Square-rigged caravel

The square-rigged caravel, originally caravela redonda in Portuguese (meaning round caravel, but of the type with Portuguese origin), also called caravela de armada (generically and also particularly for a largest or strong major sub-type of this ship) was a sailing ship created by the Portuguese in the second half of the fifteenth century. Its use was most notorious from the end of that century. The square-rigged caravel had a notable role in the Portuguese expansion during the age of discovery, especially in the first half of the sixteenth century, for its exceptional maneuverability and combat capabilities. This ship was also sometimes adopted by other European powers. The hull was galleon-shaped, and some experts consider this vessel a forerunner of the fighting galleon.

The Portuguese square-rigged caravel or round caravel appeared more frequently in the end of the fifteenth century and especially in the beginning of the sixteenth century. Traditionally considered a particular type of the caravel, but also a new and different type of ship due to its significant structural differences, was the result of an evolution in design of the caravel (lateen caravel) and a structural combination between the carrack and the same caravel, but distinct, however, from both. Christopher Columbus, on his voyages to the New World in the service of Castile, used ships also called caravelas redondas (round caravels) by the combination of sails (Possibly in based lateen caravels and other traditional ships models), they were however different of the Portuguese models, which differed by the number and arrangement of the sails and by the hull shape, among other features. There were regulations for the construction of caravels of 150 to 180 tons, 110 to 150 tons, and from 100 to 125 tons. Square-rigged caravels and lateen caravels were different types of ships, being only the generic name caravel the greatest link between both.

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