– We will find thousands of pieces for a puzzle in a giant underwater sandbox. In the most stormy area in the Nordics. This is how hobby historian and keen wreck diver Erik Erland Holmen describes the difficult job they have taken on off the southern coast these days. He and a small working group called Epoke have been looking for one of the world’s largest gunships from the 16th century for many years. Divers examine an area of 13 square kilometers south of Farsund in search of the gunship “Maria”. Photo: Epoke The warship “Maria” and her sister ship are probably somewhere on the bottom of the sea outside Lista. Both are said to have gone down in a storm in one of Norway’s windiest places almost 500 years ago. Now both the Norwegian and Danish navies have made the trip to the southern coast before the autumn storms set in. To take part in what they call the Nordic region’s biggest wreck hunt. – It is at least the first time that a civilian working group collaborates with the Danish Navy and the Danish Navy. In addition, Kongsberg Maritime is involved and several scientific institutions in both Norway and Denmark, says Holmen. Erik Erland Holmen on his way out to look for wreck finds along the southern coast. Photo: Lars Eie / news Could have changed history The background for the wreck hunt is the sailing expedition of King Christian II in 1531. At the time, Norway was still under Danish rule and the Kalmar Union was on shaky ground. The recently exiled Danish king Christan II sailed towards Oslo to take back the kingdom he had lost. On the trip, he had an impressive fleet of 25 ships, a war chest full of money and 7,000 mercenaries. Christian II wanted to become king of Denmark, Norway and Sweden again when he sailed towards Oslo on a November day in 1531. But history would have it differently. In the storm, several ships and several hundred soldiers were probably lost in the fierce sea outside Farsund. Also gone were the war chest and money with which the king was supposed to pay the mercenaries. King Christian II thus never succeeded in his plan to once again become king of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and restore the Kalmar Union. The group believes that the history books could have been rewritten if the ships had not gone down and the king had succeeded. Had the famous painting of the Eidsvoll men in 1814 existed? Had we gone by train on 17 May? Or had we celebrated the crown prince couple’s 50th anniversary this year? It is not certain, according to archaeologist Frode Kvale at the Norwegian Maritime Museum.– The shipwreck was the final period for the Kalmar Union. Little has been written about this event. But it has a great influence on why Scandinavia looks the way it does today. Sonar and underwater robot The group has worked systematically to document what may have happened outside Farsund. This month, the search began with, among other things, sonar, an underwater robot (ROV) and divers. Already, 170 places on the seabed have been registered that may be of interest. That’s what Andreas Johansen says, who represents the Danish navy that is participating in the search. – It’s a really exciting story, and not least important for us Danes to find out what happened to “Maria” and Christian II off the coast here. Andreas Johansen, naval captain at the Danish navy, thinks it is very exciting to participate in what could be the Nordic region’s largest wreck search. Photo: Lars Eie / news Skatt à la Sabeltann Gruppa is most concerned with finding the explanation for why Christian II’s attempt to regain his kingship failed. Others have taken an interest in the “treasure chest”. Or rather war chest with money that should have gone down with the ships. – How likely is it that the wrecks will be found? – We will probably find wreckage and scattered objects. If we find cannons or coins from the Netherlands we are on the right track. But it is unlikely that we will find a large shipwreck, says Holmen. – Could there be a gold treasure à la Captain Sabertooth on the seabed outside Lista? – It can. The coins, which otherwise belong to the Norwegian state if we find them, are not in themselves the most important thing. But the coins will then help us with identification and dating. They will thus be able to confirm our hypotheses, he says. This underwater robot is used, among other things, to find possible wreckage during the search. Photo: Lars Eie / news
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The hunt for the ship that could change Norwegian history begins
