Grace Dieu

The cross near the river bank of the Hamble marks the location of the wreck of the Grace Dieu

The Grace Dieu ( French grace of God ) was the flagship of Henry V of England during the Hundred Years War .

Built in 1418, it was struck by lightning near Southampton in 1439 . The Grace Dieu was built in the style of a carrack and, with a length of 67 meters and displacement of 2750 tons, was considered the largest ship of the Middle Ages , which represented a high point in European shipbuilding before more innovative types of ships emerged in the course of the 15th century with the caravel- clad caravels .

The Grace Dieu had a single mast and was armed with three cannons and archers.

The ship was rediscovered as early as 1874, and on February 5, 1974, it was recorded by underwater archeology and placed under monument protection. In the course of an episode of the archeology series Time Team on Channel 4 in 2004, the Grace Dieu was scientifically examined, and the size information could be confirmed.

See also

• List of the largest wooden ships in the world

Web links

• National Archives snapshot from the Royal Navy website on the ship
• 3D reconstruction of the wreck site using acoustic signals (PDF; 2.2 MB)

literature

• Frank Howard: Sailing warships. 1400-1860. Bernard and Graefe, Munich 1983, ISBN 3-7637-5239-0 .