Sovereigns of the Sea
The Quest to Build the Perfect Renaissance Battleship
Angus Konstam
The story of the first modern naval arms race, when European
monarchs vied with each other to build the biggest and most
prestigious warship afloat.
It is set at a time when the technologies of shipbuilding
and gun-founding were being transformed - a revolutionary
period in the way ships were designed and used. For the
first time guns were being carried on board warships, and
although it took time, the new weapon would completely transform
the way sea battles were fought, and won.
The Renaissance might well have been a time of great cultural
and intellectual rebirth in Europe, spreading like ripples
from its birthplace in Italy, but it was also a period of
great political upheaval. Kingdoms such as France and England
were turning their back on feudalism, and developing as
nation states where power was safeguarded by centralised
government and standing armies. It is against this fascinating
backdrop that our story runs its course.