A 14th century boat from Vordingborg Castle, Denmark, and the use of boats in medieval military operations

In 2012, the remains of a well-preserved 14th century boat were found in the moat at Vordingborg Castle, Denmark. This paper briefly presents the boat-find. Subsequently, the written evidence for the use of small boats comparable to the Vordingborg Boat, in special military operations in Northern Europe – from the Viking-Age to the High Middle Ages – will be discussed. The paper concludes by comparing the Viking-Age and Medieval maritime special military operations with operations conducted in the Second World War (1939–1945).