Christian IV and his Navy: A Political and Administrative History of the Danish Navy 1596-1648

This book provides a detailed survey of the Danish navy during the highly influential reign of Christian IV. He created a large and powerful navy with impressive ships and one of Europe’s finest dockyards. It was relatively advanced in the design and construction of its warships and the administration of its seamen and dockyard workforce. However, its political and military leadership were highly flawed, reflecting the power struggle between the king and his council at both an international and domestic level, which ultimately led to its crushing defeat at the hands of Sweden. This work offers for the first time a valuable insight into the workings of one of the most significant, but frequently ignored navies in early modern Europe.