Treasure Ship Hanneke Vrome (or Wrome) ship's Disaster yr.1468 (part 1)

"This translation is fast made by using Google translator"

We are living in the Middle Age yr. 1468. Raseborg castle was living it's golden age during Hanseatic era and under the knight Lauri Axelinpoika Tott's leadership. Raseborg castle was established in the Gulf of Finland, opposite site of the large market town of Tallinn (Reval) to give some counterbalance for Hanseatic trade, and it was hoped begin to move the goods also to Finland side.
Helsinki did not exist and the only large cities in Finland was Turku, which were more closer on the side of the Stockholm region and the other one was Wiipuri, which was just the Gulf wilds far away from center of business, maybe a small Porvoo, which was established as early as 1380.
Danish king had disputes with Sweden - Finland (traditionally) and he was terrorizing the Baltic Sea with his warships as well managing areas in southern Sweden and its nearby islands Gothland.

Lubeck the center of mighty Hanseatic merchants at that time. Carried on trading around the Baltic countries includin Sweden (as well Finnish), and Novgorod. Tallin was Hansa city and center of Gulf of Finland. It is still the best preserved Hanseatic city with buildings and Castle.



On the sea was huge capture danger especially ships on the way to Sweden, was designed by the Hanseatic sending these ships to Sweden late end of the year, just at the end of the sailing season when the risk of capture would be significantly lower. Hansa was actually not at disputes with the Danes, capture but risk do exist by the ships who were on the way to Sweden. That' why they were sent in pairs, in that way they had better change to defend themselves against enemy, if necessary. This ship convoy consisted of 4 ships. 2 of the ship was on its way to Stockholm and another 2 continued, apparently via Stockholm to Tallinn. After all, four ship-strong convoy trouhg the Danish waters was some sort of resistance even to the then Danish warships. These ships were, of course, had addition crew of soldiers and other weaponry. This fleet was scheduled to depart in November from Travemund, the harbour of Lubeck.

One of these ships was collecting a lot attention, because of its size. There had never seen in Lübeck so huge ship. It took more than 200 passengers, in addition to a huge amount of merchandise for example. 1200 barrels of honey (those barrels were not so big ones). Captain Hanneke Vrome owned this big hulk type ship. There was no ship names in that time.  So we call him Hanneke Vrome by captain. This largest and most valuable ship was also having the most valuable cargo, which was written worth about 100 000 Rhein guilder. Its cargo included, for example. 10 000 gold guilders. That same ship passengers included a large number of burghers and their sons. From Stockholm, entered Raseborg castle lord's wife, son and their three bodyguards.

Ships went out after November 11, from Travemund port of Lübeck. This convoy traveled trough the Baltic sea when the daytime was very short, and climate not very warm. The convoy arrived outside Stockholm where two ships continued travel to Stockholm. But Hanneke Vromen hulk and another ship completed their ship by taking one more important entourage, Kaarina Jöns daughter Vilfred Raseborg castle lord's wife and his son. Then Vessels continued their journey, few days more at the night 20th of november, just 10 miles from Tallinn. Started a great storm that forced ships to change their direction towards the coast of Finland. The storm continues during the night. then "Other ship the better one of the two ships, suddenly fell and drowned in very short moment like blinking the eye, They disappeared inside the waves with crew and all". The remaining ship came miraculously out from the violent eastern storm with "God's help" and managed arrive to Tallinn.

The Wreck remains

Lost ship was a large hulk owned by Hanneke Vrome, onboard drowned Raseborg castle lord's wife, son, "gun carriers" or bodyguards, and some 240 other passengers within the aristocracy and members of the crew. Some of these were a sort of armed men like small military to defend the precious ship, against potential hijackers or the piracy. In that time Baltic sea was living the golden age of piracy as well.
Occurred accident has been a real big shipwreck disaster which can be compared our well-known Titanic or the Estonia. Although drowned has been less than the 1900 disaster had, anyway, it was the disaster of its own time. This shipwreck still remains us to our days. As votive shipmodels in churches and  Karis Church which is named after Raseborg castle lord's wife name Kaarina.

To Finnish coast peasant's the disaster was of course a great blessing of the God and they took all the benefits out of it. They were looting the cargo as much as it was possible, that they found landing from the beaches around the Finnish south west coast.
The shipwreck was broken for pieces.

Original document of the disaster from Estonaian archive

Hanneke Vrome hulk ship model

Although Hanneke Vrome ship was traveling to Tallinn, it is known that part of the cargo, was on the way to Finland. Some to Turku, Raseborg and some cargo to Wiburg.
The ship was remarkably large and difficult to handle inside the Finnish narrow archipelago.
At that time, the speed that ships moved were barely were five knots, that makes the journey time from Travemund to outside Stockholm approximately 5 days. Then continued with 2 ship convoy to Tallin. In some part the trip is passing outer islands on Raaseborg castle before Porkkala, but in that time daylight were short and there was only possible to sail during daytime, which was  really short in end of November. So short, that they would never be able to get close of Tallin in mentioned time. So we assume that the sailing route had to be in open sea from Stockholm to Tallinn. There the cargo would be removed for smaller vessels, which makes trip safer and much easier to travel inside Finnish archipelago.

In that time vessels already have traveled in the high seas, also compasses were invented and in use on the ships since in 1300 AD making this possible.

So what the archives knows of this big accident?

Trip was launched on 11 of November from Travemund port of Lubeck.
Hanneke Vrome ship sank in violent east blowing storm in the night between 20 to 21 days, November 1468. That was 9 days later.  Ship was passing outside of Stockholm archipelago.

Ship sank 10 mile out from Tallinn.

Other archive source in Lubeck chronicle indicates, that ship sank 14 miles outside from Tallinn.

Accident happened west from Porkkala, (well known peninsula in Finnish south coast)

Moreover, Lubeck's chronicle mentions that the shipwreck occurred Raseborg castle.

The wreckage was sold in Hiittinen Kyrksundet, where 6 peasants were caught and sent to the Raseborg castle dungeon.  Kyrksundet was at that time a considerable marketplace and Helsinki for example, did not even exist. Kyrksundet has existed since the Viking era and perhaps it is even founded by Vikings. In that time Kyksund was living it's golden age . If the wreckage drifted west from accident area to the Hanko direction, would it drift close to Hiittinen archipelago close to Kyrksundet. So it was as well the nearest and most naturally marketplace.

Wreckage were searched and collected in next three years, which is quite a long time. This means that the floating material really spread out for huge area. Good to keep in mind that Finnish archipelago is unique and very difficult to navigate.

The distance between Tallinn and Porkkala is known to been 8 nautical mile unit 1200 in the early twentieth century, this information comes from Danish sailing guide. (ex.Vikings) As well Danish sea mile and Lubeck seamile is mentioned to the same. That has been not well known.

Cargo consist of 10,000 gold guldenia, the money was lost. As well a lot of valuable jewellery and monetary chest.

One transcribed cargolist of missing items totally list is 8 pages, in Germany (Hansa)

Gold coins that were in use at the time of disaster of Hanneke Vrome

In ancient time there has been several seamiles in use. Almost every country had their own milesystem. So there is no known information what this mentioned units can be. They are not normally now days distance minute, it was invented much later. So what can it be?

The first and second tip, distances: First find and looking the oldest good general seachart of the area, made by Gustaf Klint. The year was 1808. That map had in the lower right corner marked with two kinds of mea seamiles. It is (swedish) Tyskamil (German mile) and the other one in this chart was a League. The Germanmile refers straight to the Hansa. While the League has been in use in various forms since Roman times. Also we know that the distance between Tallinn and Porkkala has been 1200's  8 miles. I start to measure these units between Tallinn and Porkkala. I started first with this Germanmile, by measuring eight times this mile and it goes exactly of Tallinn and Porkkala. Excact the 1200's mentioned distance. I was really happy.

Then i change it to 10 units, this was declared to be the disaster area. It goes nicely to outer rocks of Raaseborg. This area is still huge, but i can be already in the map. Then i continued many other things. Finally i tested this League distance and i put other mentioned 14 units of this league and it went to the same place as the first Germanmile. I was amazed.


The third and fourth tip: Mentions from two different sources accident area, which was "Raseborg Castle of the Newland region," which Jussarö island belongs. So it's looking good, now all the places and the distances are so to say in the same map area. Can this be so easy?


The fifth  tip: This ships "fell suddenly and drowned in the blink of eye". Refer to the very strong hard rock hit. That can be a work of a violent storm and a hard rock hit. Becouse the rising of the land in this area would be some 2,5 meter. This rock can be now even above the water level. So now we are looking west side of the rocks that are situated in close of water level.

How the hulkship look