(The worst port is better than the most excellent shoal!)
Medieval Spanish Saying
LAWRENCE V. MOTT
Archivist / Librarian
Maritime Historian
Nautical Archaeologist
Geologist
E-Mail: mottx026@gmail.com
After working for several years as Senior Geologist for the Atlantic-Richfield Company, I decided on a career change to nautical archaeology and maritime history. I have worked extensively in archives and libraries in Spain, as well as Great Britain and Denmark. After retiring for several years, I became bored. I completed a Master’s Degree of Library Science with a focus on Archive Studies University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. I worked for two years as a volunteer archivist at the National Naval Aviation Museum, both taking a position as archivist and librarian for the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum at the Lincoln Memorial University. After working there for five years, I worked one year at the National Corvette Museum. I am currently working at the Texas A&M University Archives.
Maritime trade and technology have been a driving force in globalization since the High Middle Ages and my research interests encompass the development of maritime technology, and the social and economic forces that drive it. I have been developing this website for those interested in maritime topics and history.
Articles and reviews require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be
obtained at this site for free:
Academic Degrees
- University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee: Masters of Library Science
- University of Minnesota: Ph.D. in Medieval History
- Texas A&M University: Master of Arts in Anthropology, Nautical Archaeology Program
- University of Wyoming: Master of Science degree in Geology
- University of California at Santa Barbara: Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology
Books
- Sea Power in the Medieval Mediterranean: The Catalan-Aragonese Fleet in the War of the Sicilian Vespers.(Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003)
- The Development of the Rudder: A Technological Tale. (College Station, Texas: Texas A&M Press; London: Chatham Publishing, 1996)
Articles
- “The Art of Raiding: The Catalan-Aragonese Raid of the Aegean in 1292.” In Mapping Pre-Modern Sicily: Maritime Violence, Cultural Exchange, and Imagination in the Mediterranean (New York: Palgrave-Macmillan, 2023): 53-74.
- "Feeding Neptune: Food and nutrition in the CatalanAragonese fleet, 1282–1302." International Journal of Maritime History(2018) 30.1: 131-138.
- "Aspects of Intercoastal Trade in the Western Mediterranean: The Voyage of the Santa María de Natzare" in Shipping, Trade, and Crusade in the Medieval Mediterranean. Studies in Honour of John Pryor. (Hampshire: Ashgate Pub., 2012). 167-195
- “Sailing through the Black Death: The Catalan Fleet Ordinances of 1354.” Imago Temporis Medium Aevum V (2011): 215-25.
- "Cartagena (Spain)", "Battle of Lepanto", "Wars, Maritime: Christian-Turkish", "Medieval Navies: Spain" and "Roger de Lloria" in Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History, ed. by John Hattendorf. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007)
- "Navigational Techniques" in Oxford Companion to World Exploration. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007)
- "Serving in the Fleet: Crews and Recruitment Issues in the Catalan-Aragonese Fleets during the War of Sicilian Vespers (1282 - 1302)" Medieval Encounters (2007) 13.1: 56-77
- "Belisarius," "Broadside," "Franco-Dutch Wars (1667-1668, 1672-1678)," "Lepanto," "Livonian Wars," "Roger de Lauria," "Valenciennes (1677, 1793)" and "War of the Sicilian Vespers," in The International Encyclopedia of Military History, ed. by James C. Bradford (London: Routledge, 2006)
- "Export Control and the Rise of the Office of the Admiral in the Crown of Aragon 1245 - 1282." Ricchezza del mare, ricchezza dal mare: secc. XIII-XVIII: atti della trentasettesima Settimana di studi, 11-15 aprile 2005 (Prato, Italy: Istituto internazionale di storia economica F. Datini. Settimana di studio, 2005): 1179-86
- Trade as a weapon during the War of the Sicilian Vespers. Medieval Encounters Special Edition 9.2/3 (2004): 236-243
- "Iberian Naval Power, AD 1000 - 1650," in Power and Domination: Europe and Armed Force at Sea in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, J. Hattendorf and R. W. Unger, eds. (Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell & Brewer, 2003): 105-118
- "The Battle of Malta: Prelude to a Disaster", in The Circle of War in the Middle Ages, Donald Kagay and L. J. Andrew Villalon, eds. (New York: Boydell & Brewer Publishing, 1999): 145-172
- "A three-masted ship depiction from 1409". International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 23.1 (1994): 39-40
- "Identification of the words Singla and Albaola, and their relation to timbers found on 15th-century Spanish shipwrecks." International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 22.3 (1994): 287-290
- "How cruel was Roger de Lauria?" Catalan Review 7.1 (1993): 79-96
- "The galleys of Salou." Catalan Review 5.1 (1991): 169-178
- "Medieval ship graffito in the Palau Reial Major at Barcelona Mariner's Mirror 76.1 (1990): 13-21
- "Ships of the 13th century Catalan Navy." InternationalJournal of Nautical Archaeology 19.2 (1990): 101-112 Reprinted in: Rose, Susan (ed.). Medieval Ships and Warfare (London: Ashgate Pub., 2008): 357-368
- "Square-rigged great galleys of the late 15th century." Mariner's Mirror 74.1 (1988): 49-54
- "Medieval ship graffiti." Sea History 48 (Autumn, 1988): p.14-15
Book Reviews
- Travellers, Merchants and Settlers in the Eastern Mediterranean, 11th – 14th Centuries. Jacoby, David. In International Journal of Maritime History 27 (May 2015): 360-361.
- Norman Naval Operations in the Mediterranean. Stanton, Charles D. In The NorthernMariner/le marin du nord.23.2 (2011): 435-436.
- The World of the Medieval Shipmaster: Law, Business and the Sea, c.1350-1450. Ward, Robin. In International Journal of Maritime History 21.2 (December 2009): 335-40.
- Age of the Dromon: The Byzantine Navy 500-1204. Pryor, John H. and Elizabeth M. Jeffreys. In Medieval Encounters Special Edition 13.2 (2007): 376-8
- Amphibious Warfare 1000-1700: Commerce, State Formation and European Expansion. Trim, D. J. B. and Mark Charles Fissel (editors). In Sixteenth Century Journal 28.3 (2007): 791-2
- Crescent and Cross: The Battle of Lepanto 1571, by Hugh Bicheno. In International Journal of Maritime History, (December 20040: 408-10
- The Barbary Corsairs: Warfare in the Mediterranean, 1480-1580, by Jacques Heers, trans. Jonathan North. In International Journal of Maritime History, (June 2004): 292-294
- The Norman Conquest of Southern Italy and Sicily, by Gordon S. Brown. In De Re Militari http://www.deremilitari.org/REVIEWS/brown_gs.htm (September 2003).
- Medieval Ships and Shipping, by Gillian Hutchinson. In Sixteenth Century Journal 27.1 (1996): 208-210
- The Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago Compostela, by Shaver-Crandell, Annie and Paula Gerson. In Paregon 14.1 (1996): 307-309
- Les Sorres X: Un Vaixell Medieval al Canal Olimpic de Rem, by X. Raurich, M, Pujol et al. In International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 24.1 (1995): 79
Other Professional Activities
- Chair and Commentator for Medieval Navies Session at the 2007 Naval History Symposium at Annapolis, Maryland (September 19 - 22, 2007)
- Relief work in the Tamu Nadal State of India following the December 2004 tsunami disaster. Advised the TK Foundation concerning the replacement fishing boats for those lost in the tsunami. February 10-19, 2005
- Field reconnaissance at Tranquebar, India for future marine archaeology survey of the port and anchorage. February 2005
- Guest lecturer for the Texas A&M University Studies Aboard Program at Castiglion Florentino and Venice, Italy. Lectures: "Byzantium in Italy"; "Genoa and Venice: A Tale of Two Cities"; "The Arsenale of Venice" (October 5-15, 2004)
- History of Marine Animal Populations (HMAP) Mediterranean workshop at the Institut de Ciències del Mar. (Barcelona: September 20-22, 2004)
- Guest of the Royal United Services Institute for the Maritme Power in the 21st Century conference. (Whitehall, London: May 19-20, 2004)
- Guest Lecturer for "Traders, Crusaders, Ambassadors." Course # L225, University of Indiana. (March 26 - 28, 2001)