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Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel : Gribshunden (1495)

Foley, Brendan LU orcid ; Smith, Kay Douglas and Hansson, Martin LU orcid (2025) In International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
Abstract
We present the artillery of a well-preserved late medieval Danish-Norwegian carvel warship, Gribshunden. Probably built in the Netherlands in 1484, the ship served King Hans until sinking in June 1495. Of its original 50 or more guns, elements of 11 have been recovered and digitally recreated, and more remain on the wreck. Investigation of this site provides insights into the development of shipboard artillery in the late 15th century, the crucial period of technological evolution for the ship-gun combination. It offers a Nordic-region comparison to the handful of early 16th--century gun-carrying Iberian wrecks, commonly known as ships of discovery.
Abstract (Swedish)
We present the artillery of a well-preserved late medieval Danish-Norwegian carvel warship, Gribshunden. Probably built in the Netherlands in 1484, the ship served King Hans until sinking in June 1495. Of its original 50 or more guns, elements of 11 have been recovered and digitally recreated, and more remain on the wreck. Investigation of this site provides insights into the development of shipboard artillery in the late 15th century, the crucial period of technological evolution for the ship-gun combination. It offers a Nordic-region comparison to the handful of early 16th–century gun-carrying Iberian wrecks, commonly known as ships of discovery.
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author
; and
organization
alternative title
Senmedeltida fartygsartilleri på en nordeuropeisk kravell: Gribshunden (1495)
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
medieval; Northern European; carvel;shipboard artillery, medieval, Northern European, carvel, shipboard artillery
in
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
pages
27 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:105012425182
ISSN
1095-9270
DOI
10.1080/10572414.2025.2532166
project
Floating Castles: the Built Environment and Social Signaling in Medieval Scandinavia
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4b5803cd-3691-4db9-9f38-20591958e57e
date added to LUP
2025-08-13 11:54:01
date last changed
2025-08-15 16:47:53
@article{4b5803cd-3691-4db9-9f38-20591958e57e,
  abstract     = {{We present the artillery of a well-preserved late medieval Danish-Norwegian carvel warship, Gribshunden. Probably built in the Netherlands in 1484, the ship served King Hans until sinking in June 1495. Of its original 50 or more guns, elements of 11 have been recovered and digitally recreated, and more remain on the wreck. Investigation of this site provides insights into the development of shipboard artillery in the late 15th century, the crucial period of technological evolution for the ship-gun combination. It offers a Nordic-region comparison to the handful of early 16th--century gun-carrying Iberian wrecks, commonly known as ships of discovery.}},
  author       = {{Foley, Brendan and Smith, Kay Douglas and Hansson, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1095-9270}},
  keywords     = {{medieval; Northern  European; carvel;shipboard  artillery; medieval; Northern European; carvel; shipboard artillery}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Nautical Archaeology}},
  title        = {{Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel : Gribshunden (1495)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10572414.2025.2532166}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/10572414.2025.2532166}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}