Erzherzog Karl class battleship
Encyclopedia
The Erzherzog Karl class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy
built before World War I
. All of the battleships of the Erzherzog Karl-class were built in the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
shipyards in Trieste
. The first battleship, was laid down in 1902. Construction on the remaining two battleships, and continued up to 1905. Erzherzog Karl was commissioned in 1906, while Erzherzog Ferdinand Max and Erzherzog Friedrich were commissioned in 1907. The three Erzherzog Karl-class battleships were considered relatively modern by the time they were commissioned. However, small docking space and budget restraints resulted in the class being fairly compact. Nevertheless, they were well designed and properly protected. The Erzherzog Karl-class were the last and largest pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austrian Navy. They were named after members of the Austrian Royal family.
Despite these qualities, the Erzherzog Karl-class battleships were inferior to the more modern Dreadnought
type battleships – with their "all big gun" armament and turbine propulsion. As a result, they only played a limited role during World War I. At the beginning of the war, the members of the Erzherzog Karl-class formed the III division of the Austrian-Hungarian battle-fleet. Despite their largely inactive involvement in the conflict, the battleships of the Erzherzog Karl-class did participate in the flight of SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau during the opening days of the war, as well as the bombardment of Ancona on 23 May 1915. The ships also took part in suppressing a major mutiny among the crew members of several armored cruisers stationed in Cattaro between 1–3 February 1918. Following Austria-Hungary's defeat in World War I, Erzherzog Karl and Erzherzog Friedrich were handed over to France. The remaining battleship, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, was given to Great Britain. Erzherzog Karl ran aground at Bizerte
and was broken up there in 1921. The remaining two battleships were scrapped in 1921 in Italy.
The Erzherzog Karl class displaced 10472 long tons (10,640 t). They were 414 in 2 in (126.24 m) long, had a beam
of 71 in 5 in (21.77 m) and a draft of 24 in 7 in (7.49 m). They were manned by 700 men. They were the last and largest pre-dreadnnought class built by the Austro Hungarian Navy, surpassing the Habsburg class battleship
by approximately 2000 tons.
that was planned to be built 13 years later, the Erzherzog Karl class carried a primary armament made by Škoda Works
. On each ship, there were four 24 centimetres (9.4 in)/40 caliber guns in two twin turrets on the centerline. These guns were an Austro-Hungarian replica of the 24 cm/40 (9.4") Krupp C/94, which was used on the Habsburgs. The guns could be depressed to -5° and elevated to 30°. The arc of fire of the guns was 300°, or 150° in each direction. Each gun required a crew of twenty men. At maximum elevation, the gun could fire a 140 kilograms (308.6 lb) shell 16900 metres (18,482.1 yd). They could fire three to four armor-piercing shells per minute at a muzzle velocity of 690 metres per second (2,263.8 ft/s). Each of the guns weighed at least 24040 kilograms (52,999.1 lb).
Their secondary armament consisted of twelve 19 centimetres (7.5 in)/42 caliber guns, also made by Škoda, mounted in eight single casemates on either wing of the ship and two twin turrets on the centerline. They could be depressed to -3° and elevated to 20°. They also could be trained 150° to the left and right. They could fire a 97 kilograms (213.8 lb) armor-piercing shell 20000 metres (21,872.3 yd) at maximum elevation with a muzzle velocity of 800 metres per second (2,624.7 ft/s). The gun weighed 12.1 tons and could fire three rounds per minute.
The ships had a tertiary armament for protection against torpedo boats in the form of the 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in)/45 caliber
gun, too manufactured by Škoda. They could be depressed to -10° and elevated to 20, and had an arc of fire of 360°, meaning that they could fire at any target within their range of fire. The guns could fire about ten to fifteen rounds per minute. At their maximum elevation, the guns could fire a 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lb) high-explosive charge 9140 metres (9,995.6 yd) at a muzzle velocity of 880 metres per second (2,887.1 ft/s).
Anti-aircraft and airship protection was covered by the four 37 millimetres (1.5 in) Vickers
anti-aircraft guns on the ship. They could be depressed to -5° and elevated to 80°. They had an arc of fire of 360°, which meant that they also could engage any target within their range. Manually operated by only one crewman,, they could fire a 0.7 kilograms (1.5 lb) shell 1830 metres (2,001.3 yd) at maximum elevation with a muzzle velocity of 640 metres per second (2,099.7 ft/s). Designed in 1910, the each of the guns weighed 57 kilograms (125.7 lb). The Erzherzog Karl class was also fitted with two above water 45 centimetres (17.7 in) torpedo tube
s, although they were rarely used.
of the ships had 220 mm (8.7 in) of armor plating, while the bulkheads inside the battleship that separated different compartments were 200 mm (7.9 in) thick.
, Maximilian I of Mexico
and Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen
. The ships were all laid down at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
in Trieste. The first ship of the class, Erzherzog Karl
was laid down on 24 July 1902. Following 15 months of construction she was launched on 4 October 1903 and finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 17 June 1906. The next ship of the class was the Erzherzog Friedrich
. She was laid down on 4 October 1902 and launched on 30 April 1904. Erzherzog Friedrich was finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 31 January 1907. The third and final ship of the Erzherzog Karl-class was the Erzherzog Ferdinand Max
. She was laid down on 9 March 1904 and later launched on 21 May 1905. She was commissioned into the navy on 21 December 1907.
the three ships formed the III division of the Austrian-Hungarian battle-fleet and spent most of the war based at Pola
. The members of the Erzherzog Karl-class was mobilized on the eve of the war to support the flight of and . The two German ships were attempting to break out of Messina, which was surrounded by British troops, and make their way to Turkey. The breakout succeeded. When the flotilla had advanced as far south as Brindisi
in south eastern Italy, the Austro-Hungarian ships were recalled.. In company with other units of the Austro Hungarian Navy the class took part in the bombardment of Ancona
on May 24, 1915. There they expended 24 rounds of 240 mm armor-piercing shells at signal and semaphore stations as well as 74 rounds of 190 mm shells aimed at Italian
gun-batteries and other port installations.
A major mutiny among crews of the armored cruisers stationed in Cattaro, including and , began on 1 February 1918. Two days later, the three Erzherzog Karl class ships arrived in the port and assisted with the suppression of the mutiny. Following the restoration of order in the naval base, the armored cruisers Sankt Georg and Kaiser Karl VI were decommissioned and the three Erzherzog Karl class battleships were stationed in Cattaro in their place. For the morning of 11 June, Admiral Miklos Horthy
planned a major assault on the Otranto Barrage
; the three Erzherzog Karls and the four s were to provide support for the s. The plan was intended to replicate the success of the raid conducted one year earlier
. Horthiy's plan was to destroy the blockading fleet by luring Allied ships to the cruisers and lighter ships, which were protected from the heavier guns of the battleships, including the Erzherzog Karl-class. However, on the morning of 10 June, the dreadnought was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian torpedo boat
. Horthy felt surprise had been lost and therefore called off the operation. This was to be the last military action the Erzehrzog Karl class ships were to take part in and they spent the rest of their career at port in Pola.
Following the end of World War I in November 1918, the members of the Erzherzog Karl-class were first taken over by Yugoslavia in 1919, but the Erzherzog Karl and Erzherzog Friedrich were then ceded as war reparations to France
. The remaining battleship, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max was ceded to the United Kingdom. However, Erzherzog Karl sank on her voyage to Britain and was scrapped in 1920. The remaining two battleships were scrapped in 1921.
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
built before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. All of the battleships of the Erzherzog Karl-class were built in the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino was a private shipbuilding company based in Trieste from the mid-19th to early 20th century, and the most important naval shipbuilding firm of the Austro-Hungarian Empire....
shipyards in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
. The first battleship, was laid down in 1902. Construction on the remaining two battleships, and continued up to 1905. Erzherzog Karl was commissioned in 1906, while Erzherzog Ferdinand Max and Erzherzog Friedrich were commissioned in 1907. The three Erzherzog Karl-class battleships were considered relatively modern by the time they were commissioned. However, small docking space and budget restraints resulted in the class being fairly compact. Nevertheless, they were well designed and properly protected. The Erzherzog Karl-class were the last and largest pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austrian Navy. They were named after members of the Austrian Royal family.
Despite these qualities, the Erzherzog Karl-class battleships were inferior to the more modern Dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
type battleships – with their "all big gun" armament and turbine propulsion. As a result, they only played a limited role during World War I. At the beginning of the war, the members of the Erzherzog Karl-class formed the III division of the Austrian-Hungarian battle-fleet. Despite their largely inactive involvement in the conflict, the battleships of the Erzherzog Karl-class did participate in the flight of SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau during the opening days of the war, as well as the bombardment of Ancona on 23 May 1915. The ships also took part in suppressing a major mutiny among the crew members of several armored cruisers stationed in Cattaro between 1–3 February 1918. Following Austria-Hungary's defeat in World War I, Erzherzog Karl and Erzherzog Friedrich were handed over to France. The remaining battleship, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, was given to Great Britain. Erzherzog Karl ran aground at Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
and was broken up there in 1921. The remaining two battleships were scrapped in 1921 in Italy.
General Characteristics
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 71 in 5 in (21.77 m) and a draft of 24 in 7 in (7.49 m). They were manned by 700 men. They were the last and largest pre-dreadnnought class built by the Austro Hungarian Navy, surpassing the Habsburg class battleship
Habsburg class battleship
The Habsburg class was a group of pre-dreadnought battleships built by Austria-Hungary at the turn of the 20th century. They were the first sea-going battleship built by Austria-Hungary since the center-battery ship Tegetthoff in 1876. The class was composed of three ships: , , and...
by approximately 2000 tons.
Propulsion
The ships were propelled by two two-shaft, four cylinder vertical triple expansion steam engines. On trials, they developed 18000 ihp, which could move the ship along at a speed of 20.5 knots (11.2 m/s). On trials, the Erzherzog Karls engines managed to produce a knot more speed than was originally planned.Armament
As with the Ersatz Monarch class battleshipErsatz Monarch class battleship
The Ersatz Monarch-class battleship was a projected new class of four battleships which were to be constructed for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in 1914–1919. Designed to replace the Monarch class of coastal defense ships, each of the battleships were to carry ten guns as their primary armament, a...
that was planned to be built 13 years later, the Erzherzog Karl class carried a primary armament made by Škoda Works
Škoda Works
Škoda Works was the largest industrial enterprise in Austro-Hungary and later in Czechoslovakia, one of its successor states. It was also one of the largest industrial conglomerates in Europe in the 20th century...
. On each ship, there were four 24 centimetres (9.4 in)/40 caliber guns in two twin turrets on the centerline. These guns were an Austro-Hungarian replica of the 24 cm/40 (9.4") Krupp C/94, which was used on the Habsburgs. The guns could be depressed to -5° and elevated to 30°. The arc of fire of the guns was 300°, or 150° in each direction. Each gun required a crew of twenty men. At maximum elevation, the gun could fire a 140 kilograms (308.6 lb) shell 16900 metres (18,482.1 yd). They could fire three to four armor-piercing shells per minute at a muzzle velocity of 690 metres per second (2,263.8 ft/s). Each of the guns weighed at least 24040 kilograms (52,999.1 lb).
Their secondary armament consisted of twelve 19 centimetres (7.5 in)/42 caliber guns, also made by Škoda, mounted in eight single casemates on either wing of the ship and two twin turrets on the centerline. They could be depressed to -3° and elevated to 20°. They also could be trained 150° to the left and right. They could fire a 97 kilograms (213.8 lb) armor-piercing shell 20000 metres (21,872.3 yd) at maximum elevation with a muzzle velocity of 800 metres per second (2,624.7 ft/s). The gun weighed 12.1 tons and could fire three rounds per minute.
The ships had a tertiary armament for protection against torpedo boats in the form of the 6.6 centimetres (2.6 in)/45 caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
gun, too manufactured by Škoda. They could be depressed to -10° and elevated to 20, and had an arc of fire of 360°, meaning that they could fire at any target within their range of fire. The guns could fire about ten to fifteen rounds per minute. At their maximum elevation, the guns could fire a 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lb) high-explosive charge 9140 metres (9,995.6 yd) at a muzzle velocity of 880 metres per second (2,887.1 ft/s).
Anti-aircraft and airship protection was covered by the four 37 millimetres (1.5 in) Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
anti-aircraft guns on the ship. They could be depressed to -5° and elevated to 80°. They had an arc of fire of 360°, which meant that they also could engage any target within their range. Manually operated by only one crewman,, they could fire a 0.7 kilograms (1.5 lb) shell 1830 metres (2,001.3 yd) at maximum elevation with a muzzle velocity of 640 metres per second (2,099.7 ft/s). Designed in 1910, the each of the guns weighed 57 kilograms (125.7 lb). The Erzherzog Karl class was also fitted with two above water 45 centimetres (17.7 in) torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
s, although they were rarely used.
Armor
The armor plating of the battleships around the waterline belt, one of the more vulnerable areas of a ship, was 210 mm (8.3 in), while their deck armor was 55 mm (2.2 in). The turrets and casemates had 240 mm (9.4 in) and 150 mm (5.9 in) armor respectively. This was done in order to protect the battleships against a possible shell landing on the turrets and the imminent explosion resulting from such a hit. The conning towerConning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
of the ships had 220 mm (8.7 in) of armor plating, while the bulkheads inside the battleship that separated different compartments were 200 mm (7.9 in) thick.
Construction
The Erzherzog Karl-class, like the Habsburg-class before them and the Radetzky-class after them were named after archdukes of the Austro-Hungarian Royal Family, specifically Archduke Charles, Duke of TeschenArchduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...
, Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
and Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen was a member of the House of Habsburg and the Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.-Early life:...
. The ships were all laid down at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino
Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino was a private shipbuilding company based in Trieste from the mid-19th to early 20th century, and the most important naval shipbuilding firm of the Austro-Hungarian Empire....
in Trieste. The first ship of the class, Erzherzog Karl
SMS Erzherzog Karl
SMS Erzherzog Karl was a pre-dreadnought battleship built by the Austro-Hungarian navy in 1902. The lead ship of the , she was launched on 3 October 1903. They were assigned to the III Battleship Division....
was laid down on 24 July 1902. Following 15 months of construction she was launched on 4 October 1903 and finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 17 June 1906. The next ship of the class was the Erzherzog Friedrich
SMS Erzherzog Friedrich
SMS Erzherzog Friedrich was a pre-dreadnought battleship built by the Austro-Hungarian navy in 1902. The second ship of the , she was launched on 30 April 1904...
. She was laid down on 4 October 1902 and launched on 30 April 1904. Erzherzog Friedrich was finally commissioned into the Austro-Hungarian Navy on 31 January 1907. The third and final ship of the Erzherzog Karl-class was the Erzherzog Ferdinand Max
SMS Erzherzog Ferdinand Max
SMS Erzherzog Ferdinand Max was a pre-dreadnought battleship built by the Austro-Hungarian navy in 1902. The second ship of the , she was launched on 3 October 1903. She was assigned to the III Battleship Division....
. She was laid down on 9 March 1904 and later launched on 21 May 1905. She was commissioned into the navy on 21 December 1907.
Service history
At the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the three ships formed the III division of the Austrian-Hungarian battle-fleet and spent most of the war based at Pola
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
. The members of the Erzherzog Karl-class was mobilized on the eve of the war to support the flight of and . The two German ships were attempting to break out of Messina, which was surrounded by British troops, and make their way to Turkey. The breakout succeeded. When the flotilla had advanced as far south as Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
in south eastern Italy, the Austro-Hungarian ships were recalled.. In company with other units of the Austro Hungarian Navy the class took part in the bombardment of Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
on May 24, 1915. There they expended 24 rounds of 240 mm armor-piercing shells at signal and semaphore stations as well as 74 rounds of 190 mm shells aimed at Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
gun-batteries and other port installations.
A major mutiny among crews of the armored cruisers stationed in Cattaro, including and , began on 1 February 1918. Two days later, the three Erzherzog Karl class ships arrived in the port and assisted with the suppression of the mutiny. Following the restoration of order in the naval base, the armored cruisers Sankt Georg and Kaiser Karl VI were decommissioned and the three Erzherzog Karl class battleships were stationed in Cattaro in their place. For the morning of 11 June, Admiral Miklos Horthy
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
planned a major assault on the Otranto Barrage
Otranto Barrage
The Otranto Barrage was an Allied naval blockade of the Otranto Straits between Brindisi in Italy and Corfu on the Albanian side of the Adriatic Sea in World War I. The blockade was intended to prevent the Austro-Hungarian Navy from escaping into the Mediterranean and threatening Allied operations...
; the three Erzherzog Karls and the four s were to provide support for the s. The plan was intended to replicate the success of the raid conducted one year earlier
Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1917)
The 1917 Battle of the Strait of Otranto was the result of an Austro-Hungarian raid on the Otranto Barrage, an Allied naval blockade of the Strait of Otranto. The battle took place on 14–15 May 1917, and was the largest surface action in the Adriatic Sea during World War I...
. Horthiy's plan was to destroy the blockading fleet by luring Allied ships to the cruisers and lighter ships, which were protected from the heavier guns of the battleships, including the Erzherzog Karl-class. However, on the morning of 10 June, the dreadnought was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
. Horthy felt surprise had been lost and therefore called off the operation. This was to be the last military action the Erzehrzog Karl class ships were to take part in and they spent the rest of their career at port in Pola.
Following the end of World War I in November 1918, the members of the Erzherzog Karl-class were first taken over by Yugoslavia in 1919, but the Erzherzog Karl and Erzherzog Friedrich were then ceded as war reparations to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The remaining battleship, Erzherzog Ferdinand Max was ceded to the United Kingdom. However, Erzherzog Karl sank on her voyage to Britain and was scrapped in 1920. The remaining two battleships were scrapped in 1921.