Sovereigns of the Sea: The Quest to Build the Perfect Renaissance Battleship

Her keel measured 126 feet, and she stretched to 160 feet overall. Her 46.5—foot beam sacrificed speed for the sake of stability, and the 19 feet of water she drew denied her access to smaller ports. Some saw her enormous size and ungainly proportions as serious drawbacks, but the 102 pound heavy bronze cannon that bristled from her flanks guaranteed that this black—hulled, ornately decorated monster would live up to her name: Sovereign of the Seas. The Dutch sailors who...