For over 3,000 years, galleys sailed throughout European waters in various shapes and under different names, from the sun-drenched Mediterranean to the mists of the Baltic Sea. Originally a commercial vessel, the galley was soon transformed into a war ship in the ancient world and reached the zenith of its technical development in the 17th century, before disappearing in France during the 1750s. The somewhat mysterious construction and fitting-out of these formidable ships have always fascinated students of early maritime history. Although galleys were often considered to be simply built ships, by the end of the 17th century the galley had inherited extremely complex and refined architectural lines, much more so, in fact, than other vessels with which it co-existed. The evolution of the galley, whose history spans thirty centuries, allowed it to develop and refine a structure that had to consolidate strength, lightweight, and performance. These features required novel and original solutions that have rarely been described and have never been systematically illustrated. With approximately 230 plates drawn to perspective, this study offers a minute account of how a galley was built in the 1690s, from the drawing board to the launching of the ship. The text describes the various stages of construction in detail, including provisions for stowage and rigging. The study also includes a description of rowing techniques and procedures that were directly related to aspects of building or equipping the ship. The commentary on the 26 plates (drawn to 1:48 scale) explicates the drawings of the different components or assemblies that were required to build, equip, and rig a 26-bench galley. The plates include a drawing of the framework of the entire ship, which will allow the ship� model builder to complete his model with completely accurate proportions. In conclusion, nearly fifty colour photographs of a ship� model in various stages of completion illustrate this extensive 240 page study whose table of contents is as follows:
Book in French
Summary of the 240 page booklet:
LES GALERES DE LOUIS XIV
MONOGRAPHIE DE "LA FLEUR DE LIS" Commentaires des 26 planches Devis des bois Photographies d'un modčle en cours de réalisation Lexique
