Stora Sofia (Danish: Grand Sofia)[Note 1] was a Danish ship of the line that sank on 25 May 1645 near Buskär outside the harbour of Gothenburg.
 Draught of Stora Sofia
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Denmark & Norway | |
| Name | Stora Sofia |
| Builder | Slottö shipyard in Nakskov |
| Launched | 1627 |
| Fate | Sank on 25 May 1645 near Buskär |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 147½ Danish feet[1] |
| Beam | 34 Danish feet[1] |
| Draught | 14⅓ Danish feet[1] |
| Complement |
|
| Armament | 54-58 guns |
Construction and design
editThe ship was built in 1627 on the Slottö shipyard in Nakskov in Denmark after a design of Scottish shipbuilder Daniel Sinclair. Stora Sofia was the flagship of the navy of the Danish king Christian IV. She was armed with 44 cannons on three decks; according to contemporary sources, she had four 48-pounders, eighteen 24-pounders, twenty 8-pounders and several smaller cannons.
Service
editDuring the short Torstenson War between Denmark-Norway and Sweden in 1645, Denmark put an embargo on the young city of Gothenburg, founded in 1621. Stora Sofia was the flagship of a Danish fleet under admiral Ove Gjedde that was ordered to enforce the embargo. Shortly after the arrival of the fleet, a storm broke loose and threw the Stora Sofia onto the rocks. The ship sank to a depth of 27 metres; her crew was saved.
Discovery of the wreck
editThe wreck was rediscovered only in 1961. More thorough explorations and archeological studies began in the 1980s.
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ The name is also sometimes spelled Sophia or Sancte Sophia
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Sailing Warships website". Retrieved 2011-02-26.
- Bergstrand, T.: Stora Sofia – från förfall till bevarande; Marinarkeologisk tidskrift 4–2003, pp. 10 –13. Swedish Marine Archeological Society; ISSN 1100-9632.
- Nielsen, E.: Sancte Sophia. Last accessed December 15, 2005.