3. The Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII of England, sank in the Solent whilst sailing to engage the French Navy after flawed modifications and an increased weight rendered her vulnerable to high winds and tides
The Mary Rose was a warship in the English Navy during the reign of King Henry VIII, entering service in 1512 and fighting across several conflicts. After undergoing prolonged maintanence in 1536 it was relaunched to serve as the flagship in the Battle of the Solent in 1545, where 128 French vessels were engaged by approximately 80 English. On July 19, in the course of leading the attack against the French galleys, the Mary Rose suddenly keeled over on her starboard side. Unable to correct herself, she capsized; of her crew of at least 400, less than 35 survived the wreckage.
Although contemporary sources claimed the sinking was the result of insubordination and negligence aboard the ship, modern analysis has strongly suggested the effects of the alterations made during her modifications between 1536 and 1545 were to blame. The ship had endured 33 years of service without taking on water previously, indicating an original factor. It is believed that these alterations, in addition to the inclusion of heavier than usual guns aboard the warship, increased her draught so that the waterline was less than one meter from the gunports. Consequently, when a strong gust of wind temporarily elevated sea levels, the ship was unexpectedly flooded and quickly sank.