In this episode, Lindsay takes into the fascinating and ridiculously tragic history of the Swedish warship Vasa. Intended to be the crown jewel of King Gustav II Adolphus’s 17th-century navy, the ship instead achieved legendary status for a completely different reason: sinking almost immediately on its maiden voyage. Listen this week to learn what went wrong with the most prized ship of its time.
References:
Vasa Museum. (n.d.). Vasa history. https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/explore/vasa-history
Psychological Safety. (2026). The Vasa disaster. https://psychsafety.com/the-vasa-disaster/
Photos:
Vasa Museum. (n.d.). Vasa history. https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/explore/vasa-history
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden 1611–1632 [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus#/media/File:Attributed_to_Jacob_Hoefnagel_-_Gustavus_Adolphus,_King_of_Sweden_1611-1632_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Half-masted topsails [Historical illustration]. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship)#/media/File:Half_masted_topsails_copy.jpg
Old Book Illustrations. (n.d.). Halley’s diving bell [Illustration]. https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/illustrations/halleys-diving-bell/
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