A new study (pdf) by Lund University researchers of the weapons found on the wreck of the 15th century Danish royal flagship Gribshunden has cast new light on the development of naval artillery in the Age of Discovery, and how the armed ships were used in battle. Part of 11 cannons and their oak gun beds found on the shipwreck in 20 years of excavations were recovered and digitally reconstructed.
Launched in 1485 as the royal flagship of King Hans of Denmark and Norway, Gribshunden was one of the first warships in Europe designed to carry artillery. It was not only heavily armed, it was also appointed with everything the king might need to run the government, a “floating castle,” a daunting instrument of royal power with the flexibility of movement.
The Gribshunden sank in 1495 after an explosion on board while it was anchored off the coast of Ronneby in southern Sweden. The king and his retinue had disembarked, headed for a summit in Kalmar where he was expected to score the trifecta and add the Swedish crown to his other two. The cause of the explosion is still unknown. There is no evidence of fire on the wood elements of the ship or its contents. The blast appears to have struck below the waterline, which is why the ship went down quickly with very little other damage.
The wreck was discovered by scuba divers in 1971, its structure and armaments preserved by the cold shipworm-less waters of the Baltic. Archaeological explorations began in 2001, and it was identified as the Gribshunden in 2002. It is the best-preserved ship from the Age of Discovery, and while it was a unique royal warship rather than an exploration vessel, its design and weaponry were virtually identical to those of the Spanish and Portuguese explorers.
Ocean-going ships like the Gribshunden, with its artillery, were crucial to the European voyages of discovery after 1492. Voyages to the Americas and into the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope led to European colonization around the world. The Gribshunden is a rare archaeological source – the most complete example of a late medieval caravel-built warship yet discovered.
The ship carried 50 or more small-caliber cannons that fired lead bullets with an iron core. They were intended for use against people at close range, a tactic designed to injure or kill an enemy crew on another ship. After firing the cannons, a storming operation was followed to capture the enemy ship. Led by Professor Nicolo Dell’Unto from Lund University, the team has been able to recreate the cannons by creating 3D models of the artifacts.
Click the Source link for more details
