Drawing of Mars by Jacob Hägg. |
|
| Career (Sweden) | |
|---|---|
| Launched: | 1564 |
| Fate: | Sank in 1564, possibly located in 2011 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | Displacement 1800 tonnes |
| Tons burthen: | 700 tons |
| Length: | Between Perpendiculars 162 Swedish Feet (48 metres) |
| Beam: | 45.5 Swedish Feet (13.5 metres) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Crew: | 350 sailors, 450 soldiers |
| Armament: | 107 guns |
| Notes: | Source for dimensions & Tonnage: "Swedish Unrated Warship Mars (1563", Three Decks - Warships in the Age of Sail |
Mars, also known as Makalös ("peerless; astounding") was a Swedish warship that was built between 1563 and 1564. It was the leading ship of king Eric XIV of Sweden's fleet, and at 48 meters[1] and equipped with 107 guns it was one of the largest warships of the time, even larger than the famous Swedish ship Vasa. During the Northern Seven Years' War the ship was lost during a battle known as Action of 30 May 1564 in the Baltic Sea between the Swedish islands of Öland and Gotland.
On 19 August 2011, it was announced that the shipwreck of Mars was possibly found by a team of divers, at a depth of 75 meters and around 18.5 kilometers north of Öland, after several years of research.[2] Although not examined by archeologists yet, in a statement by diver Richard Lundgren, it was announced that "Everything suggests that it is indeed the Mars that we have found".[3]
On 1 November 2011, it was announced that the shipwreck had been confirmed to be Mars. According to Richard Lundgren, one of the divers who discovered the wreck, unique ship cannons had been identified along with "other findings" which confirmed the identity.[4]