1545: Who Sank the Mary Rose?

Book excerpt: A “wonderful” account of the raising of a sixteenth-century warship, and answers to the long-running mysteries surrounding her loss (Naval Historical Foundation). In 1982, a Tudor Navy warship was raised in a major salvage project that represented a landmark in maritime archaeology. The Mary Rose had spent over four centuries underwater, and contained the skeletons of numerous sailors as well as many fascinating artifacts of the time. She is more than a relic, however. She has a story to tell, and her sinking in the Solent while under attack by the French, and the reasons for it, have intrigued historians for generations. With the benefit of access to her remains, archaeologists have been able to slowly unravel the mystery of her foundering on a calm summer’s day in July 1545. This new book by a leading expert on the Mary Rose contains much information that is published for the first time. It provides the first full account of the battle in which Henry VIII’s warship was sunk, and tells the stories of the English and French admirals. It examines the design and construction of the ship and how she was used, and finally makes clear who was responsible for the loss of the Mary Rose, after describing what happened onboard, deck by deck, in her last moments afloat. Includes photographs