GALLEONS AND GALLEYS

This is a truly beautiful title containing masterful information content accompanied with perfect illustrations. In this comprehensive volume, the author has set out not only political and social, but also the technological backgrounds in which the galley and galleon did arise and drive their evolution; he has also managed to perform a thorough examination of the naval gun technology considered a primary driving force in the above stated progressions.

The readers will definitely appreciate the format where the topical chapters are alternating with the technical descriptions of the naval battles. In this work, he has included all peripherical information possessed, for example relating to the naval warfare before gunpowder, world trade of those times and emerging maritime powers, revolution of the gunpowder, confrontations between France and England, in addition to many other important aspects giving people a complete and clear picture of the subject.

John Guilmartin has provided readers with an excellent professional review of the changeover that occurred in naval power. All of the info that have been presented in this book has been perfectly arranged in a remarkably readable style making it very understandable even for the newcomers. Definitely recommended to all people willing to improve their knowledge of the naval history.