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Portuguese Carrack Merchant Ship

Type Object Region Indian Ocean Time 1561–1570

The nau (large carrack) used by the Portuguese Empire in the 16th century was the main merchant vessel crossing the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic, …

Timeline

  1. 1561Goa · West Coast of IndiaPortuguese carracks loaded Malabar pepper, Gujarati cotton cloth, and Southeast Asian spices at Goa, sailing to Lisbon via the Cape of Good Hope route, forming the main artery of 16th-century Eurasian trade.
  2. 1564–1566Arabian Sea · Arabian SeaCarracks shuttled between Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and the west coast of India, transshipping Persian silk and Gulf pearls, further consolidating Portuguese control of Indian Ocean sea lanes.
  3. 1568–1570Lisbon · PortugalFacing Ottoman-backed competition on the Red Sea route and Indian Ocean piracy, Portugal added cannons and reinforced the hulls of carracks at Lisbon shipyards, with some vessels increased in tonnage to improve cargo capacity and defense.

Sources