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An investigation into the circumstances of the loss
In April 1912 the world's finest passenger ship the Titanic was lost on her maiden voyage through what might well be described as over-confidence and navigational arrogance.
Nearly 800 years earlier on November 25 1120 AD the White Ship (also called the Blanche Nef) considered to be the finest and one of the largest afloat then was also lost through rather similar over-confidence and arrogance.
About two thirds of the passengers from the Titanic drowned mainly through lack of sufficient lifeboats. Only one of the 300 or so people on the White Ship survived, there being only one small boat to take them off and that capsized about which more later.
Both vessels were carrying many of the great and the wealthy as well as others of lesser rank but the effect on England of those lost from the White Ship has had a much greater effect on our subsequent history than with the loss of eminent first class passengers from the Titanic. jj Astor was replaceable but William the Aetheling was not. He was the only legitimate son of Henry I and heir to the throne. His loss at the age of 18 created a crisis for the dynasty resulting after Henry's death 15 years later in the civil war between Henry's daughter Matilda and nephew Stephen. Eventually Matilda's son came to the throne as Henry 11 but the line would have been through the newly married William had he lived and produced a male heir. William's mother was descended from the Anglo Saxon line which would have prevailed rather than the Plantagenets.
So how could such a tragedy happen? The White Ship was alleged to be one of the finest then built. We know little about her dimensions but can make some reasonable guesses from information about her carrying capacity and the number of oars. It is thought that 300 drowned and although figures are often exaggerated this one may not be far off the mark. Various figures are given in different chronicles of the number on board. With 50 oars it is likely there were 50 oarsmen. She had a sail probably a large square sail which would have needed handling. With steersmen...