Preserved brain from a crewmember of the warship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628[650X471].

In the early 17th century, Sweden was a rising European power. After successful wars against Poland-Lithuania and Russia, it dominated the Baltic, controlling key resources and trade. Its army, reformed by King Gustavus Adolphus, was among the most modern in the world, professional, flexible, and built around mobile artillery.

What Sweden lacked was a strong navy.

Warships of the time were designed for boarding, but Gustavus Adolphus saw the future: artillery at sea. In 1626, he ordered a new class of larger, heavily armed ships. Dutch shipbuilder Henrik Hybertsson was contracted, the result was the Vasa.

Built from around 1,000 oak trees, the ship was enormous, 69 meters long with two full gun decks, something Hybertsson warned would make it dangerously top-heavy. The king pushed ahead anyway. The ship carried 64 bronze cannons, capable of firing one of the heaviest broadsides of its time, and was lavishly decorated with hundreds of brightly painted sculptures meant to glorify Swedish power.

On August 10, 1628, the Vasa set sail on her maiden voyage in Stockholm. In calm weather, with crowds watching, she moved out proudly and fired a salute.

Then a gust of wind hit.

She heeled, recovered, then a second gust pushed her too far. Water poured through the open gunports.

Within minutes, she was sinking. Less than an hour into her first voyage, the Vasa went down just 120 meters from shore, in full view of thousands. Most of the roughly 445 aboard survived, but around 30 died.

An investigation followed. Everyone claimed they had followed orders. With blame pointing toward the king, the official conclusion was that “only God knows” why the ship sank, while responsibility was conveniently assigned to the already-dead Hybertsson.

The Vasa lay at the bottom of Stockholm harbor for over 300 years before being raised in 1961. Of the roughly 30 who died, 29 were reduced to skeletons, but one, trapped beneath a cannon in the mud, was so well preserved that he retained hair, nails, and even their brain.

If you’re interested, I cover the full story here:

https://open.substack.com/pub/aid2000/p/hare-brained-history-vol-84-the-vasa?r=4mmzre&utm\\\_medium=ios