Information on Early Modern Riverine Navies

[The-Doc]

I remember reading years ago some interesting articles on the 15th-16th century naval struggles on the Danube and the use of riverine craft by both the Hungarians under the Hunyadis and by the Ottomans. Now for the life of me I can't seem to find anything about this, or about non-military river vessels of the time in Europe or abroad. Control of vital waterways like the Danube and Rhine was important, and I know that navies or something less formal were established for that purpose, but nothing is coming up for me right now and it's a very niche subject.

Can anyone point me towards some sources on the subject of river based navies during this time period? Doesn't have to be just Europe and Late Middle Ages would be relevant as well.

 

[Fluffy_Fishy]

Galleys were often able to traverse most inland navigable waterways, they would for the most part just row up their smaller sea going vessels during this period, for the most part defined military river craft generally appeared more commonly after the age of oars ended.

 

[The-Doc]

Galleys were often able to traverse most inland navigable waterways, they would for the most part just row up their smaller sea going vessels during this period, for the most part defined military river craft generally appeared more commonly after the age of oars ended.

Right, if I recall correctly the Byzantines used dromons on the Danube when in conflict with the Bulgarians and others.

On the basis of a passage in the Life of Saint Cyril the Phileote, who was a sailor on the Danube between 1042 and 1045, Vasilka Tapkova-Saimova has maintained that a navy must have been in existence on the Danube at that time. However, the passage in question appears to refer to a civilian fleet engaged in trade, and not to the navy. The "policy of minimal military commitment" is in stark contrast with the heavy investments in the Danube fleet during the Early and Late Roman periods.

Byzantine Military Organization on the Danube, 10-12th Centuries. By Alexandru Madgearu

Also according to this book they had naval bases at the river mouth and further upriver in earlier times as part of their frontier defense system.

 

[chepaeff]

Vasilka Tapkova-Saimova has maintained that a navy must have been in existence on the Danube at that time. However, the passage in question appears to refer to a civilian fleet engaged in trade, and not to the navy. The "policy of minimal military commitment" is in stark contrast with the heavy investments in the Danube fleet during the Early and Late Roman periods.

Probably it was so common, that contemporary authors didn't bother mentioning it.

 

[The-Doc]

At the 1456 siege of Belgrade both sides made use of ships, with numbers given in the hundreds for each. The Ottoman ships are described as galleys, which makes sense as they'd sailed up river and were not purpose built craft. There was a naval battle that took place prior to the land battle that lasted for as long as five hours according to some sources. While initially successful, the Turkish fleet was driven off with the loss of several galleys and lost a key advantage in their siege. I haven't been able to find very good descriptions of the naval force the Hungarians mustered, it might have been an assemblage of various types. However it appears that this force is partly the genesis of the more permanent navy established under Matthias Hunyadi as the usefulness of one had been clearly demonstrated at Belgrade.

So some information there, but still not finding much.