The researchers threw a new light on a “floating castle” in the fifteenth century full of rifles

In late 1400, the Europeans began crossing the Atlantic Ocean and colonizing a lot of the world. Among others played an important role in the spread of successful European countries: ships and guns.

in Ticket This summer was published in the International Journal of Maritime Archeology, the researchers shed light on the late artillery in the Middle Ages on board GRIBSHUNNENThe Danish Royal Major Al -Nuruwaji, who drowned more than five centuries ago off the Sweden coast. The wreckage represents the best ship preserved from the era of exploration, and the famous and brutal time period of the hegemony of the European world Start With Christopher Columbus 1492 flights and I finish In the seventeenth century.

“GRIBSHUNNEN It is a rare archaeological resource. The researchers wrote in the study: “It is the most complete example so far discovered for a late medieval war trip with an existing gun elements.

Divers diving by mistake find out the GRIBSHUNNEN The wreckage of the ship in 1971, but official archaeological investigations did not begin until a long time after the first test excavations in the early first decade of the twentieth century.

Anti -theft weapons for enemy ships

GRIBSHUNNEN Once he hosted at least 50 small caliber guns with lead shotOr projectiles, with an iron essence. These weapons were used against enemy ships staff in a close distance before going up and seizing seacraft. While most of the wild iron rifles are lost at the sea floor, researchers were able to digitally reinforcing them by studying the shapes they left in the wooden weapons family, shown below.

“The study of this site presents a new knowledge of the Carvv and Venice ship at a decisive historical point, where the authors of the ship and the weapon captured it in the form that it eventually assumed in the mid-sixteenth century-which remained after a largely unchanged for more than three centuries,” the researchers explained.

GRIBSHUNNEN Between 1483 and 1484 was built near Rotterdam, and it may get about 8 % of the Danish national budget in 1485. According to researchers, King Hans from Denmark and Norway used the ship in a unique way. Instead of using it for exploration, deal with it as a kind of floating castle. He used it personally to travel around his kingdom and abroad, as he united his rule through the soft economic, diplomatic, social, cultural and administrative force backed by the difficult force represented by the military force of the ship.

Unifying the Kingdom or expanding its borders?

If you were wondering why King Hans did not participate in the era of exploration – his Vikings predecessors would be proud, after all – the researchers note that he was more preoccupied with stabilizing his rule on the Baltic area. What’s more, Pope Alexander VI gave Spain’s rights to the Americas in 1493, and King Hans may not want to expel him. As for the Indian Ocean, Spain and Portugal have agreed to be the field of Portugal.

GRIBSHUNNEN stormed fire in June 1495 while it was fixed off the Swedish city of Ronby. King Hans was not on board at the time. A number of artillery shots discovered are characterized by the presence of one or two flat aspects, and perhaps because the explosion caused that the projectiles stored near the Barouder to filter inside the ship.

The study ultimately joins a group of others Historical V -ships Light lights in recent years, providing an insight into how human beings, travel, circulation, and control of people for thousands and thousands of years.