Sinking of the Vasa

Brightly colored and trumpeting the prestige of King Gustav II, with 64 guns the Vasa was the most powerful ship in the world. As the ship’s sails caught wind, it teetered hard to port, and suddenly the shouts of the sailors on board turned to screams. In front of hundreds of spectators and agents of other European nations, Sweden’s greatest ship sank after sailing only 1400 yards.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

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Script by JCG

#history #thehistoryguy #Vasa

[iowa_don]

I was on a cruise and went on a shore excursion to the Vasa museum in 2019. It was fabulous. My only regret is that we were only able to spend a few hours there. It is worth a whole day.

[maggiebee]

I will add my voice to others in the comments, and say that if you find yourself in Stockholm, the Vasa Museum is an absolute “must see.” Not just a fascinating story, but a really well organized and informative museum.

[TheSwedishMel]

I took my 8 year old niece to the Vasa Museum this year. I wish I had a photo of her face as she pushed open the heavy door to the museum and was met by the sight of the HUGE ship towering above her. Even as an adult it's an amazing sight it always gets to me when I visit the museum.

[aeyuio]

You forgot 1 important thing about the 1961 lifting of the Vasa. Some Finnish pranksters had heard about the project to lift the ship up. They were going for a trip to Sweden anyway, so they decided to prank the Swedish researchers by diving a bronze statue of the Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi to the ship's deck.

The area of the ship had been marked as a "military area" for the time of the lifting of the ship. the pranksters got by the military with a press card (one of the pranksters was a journalist).

They dove to the ship, left statue on the deck and left.

When the ship was lifted, the Swedish historians were amazed by the statue. Some thought it might be the statue of Hermes, the messenger / runner of the Gods from Greek Mythology.

After the pranksters Swedish tourist trip was over, they held a press conference in Stockholm, informing the public that the statue is of the Finnish runner. (And that they chose his statue, because his olympic career ended when the Swedes called him a professional before his last olympics, and he was kicked out.)

[larsrons]

Vasa was one of the most beautiful ships ever built, i.m.h.o. I visited the old museum in 1978. Back then they were still constantly pouring liquid over the ship to preserve it. Still back then it was an impressive sight. I am planning a trip to Stockholm within the next couple of years to spend a couple of days at the new Vasa museum.

[skyden]

King Gustav II: "I want a ship that will trumpet my greatness for centuries after I am gone."
Ship Builders: "You got it."

[lakrids-pibe]

During construction both **Swedish feet** (of 29.69 cm) and **Amsterdam feet** (of 28.31 cm) were in use by different teams. Four rulers used by the workmen who built the ship have been found; two were calibrated in Swedish feet, of 12 Swedish inches, and the other two were calibrated in Amsterdam feet, of 11 Amsterdam inches. The use of different units of length on the two sides of the vessel caused the ship to be heavier on the port side.

Metric ftw

[BuzzSargent]

I am 68 now, but when I was 7 years old my father sat in the red chair in our parlor and proceeded to read out of the National Geographic Picture Book, titled Men Ships and the Sea. It was a sea tail about the Great Ship Vasa. He died 2 years later and it is the only time I remember him reading to me. Thanks for the story. Happy Trails

[rickaser]

My wife and I visited the Vasa museum last May; intending to spend only a couple of hours, we were surprised that we had managed to use over 4. The ship and the story of her recovery, preservation and the wealth to artifacts recovered, including about 25% of her sails make a visit an absolute must.

[vevfd]

I had the pleasure of visiting the Vasa museum a few summers ago, it was simply amazing... there is no other word for it.

[dongrampp]

The Vasa museum outshines almost any other museum I've ever been to. I spent close to four hours there in August of this year.

[stevebailey]

I had the pleasure to visit the museum where the Vasa is. I can tell you, as an amateur-amateur historians, I was completely overwhelmed in hearing this story for the first time and having the ship 2 feet away from me! Great episode Lance!!

[matthewmillar]

This is one of my bucket list items. I'd love to see the vasa!

[fredrichenning]

I was there the year after they managed to raise it. It wasn't much to see...a wrecked black hulk being sprayed with a preservative liquid 24/7. It took a long time to put it back together, but it is certainly something to see now.

[ksee]

The ship, that never should have been, is the only one to still be.
Awesome history.

[mikethespike]

I saw the Vasa when I was in Stockholm about 10 years ago. At the time I'd never heard of the ship, for me it was just a visit to a museum to fill in an otherwise empty afternoon, but ended up being a fascinating few hours. I couldn't believe that the ship had spent 100s of years submerged. I've seen wooden ships of similar age recovered from the water with maybe a third of the substance left over. According to the early 1960s video footage documenting the recovery of the Vasa it actually floated to its berth without any support.
The information panels in the museum seem to give the king the blame for the sinking of the ship. Allegedly during construction he kept asking for changes making the ship larger, heavier and with more cannon ports which the shipwrights dared not refuse.

[steveshoemaker]

A tall wooden war Ship with sails full of wing is l think one of the most beautiful to THG🎀...Bye

[davidkaplan]

I went to see the Vasa in her museum as a child in 1963. I remember my Dad telling the story of how she set sail and immediately sank. It is well worth the visit if you're ever in Stockholm.

[standavid]

I've been to that museum..fascinating

[paulhunt]

Possibly the most favorite European site destination, but I have never heard of her. THG scores again and keeps this follower coming back.