# Wreckage of Kattan

vteSwedish colonial conflicts :
9th century
1st Courland
2nd Courland
12th century
1st Finland
13th century
Tavastia
2nd Finland
3rd Finland
Livonia
15th century
Satakunta
16th century
4th Finland
17th century
1st Beversrede
2nd Beversrede
Tacorary
Casimir
1st New Sweden
2nd New Sweden
Saint Kitts
Kattan
1st Carolusborg
2nd Carolusborg
3rd Carolusborg
4th Carolusborg
3rd New Sweden
Kauhajoki
Värtsilä
Lembola
Libelits
18th century
Esequibo
Porto Novo
Cochim
Surat
19th century
1st Saint-Barthélemy
2nd Saint-Barthélemy
3rd Saint-Barthélemy
4th Saint-Barthélemy
5th Saint-Barthélemy
6th Saint-Barthélemy
20th century
Svalbard :
vteSwedish anti-piracy actions :
Battles/Wars
14th century
Baltic Sea
17th century
Kattan
Saint Kitts
18th century
Mediterranean1
Mediterranean2
Tunis
Algeria
19th century
Tripoli
Cape Palos
Brazil
Morocco
Guayaquil
21st century
Somalia
Prosecutions
Gustav Skytte
Johanna Hård :
The Wreckage of Kattan was the wreckage of the Swedish ship Kattan in August 28. The crew was taken by Spanish pirates back to Puerto Rico.

## Background
### Expedition of 1649

In 1649, in response to New Sweden needing new settlers and resources, the Swedish ship "Kattan" was sent towards New Sweden. It was originally the Kalmar Nyckel that was meant to sail towards the colony, however, it was so damaged that it had no chance of making it across the Atlantic. The captain of the Kattan was Cornelius Lucifer and the two shipmates were Måns Bengtsson and Jan Janson Bockhorn. The ship left Gothenburg harbor on July 3.

## Wreckage

On August 28, the Kattan got stuck in an underwater reef, but managed to break free. However, the ship quickly got stuck again, and the crew could not move it. The women and children on board were put into the lifeboats and rowed towards a nearby island with provisions. A severe storm later broke out and the crew was forced to cut off the masts and throw them into the water.
The next day, the men joined the women and children on the island, unfortunately for them, the island was uninhabited and had no fresh water, and they tried to survive on the island for 8 days.
After 5 days of surviving on the island, a bark passed by the stranded island, and the Swedes quickly fired two distress signals, but the ship did not dare to help as the skipper thought they were a pirate crew, and sailed to Puerto Rico to notify the Spaniards about it.
Then, 2 Spanish pirate ships appeared and asked who the survivors were, when the survivors showed their Swedish pass, the Spaniards said they had never heard of that country before.
The survivors were challenged to fight or surrender, after which they quickly stole all of the Swedes possessions and brought them to Puerto Rico where they were forced to parade amid fifes and trumpets into the town square where they were forced to work or beg on the streets. Only a handful of the Swedes managed to survive.

## Aftermath

On 1 May 1650, 24 Swedes managed to get onboard a bark on which they began sailing away from Puerto Rico. However, after a few days of sailing they were attacked by a French ship and lost all of their possessions, they were subjected to physical abuse, with a woman dying after being raped by the French captain.