Archaeologists reveal new finds from legendary Swedish warship The Mars warship was carrying hundreds of soldiers when it exploded in the Baltic Sea in 1564 during the Northern Seven Years’ War. Archaeologists reveal new finds from legendary Swedish warship Swedish warship Mars - Wikipedia Cannons, hand grenades, and up to a thousand soldiers were on board the large Swedish warship when it exploded in the Baltic Sea, 454 years ago. The ship, known as Mars, belonged to the Swedish navy and was one of Northern Europe’s largest and most feared naval vessels used in the Northern Seven Years’ War. Mars sunk due to a gunpowder explosion at the front of the ship. But shortly before, it had been under attack by Danish and Lübeckian warships according to written sources. They have documented a change in Swedish tactics from a focus on close quarter combat to long distance fighting, as indicated by large cannons up to 4.8 metres long. Despite the large cannons, the Swedish crew did not manage to avoid engaging in close quarter combat with their enemies. The soldiers aboard were positioned underneath a net that covered the deck and was designed to prevent the enemy from jumping on board – a so-called anti-boarding net.
This warship had "totally unheard of firepower" for her time, said Lundgren. And it's those cannons that played a role in her demise. It was the largest and fiercest warship in the world, named the Mars for the Roman god of war: But it went up in a ball of flames in a brutal naval battle in 1564, consigning 800 to 900 Swedish and German sailors and a fortune in gold and silver coins to the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Cursed Warship Revealed With Treasure Onboard She was the leading ship of King Eric XIV of Sweden's fleet, and at 70 meters[1] and equipped with 173 guns, was one of the largest warships of the time, even larger than the famous Swedish ship Vasa. Swedish warship Mars - Wikipedia
