Mars The Magnificent

The wreck of Mars, a legendary Swedish warship from 1563, was finally discovered in 2011 after decades of fruitless search expeditions. For historians and archaeologists, this opened up a window to a little known part of Swedish history. There is no record of a larger ship being built anywhere in the world during the 16th century. Commissioned by the first hereditary king to the Swedish throne, Erik XIV, Mars represents a Machiavellian dream of imperial greatness. Naval warfare tactics were primitive in the 16th century but the building of Mars wars a turning point. Equipped with the most powerful guns from the Royal Swedish arsenal, for the first time a ship would be able to bomb and sink enemy ships from afar, rather than using the usual tactic of storming aboard and fighting hand to hand.

This documentary Mars the Magnificent is a captivating story about an unsolved historical mystery and a quest to find the long sought for answer: What brought down the invincible war ship Mars? Unique underwater footage, scientific expeditions to the wreck site and well made reenactments will make this film into a thrilling journey back in time, to a decisive moment in our history.