Henry VIII's Favorite Warship
King Henry's Pride And Joy
There were very few things in this world that King Henry VIII loved as much as the Mary Rose, the four-masted carrack that served as the jewel of his naval fleet.
It sank under mysterious circumstances off Portsmouth in 1545, and it lay there at the bottom of the sea for over 400 years—until we dragged the entire flagship up from the depths to learn her secrets.
The Only One Left
Researchers in 1982 embarked on a titanic effort to raise the Mary Rose from the depths. Today, it's the only intact Tudor-era warship in the world, and researchers had a lot to learn from Henry VIII's favorite boat.
Henry Needed Ships
When Henry VIII became king, the English Navy was in a pitiful state—the English had just spend decades fighting one another in the Wars of the Roses, so ships weren't a priority.
But by 1509, there was serious danger lurking out beyond English waters.
France And Spain Were Looming
Henry VIII took the throne at a time when the threat of attack from France and Spain was constantly looming over his head. He took it upon himself to build the finest Navy England had ever seen—and he didn't do a bad job.
He Built An Entire Fleet
Henry put heavy funding into shipbuilding, and by 1547, he had 53 impressive vessels flying his flag—the precursor to the Royal Navy that still exists today.
But one of those 53 ships was special: The Mary Rose.
