Hemmema
Encyclopedia
A hemmema was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea
and along the coasts of Svealand
and Finland
against the Russian navy. The hemmema was designed by the prolific naval architect Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
for use in an area of mostly shallow waters and groups of islands and islets that extend from Stockholm all the way to the Gulf of Finland.
naval power in the Baltic
challenged the interests of Sweden, at the time one of the major powers in the Baltic. The Swedish empire
at the time included territory in Northern Germany, all of modern Finland and most of the Baltic states
, a dominion held together by the Baltic sea routes. Russian Tsar Peter the Great had established a new capital and naval base in Saint Petersburg
in 1703. During the Great Northern War
Sweden lost its Baltic state territories, and experienced destructive Russian raiding in Finland and along the chain of islands and archipelago
s that stretched all the way from the Gulf of Finland
to the capital of Stockholm
. The traumatic experience led to the establishment of inshore flotillas of shallow-draft vessels. The first of these consisted mainly of smaller versions of the traditional Mediterranean warship, the galleys. Most of these more akin to galiot
s and were complemented with gun pram
s. The disastrous war against Russia 1741-43 and the minor involvement in Prussia
in the Seven Years' War
1757-62 showed the need for further expansion and development of the inshore flotillas with more specialized vessels.
Traditional galleys were effective as troop transports for amphibious operations, but were severely under-gunned, especially in relation to their large crews; a galley with a 250-man crew, most of whom were rowers, would typically be armed with only one 24-pounder cannon
and two 6-pounders, all in the bow. However, they were undecked and lacked adequate shelter for the rower-soldiers, great numbers of which succumbed to illness in the war of 1741-43. The Swedish military invested considerable resources into the establishment of the "archipelago fleet
" (skärgårdsflottan), a separate branch of the armed forced that organizationally belonged to the army. In 1756, it was even officially designated Arméns flotta, "Navy of the Army", though it was in many ways a highly independent organization that attracted a social and cultural elite and enjoyed the protection of Gustav III
after his 1772 coup that empowered him as an absolute monarch.
Several new ships were designed by the naval architect Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
to bolster the hitting-power of the new Swedish arm, to provide it with better naval defense and greater fire support
capabilities during amphibious operations. The result was four new vessels that combined the maneuverability of oar-powered galleys with the superior rigs and decent living conditions of sailing ships: the udema
, pojama, turuma
and hemmema, named after the Finnish regions of Uusimaa
("Uudenmaan" in genitive form), Pohjanmaa
, Turunmaa and Hämeenmaa (Tavastia
). All four have been referred to as skärgårdsfregatter, "archipelago frigates", in Swedish and English historical literature, though the smaller udema and pojama are also described as "archipelago corvettes" originally. The name "hemmema" has been carried on (in its more modern variant) as a traditional vessel name in the Finnish navy, with several ships
named after the type.
, the hemmema was the type of specialized archipelago warship that closest fit the description of "archipelago frigate", showing considerable similarities with small ocean-going frigates. The first hemmema, the Oden, was completed in 1764. It was c. 33 m (110 ft) long and 8.5 m (27.5 ft) wide with a draft of 3 m (10 ft). It had a low hull with no forecastle, only a low quarterdeck and no poop deck
. There were three masts that were initially rigged with lateen
sails, like a galley, by this was later replaced with a more conventional square-sail frigate rig. The early design could be rowed with 14 pairs of oars with four men per oar. The rowers plied their oars from the gun deck through oarports placed between the gunports, much nearer to the waterline than the turuma
, where the oarsmen sat on the weather deck above the guns. The oarports were placed on a rectangular outrigger that was designed to improve their leverage. Despite this, hemmemas performed poorly when rowed and were difficult in contrary winds. They were slower than ordinary sailing ships, but were better sailers than galleys.
During the Russian war of 1788-1790
, three hemmemas of a new design were built. They were considerably larger, 44.5 m (146 ft) by 11 m (36 ft), and the number of oars were increased to 20 pairs. It also carried among the heaviest broadsides in the entire navy. The artillery officer Carl Fredrik Achling had cooperated with Chapman to bring up the main armament to 22 36-pounders and two 12-pounders, which increased the draft by about 30 cm (1 ft). The heavier armament was possible by the addition of diagonal bracer
s to reinforce the hull, and allowing the later hemmemas to carry guns that more powerful than even the largest sailing frigates of the high seas navy. Due to their considerable firepower and relative size, they have been described as "super archipelago frigates" by naval historian Jan Glete
.
The hemmema's design was very similar to the turuma
. The primary difference was that hemmemas were rowed from the gundeck, providing the oarsmen with better leverage by placing them closer to the waterline. The later hemmemas were also considerably larger, more heavily armed and of a more robust construction. Glete has gone as describing them as variations on the same type, especially when considering the pre-war designs.
The concept of hybrid frigates with oar propulsion capabilities was not new. Small "galleass
es" had been built for the English navy as early as the mid-16th century, and the British navy had equipped the equivalent of sixth rates with oar ports on or below the gundeck as early as the 1660s. "Shebecks", Baltic variations on the Mediterranean xebec
s, had been introduced in the Russian navy for inshore duties during the 18th century. Both of these have been suggested as possible inspirations for af Chapman's new designs.
Hemmemas served in the Finnish squadrons during the war of 1788-1790
. They were used to support amphibious operations and to conduct raids on the Russian archipelago fleet, while at the same time acting as a sea-borne flank support for the Swedish army on the Finnish mainland. Hemmemas fought in the first and second battles of Svensksund
. In the first in August 1789, one hemmema complemented the similar turumas, and at the second battle in July 1790, two hemmemas made up the defensive center and provided a considerable percentage of the total firepower.
Additional hemmemas were being constructed at the fortress of Sveaborg when it was captured by the Russians in 1808. Shortly afterward, the Russians built their own versions with 32 guns that were 43.8 m (143.75 ft) long and 10.8 m (35.5 ft) wide, and one was built for the Russian Baltic fleet as late as 1823. Two more were built in Sweden in 1809 (with only 10 pairs of oars), and there were plans to convert one of these to a paddlewheel steam battery for coastal defense, though the idea was eventually scrapped.
Like the other specialized archipelago vessels, the hemmema had only limited advantages. While it had superior firepower, its sailing qualities were mediocre and they were quite slow under oars. Hemmemas had the potential to be an effective weapon against galleys, matching their forward firepower and severely out-gunning them with its broadside armament. Inside an enemy galley formation, it could wreak considerable havoc, but such a maneuver was never achieved in an actual battle, leaving that tactical role untested.
Archipelago fleet
The archipelago fleet , officially the fleet of the army , was a branch of the armed services of Sweden between 1756 and 1823. Its purpose was to protect the coasts of Sweden, which was surrounded by a natural barrier of archipelagoes...
in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters...
and along the coasts of Svealand
Svealand
Svealand , Swealand or Sweden proper is the historical core region of Sweden. It is located in south central Sweden and is one of three lands of Sweden, bounded to the north by Norrland and to the south by Götaland. Deep forests, Tiveden, Tylöskog, Kolmården, separated Svealand from Götaland...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
against the Russian navy. The hemmema was designed by the prolific naval architect Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
for use in an area of mostly shallow waters and groups of islands and islets that extend from Stockholm all the way to the Gulf of Finland.
Background
In the early 18th century, the establishment of RussianRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
naval power in the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
challenged the interests of Sweden, at the time one of the major powers in the Baltic. The Swedish empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
at the time included territory in Northern Germany, all of modern Finland and most of the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
, a dominion held together by the Baltic sea routes. Russian Tsar Peter the Great had established a new capital and naval base in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
in 1703. During the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
Sweden lost its Baltic state territories, and experienced destructive Russian raiding in Finland and along the chain of islands and archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
s that stretched all the way from the Gulf of Finland
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...
to the capital of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The traumatic experience led to the establishment of inshore flotillas of shallow-draft vessels. The first of these consisted mainly of smaller versions of the traditional Mediterranean warship, the galleys. Most of these more akin to galiot
Galiot
Galiots were types of ships from the Age of Sail.In the Mediterranean, galiots were a type of small galley, with one or two masts and about twenty oars, using both sails and oars for propulsion...
s and were complemented with gun pram
Pram
Pram may refer to:*Pram, Austria* Pram , a musical group* Pram , a type of shallow-draught, flat-bottomed ship * A type of dinghy with a flat bow* A type of wheeled baby transport...
s. The disastrous war against Russia 1741-43 and the minor involvement in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
1757-62 showed the need for further expansion and development of the inshore flotillas with more specialized vessels.
Traditional galleys were effective as troop transports for amphibious operations, but were severely under-gunned, especially in relation to their large crews; a galley with a 250-man crew, most of whom were rowers, would typically be armed with only one 24-pounder cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
and two 6-pounders, all in the bow. However, they were undecked and lacked adequate shelter for the rower-soldiers, great numbers of which succumbed to illness in the war of 1741-43. The Swedish military invested considerable resources into the establishment of the "archipelago fleet
Archipelago fleet
The archipelago fleet , officially the fleet of the army , was a branch of the armed services of Sweden between 1756 and 1823. Its purpose was to protect the coasts of Sweden, which was surrounded by a natural barrier of archipelagoes...
" (skärgårdsflottan), a separate branch of the armed forced that organizationally belonged to the army. In 1756, it was even officially designated Arméns flotta, "Navy of the Army", though it was in many ways a highly independent organization that attracted a social and cultural elite and enjoyed the protection of Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
after his 1772 coup that empowered him as an absolute monarch.
Several new ships were designed by the naval architect Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman
Fredrik Henrik af Chapman was a Swedish shipbuilder, scientist and officer in the Swedish navy. He was also manager of the Karlskrona shipyard 1782-1793...
to bolster the hitting-power of the new Swedish arm, to provide it with better naval defense and greater fire support
Fire support
Fire support is long-range firepower provided to a front-line military unit. Typically, fire support is provided by artillery or close air support , and is used to shape the battlefield or, more optimistically, define the battle...
capabilities during amphibious operations. The result was four new vessels that combined the maneuverability of oar-powered galleys with the superior rigs and decent living conditions of sailing ships: the udema
Udema
An udema was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea and along the coasts of Svealand and Finland against the Russian navy...
, pojama, turuma
Turuma
A turuma was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea and along the coasts of Svealand and Finland against the Russian navy...
and hemmema, named after the Finnish regions of Uusimaa
Uusimaa
Uusimaa, or Nyland in Swedish, is a region in Finland. It borders the regions Finland Proper, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia and Kymenlaakso...
("Uudenmaan" in genitive form), Pohjanmaa
Pohjanmaa
Pohjanmaa is the name of a geographical region in Finland which can refer to:-Former entities:...
, Turunmaa and Hämeenmaa (Tavastia
Tavastia
Tavastia may refer to:* Tavastia , a historical province of the kingdom of Sweden, located in modern-day Finland* Tavastia Proper, a modern region of Finland* Päijänne Tavastia, another region of Finland...
). All four have been referred to as skärgårdsfregatter, "archipelago frigates", in Swedish and English historical literature, though the smaller udema and pojama are also described as "archipelago corvettes" originally. The name "hemmema" has been carried on (in its more modern variant) as a traditional vessel name in the Finnish navy, with several ships
Hämeenmaa (disambiguation)
Hämeenmaa is the name of a geographical region in Finland which can refer to:* Häme - a current region of Finland* Hämeenmaa - the Finnish name of the former region Tavastia-See also:* Häme...
named after the type.
Design
Along with the turumaTuruma
A turuma was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea and along the coasts of Svealand and Finland against the Russian navy...
, the hemmema was the type of specialized archipelago warship that closest fit the description of "archipelago frigate", showing considerable similarities with small ocean-going frigates. The first hemmema, the Oden, was completed in 1764. It was c. 33 m (110 ft) long and 8.5 m (27.5 ft) wide with a draft of 3 m (10 ft). It had a low hull with no forecastle, only a low quarterdeck and no poop deck
Poop deck
In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or "aft", part of the superstructure of a ship.The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis...
. There were three masts that were initially rigged with lateen
Lateen
A lateen or latin-rig is a triangular sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, and running in a fore-and-aft direction....
sails, like a galley, by this was later replaced with a more conventional square-sail frigate rig. The early design could be rowed with 14 pairs of oars with four men per oar. The rowers plied their oars from the gun deck through oarports placed between the gunports, much nearer to the waterline than the turuma
Turuma
A turuma was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea and along the coasts of Svealand and Finland against the Russian navy...
, where the oarsmen sat on the weather deck above the guns. The oarports were placed on a rectangular outrigger that was designed to improve their leverage. Despite this, hemmemas performed poorly when rowed and were difficult in contrary winds. They were slower than ordinary sailing ships, but were better sailers than galleys.
During the Russian war of 1788-1790
Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)
The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
, three hemmemas of a new design were built. They were considerably larger, 44.5 m (146 ft) by 11 m (36 ft), and the number of oars were increased to 20 pairs. It also carried among the heaviest broadsides in the entire navy. The artillery officer Carl Fredrik Achling had cooperated with Chapman to bring up the main armament to 22 36-pounders and two 12-pounders, which increased the draft by about 30 cm (1 ft). The heavier armament was possible by the addition of diagonal bracer
Bracer
A bracer is a strap or sheath, commonly made of leather, stone, or plastic that covers the inside of an archer's arm to protect it while shooting. Bracers keep the inside of the archer's forearm from getting hurt by the string of the bow or the fletching of the arrow; they also prevent loose...
s to reinforce the hull, and allowing the later hemmemas to carry guns that more powerful than even the largest sailing frigates of the high seas navy. Due to their considerable firepower and relative size, they have been described as "super archipelago frigates" by naval historian Jan Glete
Jan Glete
Jan Glete was a Swedish historian. He was professor of history at the Stockholm University, specializing in 20th century Swedish industry and banking as well as the connection between state formation and naval history in early modern Europe.-Academic career:Glete spent his entire academic career...
.
The hemmema's design was very similar to the turuma
Turuma
A turuma was a type of warship built for the Swedish archipelago fleet in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was developed for warfare in the Archipelago Sea and along the coasts of Svealand and Finland against the Russian navy...
. The primary difference was that hemmemas were rowed from the gundeck, providing the oarsmen with better leverage by placing them closer to the waterline. The later hemmemas were also considerably larger, more heavily armed and of a more robust construction. Glete has gone as describing them as variations on the same type, especially when considering the pre-war designs.
The concept of hybrid frigates with oar propulsion capabilities was not new. Small "galleass
Galleass
The galleass developed from large merchant galleys.Converted for military use they were higher and larger than regular galleys. They had up to 32 oars, each worked by up to 5 men. They usually had three masts and a forecastle and aftcastle. Much effort was made in Venice to make these galleasses...
es" had been built for the English navy as early as the mid-16th century, and the British navy had equipped the equivalent of sixth rates with oar ports on or below the gundeck as early as the 1660s. "Shebecks", Baltic variations on the Mediterranean xebec
Xebec
A xebec , also spelled zebec, was a Mediterranean sailing ship that was used mostly for trading. It would have a long overhanging bowsprit and protruding mizzen mast...
s, had been introduced in the Russian navy for inshore duties during the 18th century. Both of these have been suggested as possible inspirations for af Chapman's new designs.
Service
Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790)
The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
. They were used to support amphibious operations and to conduct raids on the Russian archipelago fleet, while at the same time acting as a sea-borne flank support for the Swedish army on the Finnish mainland. Hemmemas fought in the first and second battles of Svensksund
Battle of Svensksund
The Battle of Svensksund was a naval battle fought in the Gulf of Finland outside the present day city of Kotka on 9 July 1790. The Swedish naval forces dealt the Russian fleet a devastating defeat that resulted in an end to the Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90...
. In the first in August 1789, one hemmema complemented the similar turumas, and at the second battle in July 1790, two hemmemas made up the defensive center and provided a considerable percentage of the total firepower.
Additional hemmemas were being constructed at the fortress of Sveaborg when it was captured by the Russians in 1808. Shortly afterward, the Russians built their own versions with 32 guns that were 43.8 m (143.75 ft) long and 10.8 m (35.5 ft) wide, and one was built for the Russian Baltic fleet as late as 1823. Two more were built in Sweden in 1809 (with only 10 pairs of oars), and there were plans to convert one of these to a paddlewheel steam battery for coastal defense, though the idea was eventually scrapped.
Like the other specialized archipelago vessels, the hemmema had only limited advantages. While it had superior firepower, its sailing qualities were mediocre and they were quite slow under oars. Hemmemas had the potential to be an effective weapon against galleys, matching their forward firepower and severely out-gunning them with its broadside armament. Inside an enemy galley formation, it could wreak considerable havoc, but such a maneuver was never achieved in an actual battle, leaving that tactical role untested.
Ships
Nine hemmemas were built altogether, six of them for the Swedish archipelago fleet. Another three were built for the Russian fleet, two in 1809 and one as late as 1823. Ships with known names are listed below with launch year in parenthesis.- Oden (1764)
- Hjalmar (1790)
- Starkotter (1790)
- Styrbjörn (1790) — She participated in the "Vyborg gauntlet" where she led the archipelago fleet in the successful break-out of the Russian blockade and formed part of the center at the second battle of SvensksundBattle of SvensksundThe Battle of Svensksund was a naval battle fought in the Gulf of Finland outside the present day city of Kotka on 9 July 1790. The Swedish naval forces dealt the Russian fleet a devastating defeat that resulted in an end to the Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90...
. She was named after the Viking king Styrbjörn the StrongStyrbjörn the StrongStyrbjörn the Strong was, according to late Norse sagas, the son of the Swedish king Olof, and the nephew of Olof's co-ruler and successor Eric the Victorious, who defeated and killed Styrbjörn at the Battle of Fyrisvellir...
. Styrbjörn and her sistership Hjalmar were in winter storage at Sveaborg in May 1808 when the fortress was surrendered over to the Russians. Her Russian service was however short. On the night of 17–18 August 1808, the Swedish captain Otto Gustaf Nordenskjöld and lieutenant A. Dreijer launched a surprise attack with 24 launchLaunch (boat)A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
es and sloopSloopA sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s and managed to cut out Styrbjörn and the smaller yacht Aglae. The ships began sailing to friendly ports but Styrbjörn ran aground on a skerrySkerryA skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
after a Russian attack. Her crew decided to abandon her and set her ablaze to prevent capture and she was completely destroyed when the fire reached the gunpowder magazine. - Birger Jarl (1809)
- Erik Segersäll (1809)