This article is about the type of ship. For the animation studio, see Xebec (studio).
"Zebecs" redirects here. For the singular, see Zebec.
A xebec (/ˈziːbɛk/ or /zɪˈbɛk/), also spelled zebec, was a Mediterraneansailing ship that was used mostly for trading. Xebecs had a long overhanging bowsprit and aft-set mizzen mast. The term can also refer to a small, fast vessel of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, used almost exclusively in the Mediterranean Sea.
Xebecs were ships similar to galleys primarily used by Barbary pirates, which have both lateen sails and oars for propulsion. Early xebecs had two masts while later ships had three. Xebecs featured a distinctive hull with pronounced overhanging bow and stern,[3] and rarely displaced more than 200 tons, making them slightly smaller and with slightly fewer guns than frigates of the period.
Use by Barbary corsairs
These ships were easy to produce and were cheap, and thus nearly every corsair captain (Raïs) had at least one xebec in his fleet. They could be of varying sizes. Some ships had only three guns[4] while others had up to forty.[5] Most xebecs had around 20-30 cannons, and the overwhelming majority had swivel guns equipped.[6][7]
After the 18th century, galleys became increasingly outdated and xebecs became the preferred ships of Barbary pirates[8] thanks to their heavy and effective use of wind power, reduced need for slaves to row, ability to carry more cannons than a galley, and overall cheapness, speed,[9] and maneuverability.[10]
Xebecs were generally faster than contemporary ship types until the introduction of steamships.
Corsairs built their xebecs with a narrow floor to achieve a higher speed than their victims, but with a considerable beam in order to enable them to carry an extensive sail-plan. The lateen rig of the xebec allowed the ship to sail close hauled to the wind, often giving it an advantage in pursuit or escape. The use of oars or sweeps allowed the xebec to approach vessels who were becalmed. When used as corsairs, the xebecs carried a crew of between 90[4] to 400 men.
The use of square rig among pirates was initially rare, although after the 1750s a mix between lateen and square rigs became much more widespread.[10]
Use by European powers
Some victorious xebecs of the Spanish Navy, about 1770 (see Antonio Barceló campaigns... in the Spanish version of the page of Wikipedia):
In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, a large polacre-xebec carried a square rig on the foremast, lateensails on the other masts, a bowsprit, and two headsails. The square sail distinguished this form of a xebec from that of a felucca which is equipped solely with lateen sails. The last of the xebecs in use by European navies were fully square-rigged and were termed xebec-frigates.
The British brig-sloop Speedy's (14 guns, 54 men) defeat of the Spanish xebec-frigate El Gamo (32 guns, 319 men) on 6 May 1801 is generally regarded as one of the most remarkable single-ship actions in naval history. It was the foundation of the legendary reputation of the Speedy's commander, Lord Cochrane, which has in turn provided the inspiration for sea fiction such as Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander.[11]
Squared-rigged xebec of the 1780-1815 period
Etymology
Xebec is also written as xebeck, xebe(c)que, zebec(k), zebecque, chebec, shebeck (/ʃɪˈbɛk/); from (Catalan: xebec, French: chabec, now chebec, Spanish: xabeque, now jabeque, Portuguese: enxabeque, now xabeco, Italian: sciabecco, zambecco, stambecco, Maltese: xambekk, Greek: σεμπέκο, sebecoLigurian: sciabécco, Arabic: شباك, šabbāk and Turkish: sunbeki). Words similar in form and meaning to xebec occur in Catalan, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic and Turkish. The Online Etymology Dictionary regards the Arabicshabbak (meaning "a small warship") as the source form; however, the Arabic root means 'a net', implying the word originally referred to a fishing boat.
^ abNorie, John William (1842). The Naval Gazetteer, Biographer and Chronologist: Containing a History of the Late Wars from ... 1793 to ... 1801; and from ... 1803 to 1815, and Continued, as to the Biographical Part to the Present Time. C. Wilson.
^Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall Yard. W. Mitchell. 1916.
^York State Tradition. York State Tradition. 1968.
^Clarke, James Stanier. The Naval Chronicle [ed. by J.S. Clarke, S. and J. Jones].
^Devoulx, Albert (1872). Le registre des prises maritimes (in French). A. Jourdan.
^Fawcett, Nick (2019-07-11). Can I Have a Word?: A Fun Guide to Winning Word Games. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN978-1-4721-4311-2.
^ abLaszlo, Veres; László, Veres; Woodman, Richard (1999). The Story of Sail. Naval Institute Press. ISBN978-1-55750-896-6.
^David Cordingly (2007). Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander. New York: Bloomsbury. pp. 3–4. ISBN978-1-58234-534-5.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Xebecs.
Look up xebec in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Arabian chebec High-resolution photos of a model of an eighteenth-century xebec
xebec, this, article, about, type, ship, animation, studio, studio, zebecs, redirects, here, singular, zebec, xebec, also, spelled, zebec, mediterranean, sailing, ship, that, used, mostly, trading, long, overhanging, bowsprit, mizzen, mast, term, also, refer, . This article is about the type of ship For the animation studio see Xebec studio Zebecs redirects here For the singular see Zebec A xebec ˈ z iː b ɛ k or z ɪ ˈ b ɛ k also spelled zebec was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading Xebecs had a long overhanging bowsprit and aft set mizzen mast The term can also refer to a small fast vessel of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries used almost exclusively in the Mediterranean Sea XebecA xebec with three lateens and oarsTypeSailing vesselPlace of originProbably Algeria 1 2 Service historyIn service16th to mid 19th centuryUsed byMainly MENA statesSometimes used in EuropeSpecificationsMass100 200 tons in some cases up to 600Crew90 to 400 Contents 1 Description 1 1 Use by Barbary corsairs 1 2 Use by European powers 2 Etymology 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription Edit Greek Ottoman xebec Xebecs were ships similar to galleys primarily used by Barbary pirates which have both lateen sails and oars for propulsion Early xebecs had two masts while later ships had three Xebecs featured a distinctive hull with pronounced overhanging bow and stern 3 and rarely displaced more than 200 tons making them slightly smaller and with slightly fewer guns than frigates of the period Use by Barbary corsairs Edit These ships were easy to produce and were cheap and thus nearly every corsair captain Rais had at least one xebec in his fleet They could be of varying sizes Some ships had only three guns 4 while others had up to forty 5 Most xebecs had around 20 30 cannons and the overwhelming majority had swivel guns equipped 6 7 After the 18th century galleys became increasingly outdated and xebecs became the preferred ships of Barbary pirates 8 thanks to their heavy and effective use of wind power reduced need for slaves to row ability to carry more cannons than a galley and overall cheapness speed 9 and maneuverability 10 Xebecs were generally faster than contemporary ship types until the introduction of steamships Corsairs built their xebecs with a narrow floor to achieve a higher speed than their victims but with a considerable beam in order to enable them to carry an extensive sail plan The lateen rig of the xebec allowed the ship to sail close hauled to the wind often giving it an advantage in pursuit or escape The use of oars or sweeps allowed the xebec to approach vessels who were becalmed When used as corsairs the xebecs carried a crew of between 90 4 to 400 men The use of square rig among pirates was initially rare although after the 1750s a mix between lateen and square rigs became much more widespread 10 Use by European powers Edit Some victorious xebecs of the Spanish Navy about 1770 see Antonio Barcelo campaigns in the Spanish version of the page of Wikipedia Andaluz 30 guns 4 8 pounders Africa 18 guns 4 pounders Atrevido 20 guns Aventurero 30 guns 3 8 pounders Murciano 16 guns 4 pedreros light swivel guns San AntonioNotable xebecs of the French Navy include four launched in 1750 Ruse 160 tons 18 guns Serpent 160 tons burthen 18 guns Requin 260 tons burthen 24 guns Indiscret 260 tons burthen 24 guns Sail plan for a polacre xebec In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries a large polacre xebec carried a square rig on the foremast lateen sails on the other masts a bowsprit and two headsails The square sail distinguished this form of a xebec from that of a felucca which is equipped solely with lateen sails The last of the xebecs in use by European navies were fully square rigged and were termed xebec frigates The British brig sloop Speedy s 14 guns 54 men defeat of the Spanish xebec frigate El Gamo 32 guns 319 men on 6 May 1801 is generally regarded as one of the most remarkable single ship actions in naval history It was the foundation of the legendary reputation of the Speedy s commander Lord Cochrane which has in turn provided the inspiration for sea fiction such as Patrick O Brian s Master and Commander 11 Squared rigged xebec of the 1780 1815 periodEtymology EditXebec is also written as xebeck xebe c que zebec k zebecque chebec shebeck ʃ ɪ ˈ b ɛ k from Catalan xebec French chabec now chebec Spanish xabeque now jabeque Portuguese enxabeque now xabeco Italian sciabecco zambecco stambecco Maltese xambekk Greek sempeko sebeco Ligurian sciabecco Arabic شباك sabbak and Turkish sunbeki Words similar in form and meaning to xebec occur in Catalan French Spanish Portuguese Italian Arabic and Turkish The Online Etymology Dictionary regards the Arabic shabbak meaning a small warship as the source form however the Arabic root means a net implying the word originally referred to a fishing boat See also EditPolacca USS Champion DhowReferences Edit Chebec Maquette de bateau historique signee Historic Marine Olivier d Orbcastel Chebec Slaves of the Barbarians in Algiers King Dean 2000 A Sea of Words 3 ed Henry Holt p 476 ISBN 978 0 8050 6615 9 a b Norie John William 1842 The Naval Gazetteer Biographer and Chronologist Containing a History of the Late Wars from 1793 to 1801 and from 1803 to 1815 and Continued as to the Biographical Part to the Present Time C Wilson Journal of the Royal United Service Institution Whitehall Yard W Mitchell 1916 York State Tradition York State Tradition 1968 Clarke James Stanier The Naval Chronicle ed by J S Clarke S and J Jones Devoulx Albert 1872 Le registre des prises maritimes in French A Jourdan Fawcett Nick 2019 07 11 Can I Have a Word A Fun Guide to Winning Word Games Little Brown Book Group ISBN 978 1 4721 4311 2 a b Laszlo Veres Laszlo Veres Woodman Richard 1999 The Story of Sail Naval Institute Press ISBN 978 1 55750 896 6 David Cordingly 2007 Cochrane The Real Master and Commander New York Bloomsbury pp 3 4 ISBN 978 1 58234 534 5 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Xebecs Look up xebec in Wiktionary the free dictionary Arabian chebec High resolution photos of a model of an eighteenth century xebec book Chebec Le Requin 1750 with English Translation by Jean Boudroit 1991 1 Definition of xebec source Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xebec amp oldid 1116221205, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
