'''Xebec''' is A xebec was a small three-masted , oared sailing ship of [[vesselTurkish]] or [[Arab]] origin that was the logical successor to the [[Mediterranean]] galley – although the oars were only used when necessary. It was larger, wider, with lateen more freeboard than the galley, and was a definite sailing ship, with three masts, square rigged on the fore, and with lateen sailson the two aft, used formerly in that could be replaced by even larger ones by the use of longer poles. It was popular with all the corsair states of the Mediterranean and was taken on by the Algerians pirates, and mounted with guns[[French]] navy as one of their ship types during the 17th century. <ref>{{Nuttall|Xebec}}</ref>
== See also ==An armed xebec would normally carry up to 24 light to medium cannon and over 300 men. It was the fastest most manoeuvrable warship in the Mediterranean. It needed, however, a lot of manpower to handle, was too light to withstand bombardment, and by 1800, was no match for a British or American warship.
*[[Ship]] ==Notes=={{Reflist}} [[categoryCategory:shipsSailing ship types]]