The Mary Rose is a remarkable remnant of maritime history. One of England’s largest Tudor Era vessels, the four-masted carrack sailed with a crew of around 450 sailors during the 16th century French and Italian Wars armed with anywhere between 78 and 91 guns. Those weren’t the only tools at the Mary Rose’s disposal. Thanks to primary sources and an extensive analysis following its recovery in 1982, the ship included some truly gnarly handheld weapons.
Some of the most intense—and mysterious—of these were giant incendiary darts. However, there is very little historical information tied to them. Although reminiscent of flaming arrows, these much larger variants were simply far too large to be launched from bows. Historians aren’t even sure exactly how they were wielded or crafted, so medieval weapons specialist and replica crafter Tod Todeschini decided to investigate for himself. The result is a two-part video series that documents his research into the fire darts, as well as the construction of his very own set.
Giant Fire Darts from the Mary Rose: TESTED
Based on the remnants of the three surviving original examples, Todeschini’s weapon combines an incendiary mixture wrapped in flammable cloth that is then encased in pitch. Wooden fuses inserted into the casing provide a delayed ignition, allowing the wielder enough time to aim and launch the wooden spear at their enemy.
But how were they used in combat? While there is no definitive answer, Todeschini’s experiments alongside Mary Rose Museum research director Alex Hildred led to some likely possibilities. He quickly realized that his initial instinct to hurl it one-handed like an oversized dart was basically impossible—and incredibly dangerous. Once the javelin was lit, you want to be as far away from the melting pitch and flames as possible. Knowing this, he then learned that he could effectively launch the weapon by gripping it near the shaft’s middle while using his other hand to support the end. Subsequent throws easily carried the flaming spear upwards of 60 feet away. That may not be very far compared to a bow-and-arrow’s distance, but it’s more than enough for someone standing in a crow’s nest aboard the Mary Rose to reach an enemy ship that has drawn up to the vessel during close combat.
It’s also plausible that sailors fired their darts from specialized cannons. A standard amount of gunpowder would destroy the supersized arrow before it hit its target, but a soft charge producing less force is a feasible alternative. Todeschini also tested this version by launching a scale model of the dart from a tube using compressed gas.
From there, it was time to see what kind of destruction these weapons rained on unfortunate sailors’ heads. In short, you would not want to encounter one of these things. Aside from virtually inextinguishable flames fueled by molten pitch, the payloads likely included toxic ingredients like camphor and arsenic. The ensuing clouds of smoke would not only blind anyone nearby, but choke them, too. To illustrate their efficacy, Todeschini demonstrated what happens when one of the darts lands in an enclosed environment like those below deck on a ship. After firing one into a shipping container, it only took a matter of seconds before the entire area was enveloped in noxious fumes.
While the weapons weren’t useful in every situation, it’s easy to see how a few well aimed launches could turn the tide during naval combat. That said, they weren’t a guarantee for success—the Mary Rose ultimately sank during battle in 1545, after all.
