The Secrets of Spanish Shipbuilding: From Galleons to the Armada

Before the Spanish Armada sailed, before the treasure fleets crossed the Atlantic, there was a revolution in shipbuilding that made it all possible. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the overlooked story of Spanish naval engineering: the evolution from Mediterranean galleys to the mighty galleons, the role of the Casa de la Contratación in Seville, and the brilliant but controversial shipwrights like Álvaro de Bazán and Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. They discuss the design innovations that allowed Spanish ships to dominate the Carrera de Indias, the logistical nightmares of maintaining a global fleet, and the technological decisions that may have doomed the 1588 Armada. Drawing on recent scholarship, they separate myth from reality about Spanish naval decline, and consider how the shipbuilding industry shaped the economies of Spain, Cuba, and the Philippines. A story of oak, hemp, and empire that changed the world. #SpanishShipbuilding #Galleons #Armada1588 #AlvaroDeBazan #PedroMenendezDeAviles #CasaDeLaContratacion #CarreraDeIndias #NavalHistory #GoldenAgeSpain #Shipwrights #Galley #TreasureFleet #PhilippineGalleon #RiberaDelDuero #Havana #Seville #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo