Fusta

The Fusta or Fuste (English and also foist galliot, Turkish kalita, Italian galiota ) was a small, lightweight, agile and fast ship with shallow draft, which both with oars and a lateen sail was driven. It was thus in principle a small galley. The number of oars was 12-18 on each side, and each oar were moved by two men. The sail was used wherever possible for long trips to save even to force while the rudder in and out of ports and anchorages were especially in combat and at the entrance and exit to the course. Was somewhat smaller the Galeote, when often rowed only one man per belt. However, in the marine literature of the Mediterranean, the two terms Fusta and Galeote are often used interchangeably.

The Fusta was the favorite ship of the North African corsairs of Salé and the Barbary States. Because of their speed over short attack and combat distances, their agility, their wind independence, and their ability to operate due to the shallow draft in shallow waters she was (important to hide in small bays against a surprise attack on passing by ships) ideal for piracy and naval warfare in the Mediterranean suitable. If the rowers were not prisoners of war, slaves, they found an additional combat team to board enemy ships and conquer.

With Fustas the Barbarossa brothers, Baba Arudsch and Khair ad-Din conquered the North African coastal cities, from which emerged the Barbary States of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli. With Fustas they transported thousands of Muslims from Spain to North Africa after the fall of Granada. And with Fustas they spread and their associates and successors as Turgutreis and Uludsch Ali Fear and Loathing in the Mediterranean of the 16th and 17th centuries.