A small two-masted sailing ship or merchant vessel used in northern European waters, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries.
From Dutch 'bijlander,' possibly from 'bij' (near, by) plus 'land,' referring to its use in coastal and inland waterway navigation; a maritime term reflecting Dutch shipbuilding expertise.
The bilander was the workhorse of Northern European trade—small enough to navigate narrow rivers and shallow coasts, but sturdy enough for Atlantic voyages, making it the medieval equivalent of today's container ships.
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