1/ A thread about galleys, its challenges, the Royal Shipyard of Barcelona and the controversial and interesting viceroy of Catalonia Manrique de Lara during late 1580s. Based on my research. #EarlyModern #galleys #twitterstorians #MaritimeHistory [Illustration by @jr_casals]

2/ Galleys used to navigate between March and October. The rest of the months, they were wintering: they dispersed in various ports and there, the crew rested and was reorganized, provisions and supplies were collected and the galleys were repaired for the following campaign.

3/ It was a gigantic logistical challenge to plan, finance, supply, organize, assemble, feed, etc. to a great naval expedition, especially if the idea was to prepare it with "secrecy and concealment" so that the enemy would not know the plans.

4/ Poor coordination caused delays and haste, arriving bad season for navigation. In order not to waste the huge sums of money, resources and effort invested and often going against military logic, it only remained to "entrust ourselves to God" and move on.

5/ Although this was a problem that affected all the states of the time, in the opinion of Lorenzo Priuli, Venetian ambassador (and later cardinal): "the Spanish nation generally does not want to plan ahead and only shows resolution in times of need" (1576).

6/ Along with the Ottomans and the Barbary pirates, the other enemies that the BCN Shipyard had, were the lack of funds & the inadequate planning: “Many millions of gold are needed to make all these provisions, and it takes a long time for the factory in the arsenal” (Priuli).

7/ After the victory of Lepanto (1571), the Spanish Monarchy focused its attention and resources on the Atlantic front against the Protestants. Investment in the Mediterranean fell dramatically, despite the fact that galleys continued to be essential to protect the coasts.

8/ It is in this context that we find Manrique de Lara y Girón, viceroy of Catalonia between 1586 &1590. His viceroyalty was fraught with controversy. Having to face the growing problem of brigandage and clashing constantly with the local authorities and some royal officials.

9/ As viceroy, he had a duty to ensure the smooth running of BCN’s shipyard. The building was being remodelled (expansion) & suffered a few other problems that caused it not to operate properly. This became evident as a result of the King's visit to the shipyard in 1585.

10/ The Monarchy wanted to reform the shipyard both physically and institutionally. All this insufficiently financed, while new galleys were commissioned, putting in charge an authoritarian but sickly viceroy, in an increasingly discontented Catalonia.

11/ It didn't go well. There were "three heads in one house" (Isunza, 1585), since simultaneously a Genoese, a Catalan & a Ragusan had the position of foreman of shipwrights, which caused clashes between the workers. The viceroy aggravated the existing discords by taking sides.

12/ Due to these numerous "problems and dramas" in the shipyard, the documentation and reports are especially abundant and detailed for the period. This not only allow us to get a good idea of what was happening, but it is quite entertaining to investigate it.

13/ Personally, I find Manrique de Lara's correspondence especially amusing, as he writes to Philip II in a rather curious tone. Here I attach three brief samples, where the viceroy alludes to the shortage and urgency of funds for the galleys.

14/ Manrique de Lara is a very interesting & little studied character. Even his entry in the Diccionario Biográfico of the Real Academia de la Historia is somewhat incomplete and contains some errors (such as his DoB and DoD, which are confused with those of his father).

Perhaps you may find this interesting :)
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