Ark Royal (1587)
 Drawing of the Ark Royal
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The Ark Royal was a 16th century English four-masted galleon and the first ship to bear this name. After its use as the flagship , Ark Royal ("Royal Ark") became a traditional name of the British Navy, which the aircraft carrier Ark Royal took over as the fifth ship.
history
The four-masted galleon Ark Royal was commissioned by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1586 . It was launched in 1587, the original name being Ark Raleigh . Queen Elizabeth I bought the ship for £ 5,000 and renamed her Ark Royal . In 1588 she was the flagship of Lord Howard of Effingham during the battle against the Spanish Armada .
The galleon was rebuilt in 1608 by King James I and was named Anne Royal after his wife Anna of Denmark .
In 1636 the galleon ran aground in the Thames and sank. Although it was recovered, it was scrapped because of the severe damage.
The ship
The Ark Royal was a four-masted galleon. The two front masts were rigged . On the bowsprit there were jibs and spritsail , which were firmly attached to the first mast. The two rear masts were only rigged with a latin sail. The large crow's nests on the first two masts were striking . The main difference to the large carrack was the not exuberant structure of the front fort. The Galion and the lower superstructure on the upper deck formed further differences to the carrack . The front and rear fort were kept sleek.
The guns were positioned in two batteries along the hull, as well as in the stern fort and in the fore fort. Four guns were housed in the transom . The batteries could be closed with gun ports . Smaller pieces just stood on the upper deck.
Dimensions
- Length: 36.80 m (from the bowsprit)
- Width: 8.75 m
- Draft: 4.75 m
- Displacement: 880 t
- Crew: 190 seamen and 70 soldiers
- Armament:
- 1. Battery 16 × 18 pounder guns
- 2. Battery 12 × 9 pounder guns
and smaller pieces
literature
- Heinz J. Nowarra: Sailing Ships. Pabel Moewig, Rastatt 1991, ISBN 3-8118-8567-7 .
- Gino Galuppini (Ed.): Encyclopedia of Warships. History, technology, data. Weltbild-Verlag, Augsburg 1995, ISBN 3-89350-828-7 .
- Riccardo Magrini: Ships. Sailing ships - passenger and merchant ships - warships. Neuer Kaiserverlag, Klagenfurt 2006, ISBN 3-7043-1422-6 .
