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The Portuguese nau, the caravel and the galleon were the main ships used by Portuguese navigators in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, each one had its own role: the caravel explored the coast, the nau carried cargo on long voyages and the galleon handled war and escort duty. So, in this guide, you will see the difference between the nau and the caravel, the types of sail and the ships of the great voyages.
- Nau: a large, sturdy cargo ship for long ocean voyages, with square and lateen sails.
- Caravel: a smaller, nimble ship with lateen (triangular) sails, so it was ideal for exploring the coast.
- Galleon: a sailing ship built for war and for escorting the naus, from the early 16th century onwards.
- Famous voyages: Gil Eanes rounded Cape Bojador in 1434 in a barca; later, Vasco da Gama set sail for India in 1497 aboard the nau São Gabriel.
- Cabral: finally, he reached Brazil in 1500 with a fleet of 13 ships, including naus and caravels.
Difference between the nau, the caravel and the galleon
In short, the difference between the nau and the caravel lies in their size, their sails and their purpose. The galleon, on the other hand, appeared later, as a warship.
| Ship | Size | Sails | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caravel | Small to medium | Lateen (triangular); later, also square | Coastal exploration and reconnaissance |
| Nau | Large | Square on the foremast and mainmast; lateen on the mizzen | Cargo and long ocean voyages |
| Galleon | Large | Mainly square, with a lateen sail at the stern | War and fleet escort |
Portuguese nau (carrack)
- A larger and sturdier vessel.
- Built for long voyages and for carrying cargo.
- A wide, deep hull, so it had a large capacity for goods.
- It used both square and lateen sails.
- Therefore, it was ideal for sailing on the high seas.
First of all, the Portuguese nau was the great cargo ship of the Age of Discovery, in the 15th and 16th centuries. Because it had a sturdy hull and a large capacity, it was therefore ideal for long ocean voyages, such as the Carreira da Índia (India Run).
In general, it carried square sails on the foremast and mainmast and a lateen sail on the mizzen. As a result, it made good use of following winds on the high seas.
In addition, the naus were essential for Portuguese trade and expansion. They carried goods, soldiers and settlers and, in many cases, also enslaved people.
Caravel
- A smaller and more nimble vessel.
- Built for exploration and coastal sailing.
- A light, narrow hull, which made manoeuvring easier.
- It mainly used lateen (triangular) sails.
- Thus, it was ideal for shallow waters and for opening new routes.
For this reason, the caravel was the ship of the first explorations of the African coast in the 15th century, such as the voyage of Bartolomeu Dias, who rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488.
Galleon
- A large vessel, built above all for war.
- Driven by sail, usually with square sails and a lateen sail at the stern.
- Since it was heavily armed with artillery, it also served on long routes.
- In addition, it protected the naus and escorted the fleets.
However, do not confuse the galleon with the galley, a ship driven mainly by oars and used in the Mediterranean.
Difference between square sails and lateen sails
In fact, square sails and lateen sails are two types of sail with different shapes and functions.
Square sails
- Shape: rectangular or square.
- Position: attached to horizontal yards, perpendicular to the hull.
- Use: common on naus and large ocean-going ships.
- Advantage: efficient with a following wind, good for long crossings and easy to reef in storms.
- Limitation: however, they are not very efficient for sailing against the wind.
Lateen sails
- Shape: triangular.
- Position: attached to slanted yards.
- Use: common on caravels and on Mediterranean and coastal boats.
- Advantage: they allow sailing closer to the wind (close-hauled) and also give more manoeuvrability.
- Limitation: on the other hand, they are less powerful with a following wind and hard to handle on large masts.
Therefore, square sails are excellent with a favourable wind on the high seas, whereas lateen sails favour manoeuvring, variable winds and coastal sailing.
Ships of the Portuguese navigators in the 15th and 16th centuries
1. Barca
The barca was a small vessel used on the first voyages of exploration. Indeed, according to the chronicles, it was in a barca that Gil Eanes first rounded Cape Bojador, in 1434.
2. Caravelão
First of all, there is little information about this type of ship. Even so, the sources indicate that the caravelão (small caravel) was a support vessel with lateen sails, very similar to the lateen caravel but usually smaller.
3. Barca pescareza
The barca pescareza was a small coastal fishing boat, which also served on the first voyages of exploration. Moreover, in the old chronicles it also appears as the “caravela pescareza” (fishing caravel).
4. Three-masted lateen caravel
It appeared at the end of the 15th century, that is, after the two-masted caravel, from which it evolved. As a result, it gained more sail and more capacity without losing its agility.
5. 16th-century square-rigged caravel
The square-rigged caravels, or “caravelas da armada” (fleet caravels), usually accompanied the fleets. In addition, they had three or four masts, with a square sail on the foremast and lateen sails on the others.
In this way, the square sail allowed them to keep up with the other ships of the fleet in a following wind. On the other hand, the lateen sails kept the caravels’ advantage: sailing close-hauled, with greater manoeuvrability.
6. Nau São Gabriel
For its part, the nau São Gabriel was the flagship of the four-ship fleet that left Lisbon in 1497, with Vasco da Gama as captain-major. Then, by way of the Cape of Good Hope, the fleet opened the sea route to India.
7. Galleon
The galleon, by contrast, is a sailing ship built for war, which, however, only appeared at the beginning of the 16th century. It served to protect the naus and also to maintain or impose Portuguese sovereignty, both in the Atlantic and in the Indian Ocean.
8. Nau taforeia
Finally, the taforeia (horse transport) was a ship for carrying horses, mentioned in 15th-century documents about the wars in North Africa. Later, in the 16th century, the taforeias, similar in size to the naus, also served as warships in the Indian Ocean.
Ships of the great Portuguese voyages
- Gil Eanes (1434): first rounded Cape Bojador in a barca.
- Bartolomeu Dias (1487–1488): later, rounded the Cape of Good Hope with two caravels and a supply ship.
- Vasco da Gama (1497–1499): then reached India with the naus São Gabriel and São Rafael, the caravel Bérrio and a supply ship.
- Pedro Álvares Cabral (1500): finally, reached Brazil with a fleet of 13 ships, including naus and caravels.
See also the voyage of Pedro Álvares Cabral and the cartography of the Age of Discovery.
Frequently asked questions about the Portuguese nau and the caravel
What is a Portuguese nau?
In general, it is a large, sturdy ship with square and lateen sails, used for cargo and long voyages in the 15th and 16th centuries.
For this reason, it was the main ship of the Carreira da Índia.
What is the difference between the nau and the caravel?
The nau was larger, built for cargo and fitted with square sails; the caravel, on the other hand, was smaller, nimble and fitted with lateen sails.
Thus, the caravel explored the coast, while the nau crossed the ocean.
What is the difference between the caravel, the nau and the galleon?
The caravel explored, the nau carried cargo and, finally, the galleon handled war and escort duty.
In addition, the galleon only appeared at the beginning of the 16th century.
Which ships did Cabral use to reach Brazil?
He used a fleet of 13 ships, made up mainly of naus and caravels, which reached Brazil in 1500.
Afterwards, the fleet continued its voyage to India.
What was Vasco da Gama’s ship?
It was the nau São Gabriel, flagship of the fleet that set sail for India in 1497.
The nau São Rafael and the caravel Bérrio were also part of the fleet.
