THE NAVAL BATTLE OF 1564

The second naval battle off the northern tip of Öland took place on 14 August 1564. It was fought between Sweden on one side and Denmark, allied with Lübeck, on the other.

The Swedish fleet included the ship Mars, which was lost in a later battle, sank with around 600 Swedes and 400 Lübeck sailors who had boarded Mars in close combat. Mars's last voyage ended in a blazing inferno.

Many believed that Mars was cursed because its cannons had been cast from church bells confiscated by King Gustav Vasa.

The wreck of Mars had been sought since the 1960s. Anders Franzén, who located the warship Vasa, tried for a long time to find the wreck. In summer 2011, the remains of a larger, older warship were located about 10 nautical miles southeast of Böda harbour, at a depth of 75 metres.

In November that year, it was finally confirmed that the wreck was Mars. The identity of the wreck was confirmed by the markings on the recovered cannons. Mars is a remarkably well-preserved wreck. More than two-thirds of the hull remains intact, resting on the seabed with a pronounced list to starboard.

Detail from a painting by Hans Bohrdt.