Carrack 'Madre de Deus'
Date: 2000
Origin: Portugal (by: Ferdinando Oliveira Simões, António Marques da Silva, Manuel Leitão)
Material: Wood
Dimensions: Length: 1000 mm, Height: 280 mm, (Scale 1/50)
Inventory No.: MM.06322
'Madre de Deus' was built in Lisbon, in 1589. It made only two voyages to India and had the capacity to transport around 600 people - it was considered the largest ship of the time.
On the way back from her second voyage to India, in 1592, the 'Madre de Deus' was attacked off Flores Island (Azores) by English corsairs.
Portugal had been under Philippine rule since 1580, and in this political context inherited the enemies of the Spanish crown - such as England - our ally until then, but which now had the pretext to attack Portuguese ships.
Contrary to tradition - attacking, plundering and sinking the ship - the corsairs, astonished by the size of the ship, towed it to England, where it was put on display at Dartmouth harbour.