-Warship

Type Object Region Atlantic Time 1561–1570

Large galleons developed by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century for transatlantic and transpacific trade, combining merchant cargo capacity with a…

Timeline

  1. c. 1563Seville · AndalusiaUnder the Seville–Cadiz system, the Spanish royal merchant fleet combined Atlantic galleon experience with Pacific long-voyage needs, establishing a standard for large merchant-warship galleons capable of carrying heavy cargo and mounting cannon.
  2. 1565Manila · LuzonAfter Urdaneta opened the Pacific return route, Manila became the assembly port where galleons loaded Chinese silk, porcelain, and Southeast Asian spices; silver flowed in from Mexico and eastern goods shipped west, launching the transoceanic circuit.
  3. 1568–1570Pacific route · GuerreroAs transpacific trade volumes grew, Spanish galleons added more cannon along their sides to fend off pirates and rivals, forming a monopolistic armed merchant-ship model in which only one or two large galleons made the round trip each year.

Sources