König class battleship
Encyclopedia
The König class was a group of four battleship
s built for the German Kaiserliche Marine
on the eve of World War I
. The class was composed of , , , and . The most powerful warships of the German High Seas Fleet
at the outbreak of war in 1914, the class operated as a unit throughout World War I—the V Division of the III Battle Squadron. The ships took part in a number of fleet operations during the war, including the Battle of Jutland
, where they acted as the vanguard of the German line
. They survived the war and were interned at Scapa Flow
in November 1918. All four ships were scuttled on 21 June 1919
when Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter
ordered the sinking of the entire High Seas Fleet.
The Königs were an improvement over the preceding class; one of the primary improvements being in the disposition of the main gun battery. The Kaiser class ships mounted ten 30.5 cm (12 in) SK L/50 guns in five twin turrets
; one turret was mounted fore, two aft in a superfiring
arrangement, and the other two in a staggered "wing" arrangement amidships. For the Königs, one of the wing turrets was moved forward and placed in a superfiring arrangement, while the second wing turret was moved to the centerline amidships. This allowed for a wider angle of fire on the broadside
, as all 10 guns could fire on a large area.The wing turrets on the Kaiser class ships could fire on the broadside, but only on a very limited arc; the conning tower
s, funnels, and other areas of superstructure
greatly reduced the angular range of fire.
s were significantly larger—and correspondingly more expensive—than the old pre-dreadnought
battleships. As a result, the funds that had been appropriated for the Navy in 1906 were going to be used up before they were scheduled to be replenished in 1911. Along with the additional funding secured in the 1908 bill, the service life of all large warships was to be reduced from 25 years to 20 years; this was done in an effort to force the Reichstag
to allocate more funds for additional ships. In his effort to force the Reichstag to pass the bill, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
threatened to resign from his post as the State Secretary for the Navy. As a result of von Tirpitz's ultimatum, the bill was passed in March 1908 by a large margin.
The reduction in service life necessitated the replacement of the coastal defense ships of the and classes as well as the s. In the terms of the First Amendment to the Naval Law of 1906, von Tirpitz had requested but failed to secure funding for new battleships; they had now been approved by the Reichstag. The Naval Law also increased the naval budget by an additional 1 billion marks
. After the four s had been replaced by the four Nassaus, and the six Siegfried class ships had been replaced by the Helgoland and Kaiser classes, the next vessels to be replaced were the old s. König and her three sisters
were ordered under the provisional names S, Ersatz Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm, Ersatz Weissenburg, and Ersatz Brandenburg.All German ships were ordered under provisional names; new additions to the fleet were given a letter, while ships that were intended to replace older vessels were ordered as "Ersatz (ship name).
The König class ships were 174.7 m long at the waterline, and 175.4 m long overall. With a beam of 19.5 m, a forward draft
of 9.19 m and a rear draft of 9.0 m, the Königs were designed to displace 25,796 metric tons normally, but at full combat load, they displaced 28,600 tons. The hulls
were constructed with transverse and longitudinal steel frames, over which the outer hull plates were rivet
ed. The ships' hulls each contained 18 watertight compartments, each equipped with a double bottom
that ran for 88% of the length of the hull.
German naval historian Erich Gröner, in his book German Warships 1815–1945, stated that the German navy considered the ships to be "very good sea-boats." They suffered a slight loss of speed in a swell
, and with the rudder hard over, the ships lost up to 66% speed and heeled over 8 degrees. The battleships had a transverse metacentric height
of 2.59 m. König, Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf, and Kronprinz each had a standard crew of 41 officers and 1095 enlisted men; König, the flagship of the III Squadron, had an additional crew of 14 officers and another 68 sailors. The ships carried several smaller boats, including one picket boat, three barges, two launches
, two yawl
s, and two dinghies
.
producing 12,000 shp at 150 rpm
. Development of the diesel was protracted, however, and it was later decided that the diesel would be installed only in Grosser Kurfürst and Markgraf. Ultimately, the diesel was never installed in any of the König class battleships. They were instead equipped with three sets of Parsons (König and Kronprinz), AEG-Vulcan (Grosser Kurfürst), or Bergmann (Markgraf) turbines
driving 3.8 m-wide three-bladed screws
. Steam was supplied by three oil-fired and 12 coal-fired Schulz-Thornycroft boilers operating at up to 16 atmospheres of pressure.
The power plant was rated at 31,000 shp. On trials, the ships produced between 41,400–46,200 shp. The designed top speed was 21 knots. The ships had a designed range of 8,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots, which decreased to 4,000 nautical miles at 18 knots. Maximum bunkerage was 3,000 tons of coal and 600 tons of oil. Each ship had two rudder
s. Electrical power was supplied by four turbo-generators and a pair of diesel generators; total electrical output was 2,040 kilowatts at 225 volt
s.
In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun quick firing, while the L/50 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/50 gun is 50 calibers, meaning that the gun barrel is 50 times as long as it is in diameter. in five twin turrets
. Two turrets were mounted forward of the main superstructure
in a superfiring pair
, the third was placed on the centerline between the two funnels amidships, and the fourth and fifth turrets were also arranged in a superfiring pair, aft of the rear conning tower
. Each gun turret had a working chamber beneath it that was connected to a revolving ammunition hoist leading down to the magazine below it. The turrets were electrically controlled, though the guns were elevated hydraulically. In an effort to reduce the possibility of a fire, everything in the turret was constructed of steel. This was an improvement over the preceding , as all ten guns could fire on a wide arc on the broadside
, and four guns could fire directly ahead, as opposed to only two on the Kaisers. The guns were supplied with 900 rounds, or 90 shells per gun. The 30.5 cm gun had a rate of fire
of between 2–3 405.5-kilogram (894-pound) armor-piercing shells
per minute, and was expected to fire 200 shells before replacement was necessary. The guns were also capable of firing 405.9 kg (894.8 lb) high explosive shells. Both types of shells were loaded with two propellant
charges: an RP C/12 main charge in a brass cartridge that weighed 91 kg (201 lb) and an RP C/12 fore charge in a silk bag that weighed 34.5 kg (76 lb). This provided a muzzle velocity
of 855 meters per second (2,805 ft/s). The turrets on the König class battleships initially allowed elevation up to 13.5 degrees; this enabled a maximum range of 16,200 m (17,700 yd). After modifications, elevation was increased to 16 degrees, which correspondingly increased the range of the guns to 20,400 m (22,300 yd).
Secondary armament consisted of fourteen 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 quick-firing guns, each mounted in MPL C/06.11 casemate
s in the side of the top deck. These guns were intended for defense against torpedo boats, and were supplied with a total of 2,240 shells. These guns could engage targets out to 13,500 m, and after improvements in 1915, their range was extended to 16,800 m. The guns had a sustained rate of fire
of 5 to 7 rounds per minute. The shells were 45.3 kg (99.8 lb), and were loaded with a 13.7 kg (31.2 lb) RPC/12 propellant charge in a brass cartridge. This provided a muzzle velocity of 835 meters per second (2,740 ft/s). Service life was estimated at approximately 1,400 shells fired before the guns would need to be replaced.
The Königs also carried six 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/45 quick-firing guns, mounted in casemates. The six guns were located on either side of the forward conning tower and were all directed forward. These guns were supplied with a total of 3,200 rounds, or 200 shells per gun, and could fire at a rate of 15 shells per minute. The high-explosive shells fired by these guns weighed 10 kg (22.05 lb) and were loaded with a 3 kg (6.6 lb) RPC/12 propellant charge. These guns had a life expectancy of around 7,000 rounds. These were later removed and replaced with four 8.8 cm SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns, which were mounted on either side of the rear conning tower.
As was customary for capital ships of the dreadnought
era, the ships were armed with five 50 cm (19.7 in) submerged torpedo tubes. One was mounted in the bow, the other four were placed on the broadside, two on each side of the ship. The tubes were supplied with 16 torpedoes. The torpedoes were the G7 type; they were 7.02 m (23 ft) long and were armed with a 195 kg (430 lb) explosive warhead. At 37 knots, the torpedoes had a range of 4,000 m (4,370 yd); at 27 knots the range more than doubled, to 9,300 m (10,170 yards).
cemented steel armor, as was the standard for German warships of the period. They had an armor belt that was 350 mm (13.8 in) thick in the central citadel of the ship, where the most important parts of the ship were located. This included the ammunition magazines and the machinery spaces. The belt was reduced in less critical areas, to 180 mm (7.1 in) forward and 120 mm (4.7 in) aft. The bow
and stern
were not protected by armor at all. A 40 mm (1.6 in)-thick torpedo bulkhead
ran the length of the hull, several meters behind the main belt. The main armored deck was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick in most places, though the thickness of the sections that covered the more important areas of the ship was increased to 100 mm (3.9 in).
The forward conning tower
was protected with heavy armor: the sides were 300 mm (11.8 in) thick and the roof was 150 mm (5.9 in) thick. The rear conning tower was less well armored; its sides were only 200 mm (7.9 in) thick and the roof was covered with 50 mm (2 in) of armor plate. The main battery gun turrets were also heavily armored: the turret sides were 300 mm thick and the roofs were 110 mm (4.3 in) thick. The casemated 15 cm guns had 170 mm (6.7 in) worth of armor plating in the casemates; the guns themselves had 80 mm (3.1 in)-thick shields to protect their crews from shell splinters.
. The König class ships, along with the , , and classes, steamed in distant support of Franz von Hipper
's battlecruisers. Friedrich von Ingenohl
, the commander of the High Seas Fleet
, decided to take up station approximately in the center of the North Sea, about 130 miles east of Scarborough.
The Royal Navy
, which had recently received the German code books captured from the beached cruiser , was aware that an operation was taking place, but uncertain as to where the Germans would strike. Therefore, the Admiralty
ordered David Beatty's
1st Battlecruiser Squadron, the six battleships of the 2nd Battle Squadron, and a number of cruisers and destroyers to attempt to intercept the German battlecruisers. However, Beatty's task force nearly ran headlong into the entire High Seas Fleet. At 6:20, Beatty's destroyer screen came into contact with the German torpedo boat V155. This began a confused two hour long battle between the British destroyers and the German cruiser and destroyer screen, frequently at very close range. At the time of the first encounter, the König class battleships were less than 10 miles away from the six British dreadnoughts; this was well within firing range, but in the darkness, neither British nor German admiral were aware of the composition of their opponents' fleets. Admiral Ingenohl, loathe to disobey the Kaiser's order to not risk the battlefleet without his express approval, concluded that his forces were engaging the screen of the entire Grand Fleet, and so 10 minutes after the first contact, he ordered a turn to port to a south-east course. Continued attacks delayed the turn, but by 6:42, it had been carried out. For about 40 minutes, the two fleets were steaming on a parallel course. At 7:20, Ingenohl ordered a further turn to port, which put his ships on a course for German waters.
followed at 13:40. The battlecruiser struck a mine while en route to the target, and had to withdraw. The other battlecruisers bombarded the town of Lowestoft largely without incident, but during the approach to Yarmouth, they encountered the British cruisers of the Harwich Force
. A short artillery duel ensued before the Harwich Force withdrew. Reports of British submarines in the area prompted the retreat of the I Scouting Group. At this point, Admiral Reinhard Scheer
, who had been warned of the sortie of the Grand Fleet from its base in Scapa Flow
, also withdrew to safer German waters.
on 31 May–1 June 1916. The operation again sought to draw out and isolate a portion of the Grand Fleet and destroy it before the main British fleet could retaliate. König, Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf, and Kronprinz made up the V Division of the III Battle Squadron, and they were the vanguard of the fleet. The III Battle Squadron was the first of three battleship units; directly astern were the s of the VI Division, III Battle Squadron. Astern of the Kaiser class ships were the Helgoland and Nassau classes of the II Battle Squadron; in the rear guard
were the elderly class pre-dreadnought
s of the I Battle Squadron.
Shortly before 16:00 CET
,The times mentioned in this section are in CET
, which is congruent with the German perspective. This is one hour ahead of UTC
, the time zone commonly used in British works. the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group
encountered the British 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, under the command of David Beatty. The opposing ships began an artillery duel that saw the destruction of , shortly after 17:00, and , less than a half an hour later. By this time, the German battlecruisers were steaming south in order to draw the British ships towards the main body of the High Seas Fleet. At 17:30, , the leading German battleship, spotted both the I Scouting Group and the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron approaching. The German battlecruisers were steaming down to starboard, while the British ships steamed to port. At 17:45, Scheer ordered a two-point turn to port to bring his ships closer to the British battlecruisers, and a minute later at 17:46, the order to open fire was given.
König, Grosser Kurfürst, and Markgraf were the first to reach effective gunnery range; they engaged the battlecruisers , , and , respectively, at a range of 21,000 yards. Königs first salvos fell short of her target, and so she shifted her fire to the nearest British ship, Tiger. Simultaneously, the leading König class battleships began firing on the destroyers and . The two destroyers closed in on the German line and, having endured a hail of gunfire, maneuvered into a good firing position. Each ship launched two torpedoes apiece at König and Grosser Kurfürst, though all four weapons missed. In return, a secondary battery shell from one of the battleships hit Nestor and wrecked her engine room. The ship, along with the destroyer , was crippled and lying directly in the path of the advancing German line. Both of the destroyers were sunk, but German torpedo boats stopped to pick up survivors. At around 18:00, the four Königs shifted their fire to the approaching s of the V Battle Squadron, though the firing lasted only a short time before the range widened too far.
Shortly after 19:00, the German cruiser had become disabled by a shell from ; Rear Admiral Behncke in König attempted to maneuver his ships in order to cover the stricken cruiser. Simultaneously, the British III and IV Light Cruiser Squadrons began a torpedo attack on the German line; while advancing to torpedo range, they smothered Wiesbaden with fire from their main guns. The Königs fired heavily on the British cruisers, but even sustained fire from the Germans' main guns failed to drive off the British cruisers. In the ensuing melee, the British armored cruiser was struck by several heavy-caliber shells from the German dreadnoughts. One salvo penetrated the ship's ammunition magazines and, in a massive explosion, destroyed the cruiser.
By the time the German fleet returned to the Jade estuary, the Nassau class battleships , , and and the Helgoland class battleships and took up guard duties in the outer roadstead
. The Kaiser class battleships , , and , took up defensive positions outside the Wilhelmshaven locks. The four König class ships, along with other capital ships—those that were still in fighting condition—had their fuel and ammunition stocks replenished in the inner harbor.
, the German navy decided to expunge the Russian naval forces that still held the Gulf of Riga
. To this end, the Admiralstab (the Navy High Command) planned an operation to seize the Baltic islands of Ösel
, particularly the Russian gun batteries on the Sworbe peninsula
. On 18 September, the order was issued for a joint Army-Navy operation to capture Ösel and Moon
islands; the primary naval component was to comprise the flagship
, Moltke, along with the III Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet. The V Division included the four Königs, and was by this time augmented with the new battleship . The VI Division consisted of the five Kaiser class battleships. Along with nine light cruisers, three torpedo boat flotillas, and dozens of mine
warfare ships, the entire force numbered some 300 ships, and were supported by over 100 aircraft and six zeppelins. The invasion force amounted to approximately 24,600 officers and enlisted men. Opposing the Germans were the old Russian pre-dreadnought
s Slava
and Tsarevitch, the armored cruiser
s Bayan, Admiral Makarov, and Diana, 26 destroyers, and several torpedo boats and gunboats. The garrison on Ösel numbered some 14,000 men.
The operation began on 12 October, when Moltke, Bayern, and the Königs began firing on the Russian shore batteries at Tagga Bay. Simultaneously, the Kaisers engaged the batteries on the Sworbe peninsula; the objective was to secure the channel between Moon and Dagö
islands, which would block the only escape route of the Russian ships in the Gulf. Both Grosser Kurfürst and Bayern struck mines while maneuvering into their bombardment positions; damage to the former was minimal, but Bayern was severely wounded; the ship had to be withdrawn to Kiel for repairs.
On 16 October, it was decided to detach a portion of the invasion flotilla to clear the Russian naval forces in Moon Sound; these included the two Russian pre-dreadnoughts. To this end, König and Kronprinz, along with the cruisers and and a number of smaller vessels were sent to engage the Russian battleships. They arrived by the morning of 17 October, but a deep Russian minefield kept the ships temporarily at bay. A rude surprise came to the Germans, when they discovered that the 30.5 cm guns of the Russian battleships out-ranged their own 30.5 cm guns. The Russian ships managed to keep the distance wide enough to prevent the German battleships from being able to return fire, while still firing effectively on the German ships—at several points the Germans had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid the Russian shells. However, by 10:00, the minesweepers had cleared a path through the minefield, and König and Kronprinz dashed into the bay; the two big dreadnoughts engaged the Russian battleships, König dueled with Slava and Kronprinz fired on both Slava and the cruiser Bayan. The Russian vessels were hit dozens of times, until at 10:30 the Russian naval commander, Admiral Bakhirev
, ordered their withdrawal. Slava had taken too much damage, and was unable to make good her escape; instead, she was scuttled and her crew was evacuated on a destroyer.
By 20 October, the naval operations were effectively over; the Russian ships had been destroyed or forced to withdraw, and the German army held their objectives. However, on 29 October, Markgraf struck a mine during the German withdrawal from the Gulf of Riga.
Following the capitulation of Germany in November 1918, the majority of the High Seas Fleet, under the command of Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter
, was interned in the British naval base in Scapa Flow
. The fleet remained in captivity during the negotiations that ultimately produced the Versailles Treaty. It became apparent to Reuter that the British intended to seize the German ships on 21 June, which was the deadline for Germany to have signed the peace treaty. Unaware that the deadline had been extended to the 23rd, Reuter ordered his ships be sunk. On the morning of 21 June, the British fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers; at 11:20 Reuter transmitted the order to his ships.
Of the four ships, Kronprinz was the first to sink. She slipped beneath the waters of Scapa Flow at 13:15. Grosser Kurfürst followed 15 minutes later at 13:30. König sank at approximately 14:00, but Markgraf did not sink until 16:45;Rosyth
, where she was broken up for scrap metal. The other three ships remain on the sea floor, though the wrecks were sold to Britain in 1962.
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s built for the German Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
on the eve of 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...
. The class was composed of , , , and . The most powerful warships of the German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
at the outbreak of war in 1914, the class operated as a unit throughout World War I—the V Division of the III Battle Squadron. The ships took part in a number of fleet operations during the war, including the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, where they acted as the vanguard of the German line
Line of battle
In naval warfare, the line of battle is a tactic in which the ships of the fleet form a line end to end. A primitive form had been used by the Portuguese under Vasco Da Gama in 1502 near Malabar against a Muslim fleet.,Maarten Tromp used it in the Action of 18 September 1639 while its first use in...
. They survived the war and were interned at Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
in November 1918. All four ships were scuttled on 21 June 1919
Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow
The scuttling of the German fleet took place at the Royal Navy's base at Scapa Flow, in Scotland, after the end of the First World War. The High Seas Fleet had been interned there under the terms of the Armistice whilst negotiations took place over the fate of the ships...
when Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter
Ludwig von Reuter
Ludwig von Reuter was a German admiral during World War I, who commanded the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet when it was interned at Scapa Flow at the end of the war. On 21 June 1919 he ordered the scuttling of the fleet to prevent the British from seizing the ships.-Early life:Reuter was...
ordered the sinking of the entire High Seas Fleet.
The Königs were an improvement over the preceding class; one of the primary improvements being in the disposition of the main gun battery. The Kaiser class ships mounted ten 30.5 cm (12 in) SK L/50 guns in five twin turrets
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
; one turret was mounted fore, two aft in a superfiring
Superfire
The idea of superfire is to locate two turrets in a row, one behind the other, but with the second turret located above the one in front so that the second turret could fire over the first...
arrangement, and the other two in a staggered "wing" arrangement amidships. For the Königs, one of the wing turrets was moved forward and placed in a superfiring arrangement, while the second wing turret was moved to the centerline amidships. This allowed for a wider angle of fire on the broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
, as all 10 guns could fire on a large area.The wing turrets on the Kaiser class ships could fire on the broadside, but only on a very limited arc; the conning tower
Conning 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....
s, funnels, and other areas of superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
greatly reduced the angular range of fire.
Design
The König class battleships were authorized under the Second Amendment to the Naval Law, which had been passed in 1908 as a response to the revolution in naval technology created with the launch of the British in 1906. DreadnoughtDreadnought
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...
s were significantly larger—and correspondingly more expensive—than the old pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
battleships. As a result, the funds that had been appropriated for the Navy in 1906 were going to be used up before they were scheduled to be replenished in 1911. Along with the additional funding secured in the 1908 bill, the service life of all large warships was to be reduced from 25 years to 20 years; this was done in an effort to force the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
to allocate more funds for additional ships. In his effort to force the Reichstag to pass the bill, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
threatened to resign from his post as the State Secretary for the Navy. As a result of von Tirpitz's ultimatum, the bill was passed in March 1908 by a large margin.
The reduction in service life necessitated the replacement of the coastal defense ships of the and classes as well as the s. In the terms of the First Amendment to the Naval Law of 1906, von Tirpitz had requested but failed to secure funding for new battleships; they had now been approved by the Reichstag. The Naval Law also increased the naval budget by an additional 1 billion marks
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
. After the four s had been replaced by the four Nassaus, and the six Siegfried class ships had been replaced by the Helgoland and Kaiser classes, the next vessels to be replaced were the old s. König and her three sisters
Sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
were ordered under the provisional names S, Ersatz Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm, Ersatz Weissenburg, and Ersatz Brandenburg.All German ships were ordered under provisional names; new additions to the fleet were given a letter, while ships that were intended to replace older vessels were ordered as "Ersatz (ship name).
General characteristics
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 9.19 m and a rear draft of 9.0 m, the Königs were designed to displace 25,796 metric tons normally, but at full combat load, they displaced 28,600 tons. The hulls
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
were constructed with transverse and longitudinal steel frames, over which the outer hull plates were rivet
Rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
ed. The ships' hulls each contained 18 watertight compartments, each equipped with a double bottom
Double bottom
A double bottom is a ship hull design and construction method where the bottom of the ship has two complete layers of watertight hull surface: one outer layer forming the normal hull of the ship, and a second inner hull which is somewhat higher in the ship, perhaps a few feet, which forms a...
that ran for 88% of the length of the hull.
German naval historian Erich Gröner, in his book German Warships 1815–1945, stated that the German navy considered the ships to be "very good sea-boats." They suffered a slight loss of speed in a swell
Swell (ocean)
A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
, and with the rudder hard over, the ships lost up to 66% speed and heeled over 8 degrees. The battleships had a transverse metacentric height
Metacentric height
The metacentric height is a measurement of the static stability of a floating body. It is calculated as the distance between the centre of gravity of a ship and its metacentre . A larger metacentric height implies greater stability against overturning...
of 2.59 m. König, Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf, and Kronprinz each had a standard crew of 41 officers and 1095 enlisted men; König, the flagship of the III Squadron, had an additional crew of 14 officers and another 68 sailors. The ships carried several smaller boats, including one picket boat, three barges, two launches
Launch (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...
, two yawl
Yawl
A yawl is a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an additional mast located well aft of the main mast, often right on the transom, specifically aft of the rudder post. A yawl (from Dutch Jol) is a two-masted sailing craft similar to a sloop or cutter but with an...
s, and two dinghies
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
.
Propulsion
It was originally intended that the König class battleships would be powered by two sets of turbines on the outer shafts, while the center shaft would have utilized a MAN 6-cylinder 2-stroke diesel engineDiesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
producing 12,000 shp at 150 rpm
Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
. Development of the diesel was protracted, however, and it was later decided that the diesel would be installed only in Grosser Kurfürst and Markgraf. Ultimately, the diesel was never installed in any of the König class battleships. They were instead equipped with three sets of Parsons (König and Kronprinz), AEG-Vulcan (Grosser Kurfürst), or Bergmann (Markgraf) turbines
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
driving 3.8 m-wide three-bladed screws
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
. Steam was supplied by three oil-fired and 12 coal-fired Schulz-Thornycroft boilers operating at up to 16 atmospheres of pressure.
The power plant was rated at 31,000 shp. On trials, the ships produced between 41,400–46,200 shp. The designed top speed was 21 knots. The ships had a designed range of 8,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots, which decreased to 4,000 nautical miles at 18 knots. Maximum bunkerage was 3,000 tons of coal and 600 tons of oil. Each ship had two rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
s. Electrical power was supplied by four turbo-generators and a pair of diesel generators; total electrical output was 2,040 kilowatts at 225 volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
s.
Armament
The Königs were armed with a main battery of ten 30.5 cm (12 in) SK L/50 guns30.5 cm SK L/50 gun
The 30.5 cm SK L/50 gunIn Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" denotes that the gun is quick firing, while the L/50 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/50 gun is 50 calibers, meaning that the gun is 50 times as long as it is in diameter. was a heavy gun mounted on 16 of...
In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun quick firing, while the L/50 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/50 gun is 50 calibers, meaning that the gun barrel is 50 times as long as it is in diameter. in five twin turrets
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
. Two turrets were mounted forward of the main superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
in a superfiring pair
Superfire
The idea of superfire is to locate two turrets in a row, one behind the other, but with the second turret located above the one in front so that the second turret could fire over the first...
, the third was placed on the centerline between the two funnels amidships, and the fourth and fifth turrets were also arranged in a superfiring pair, aft of the rear conning tower
Conning 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....
. Each gun turret had a working chamber beneath it that was connected to a revolving ammunition hoist leading down to the magazine below it. The turrets were electrically controlled, though the guns were elevated hydraulically. In an effort to reduce the possibility of a fire, everything in the turret was constructed of steel. This was an improvement over the preceding , as all ten guns could fire on a wide arc on the broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
, and four guns could fire directly ahead, as opposed to only two on the Kaisers. The guns were supplied with 900 rounds, or 90 shells per gun. The 30.5 cm gun had a rate of fire
Rate of fire
Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. It is usually measured in rounds per minute , or per second .-Overview:...
of between 2–3 405.5-kilogram (894-pound) armor-piercing shells
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
per minute, and was expected to fire 200 shells before replacement was necessary. The guns were also capable of firing 405.9 kg (894.8 lb) high explosive shells. Both types of shells were loaded with two propellant
Propellant
A propellant is a material that produces pressurized gas that:* can be directed through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust ;...
charges: an RP C/12 main charge in a brass cartridge that weighed 91 kg (201 lb) and an RP C/12 fore charge in a silk bag that weighed 34.5 kg (76 lb). This provided a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of 855 meters per second (2,805 ft/s). The turrets on the König class battleships initially allowed elevation up to 13.5 degrees; this enabled a maximum range of 16,200 m (17,700 yd). After modifications, elevation was increased to 16 degrees, which correspondingly increased the range of the guns to 20,400 m (22,300 yd).
Secondary armament consisted of fourteen 15 cm (5.9 in) SK L/45 quick-firing guns, each mounted in MPL C/06.11 casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s in the side of the top deck. These guns were intended for defense against torpedo boats, and were supplied with a total of 2,240 shells. These guns could engage targets out to 13,500 m, and after improvements in 1915, their range was extended to 16,800 m. The guns had a sustained rate of fire
Rate of fire
Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. It is usually measured in rounds per minute , or per second .-Overview:...
of 5 to 7 rounds per minute. The shells were 45.3 kg (99.8 lb), and were loaded with a 13.7 kg (31.2 lb) RPC/12 propellant charge in a brass cartridge. This provided a muzzle velocity of 835 meters per second (2,740 ft/s). Service life was estimated at approximately 1,400 shells fired before the guns would need to be replaced.
The Königs also carried six 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/45 quick-firing guns, mounted in casemates. The six guns were located on either side of the forward conning tower and were all directed forward. These guns were supplied with a total of 3,200 rounds, or 200 shells per gun, and could fire at a rate of 15 shells per minute. The high-explosive shells fired by these guns weighed 10 kg (22.05 lb) and were loaded with a 3 kg (6.6 lb) RPC/12 propellant charge. These guns had a life expectancy of around 7,000 rounds. These were later removed and replaced with four 8.8 cm SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns, which were mounted on either side of the rear conning tower.
As was customary for capital ships of the 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...
era, the ships were armed with five 50 cm (19.7 in) submerged torpedo tubes. One was mounted in the bow, the other four were placed on the broadside, two on each side of the ship. The tubes were supplied with 16 torpedoes. The torpedoes were the G7 type; they were 7.02 m (23 ft) long and were armed with a 195 kg (430 lb) explosive warhead. At 37 knots, the torpedoes had a range of 4,000 m (4,370 yd); at 27 knots the range more than doubled, to 9,300 m (10,170 yards).
Armor
The König class ships were protected with KruppKrupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
cemented steel armor, as was the standard for German warships of the period. They had an armor belt that was 350 mm (13.8 in) thick in the central citadel of the ship, where the most important parts of the ship were located. This included the ammunition magazines and the machinery spaces. The belt was reduced in less critical areas, to 180 mm (7.1 in) forward and 120 mm (4.7 in) aft. The bow
Bow (ship)
The bow is a nautical term that refers to the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is most forward when the vessel is underway. Both of the adjectives fore and forward mean towards the bow...
and stern
Stern
The stern is the rear or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite of the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Originally, the term only referred to the aft port section...
were not protected by armor at all. A 40 mm (1.6 in)-thick torpedo bulkhead
Torpedo bulkhead
A torpedo bulkhead is a type of armor common on the more heavily armored warships, especially battleships and battlecruisers of the early 20th century. It is designed to keep the ship afloat even if the hull was struck underneath the belt armor by a shell or by a torpedo...
ran the length of the hull, several meters behind the main belt. The main armored deck was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick in most places, though the thickness of the sections that covered the more important areas of the ship was increased to 100 mm (3.9 in).
The forward conning tower
Conning 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....
was protected with heavy armor: the sides were 300 mm (11.8 in) thick and the roof was 150 mm (5.9 in) thick. The rear conning tower was less well armored; its sides were only 200 mm (7.9 in) thick and the roof was covered with 50 mm (2 in) of armor plate. The main battery gun turrets were also heavily armored: the turret sides were 300 mm thick and the roofs were 110 mm (4.3 in) thick. The casemated 15 cm guns had 170 mm (6.7 in) worth of armor plating in the casemates; the guns themselves had 80 mm (3.1 in)-thick shields to protect their crews from shell splinters.
Construction
, the name ship of the class, was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Wilhelmshaven, under construction number 33. She was laid down in 1911, was launched on 1 March 1913, and was commissioned into the fleet on 9 August 1914. was the second ship of the class. She was built at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Hamburg, under construction number 4. She too was laid down in 1911; she was launched on 5 May 1913, and was commissioned before König on 30 July 1914. was built at the AG Weser dockyard in Bremen, under construction number 186. She was laid down in 1911, launched on 4 June 1913, and commissioned on 1 October 1914, shortly after the outbreak of World War I. , the final ship of the class, was laid down at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel in 1912. She was launched on 21 February 1914 and commissioned just under 9 months later on 8 November.Raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby
The first major operation of the war in which the König class ships participated was the raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on 15–16 December 1914. The raid was primarily conducted by the battlecruisers of the I Scouting GroupI Scouting Group
The I Scouting Group was a special reconnaissance unit within the German Kaiserliche Marine. The unit was famously commanded by Admiral Franz von Hipper during World War I. The I Scouting Group was one of the most active formations in the High Seas Fleet during the war; the unit took part in every...
. The König class ships, along with the , , and classes, steamed in distant support of Franz von Hipper
Franz von Hipper
Franz Ritter von Hipper was an admiral in the German Imperial Navy . Franz von Hipper joined the German Navy in 1881 as an officer cadet. He commanded several torpedo boat units and served as watch officer aboard several warships, as well as Kaiser Wilhelm II's yacht Hohenzollern...
's battlecruisers. Friedrich von Ingenohl
Friedrich von Ingenohl
Gustav Heinrich Ernst Friedrich von Ingenohl was a German admiral from Neuwied best known for his command of the German High Seas Fleet at the beginning of World War I....
, the commander of the High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
, decided to take up station approximately in the center of the North Sea, about 130 miles east of Scarborough.
The Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, which had recently received the German code books captured from the beached cruiser , was aware that an operation was taking place, but uncertain as to where the Germans would strike. Therefore, the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
ordered David Beatty's
David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty
Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO was an admiral in the Royal Navy...
1st Battlecruiser Squadron, the six battleships of the 2nd Battle Squadron, and a number of cruisers and destroyers to attempt to intercept the German battlecruisers. However, Beatty's task force nearly ran headlong into the entire High Seas Fleet. At 6:20, Beatty's destroyer screen came into contact with the German torpedo boat V155. This began a confused two hour long battle between the British destroyers and the German cruiser and destroyer screen, frequently at very close range. At the time of the first encounter, the König class battleships were less than 10 miles away from the six British dreadnoughts; this was well within firing range, but in the darkness, neither British nor German admiral were aware of the composition of their opponents' fleets. Admiral Ingenohl, loathe to disobey the Kaiser's order to not risk the battlefleet without his express approval, concluded that his forces were engaging the screen of the entire Grand Fleet, and so 10 minutes after the first contact, he ordered a turn to port to a south-east course. Continued attacks delayed the turn, but by 6:42, it had been carried out. For about 40 minutes, the two fleets were steaming on a parallel course. At 7:20, Ingenohl ordered a further turn to port, which put his ships on a course for German waters.
Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft
The König class ships took part in another raid on the English coast, again as support for the German battlecruiser force in the I Scouting Group. The battlecruisers left the Jade Estuary at 10:55 on 24 April 1916, and the rest of the High Seas FleetHigh Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
followed at 13:40. The battlecruiser struck a mine while en route to the target, and had to withdraw. The other battlecruisers bombarded the town of Lowestoft largely without incident, but during the approach to Yarmouth, they encountered the British cruisers of the Harwich Force
Harwich Force
The Harwich Force was a squadron of the Royal Navy, formed during the First World War, that went on to play a significant role in the war.-History:...
. A short artillery duel ensued before the Harwich Force withdrew. Reports of British submarines in the area prompted the retreat of the I Scouting Group. At this point, Admiral Reinhard Scheer
Reinhard Scheer
Reinhard Scheer was an Admiral in the German Kaiserliche Marine. Scheer joined the navy in 1879 as an officer cadet; he progressed through the ranks, commanding cruisers and battleships, as well as major staff positions on land. At the outbreak of World War I, Scheer was the commander of the II...
, who had been warned of the sortie of the Grand Fleet from its base in Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, also withdrew to safer German waters.
Battle of Jutland
The four ships took part in the fleet sortie that resulted in the battle of JutlandJutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
on 31 May–1 June 1916. The operation again sought to draw out and isolate a portion of the Grand Fleet and destroy it before the main British fleet could retaliate. König, Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf, and Kronprinz made up the V Division of the III Battle Squadron, and they were the vanguard of the fleet. The III Battle Squadron was the first of three battleship units; directly astern were the s of the VI Division, III Battle Squadron. Astern of the Kaiser class ships were the Helgoland and Nassau classes of the II Battle Squadron; in the rear guard
Rear guard
A rear guard or rearguard is that part of a military force that protects it from attack from the rear, either during an advance or withdrawal...
were the elderly class pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
s of the I Battle Squadron.
Shortly before 16:00 CET
Central European Time
Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
,The times mentioned in this section are in CET
Central European Time
Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
, which is congruent with the German perspective. This is one hour ahead of UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
, the time zone commonly used in British works. the battlecruisers of I Scouting Group
I Scouting Group
The I Scouting Group was a special reconnaissance unit within the German Kaiserliche Marine. The unit was famously commanded by Admiral Franz von Hipper during World War I. The I Scouting Group was one of the most active formations in the High Seas Fleet during the war; the unit took part in every...
encountered the British 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, under the command of David Beatty. The opposing ships began an artillery duel that saw the destruction of , shortly after 17:00, and , less than a half an hour later. By this time, the German battlecruisers were steaming south in order to draw the British ships towards the main body of the High Seas Fleet. At 17:30, , the leading German battleship, spotted both the I Scouting Group and the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron approaching. The German battlecruisers were steaming down to starboard, while the British ships steamed to port. At 17:45, Scheer ordered a two-point turn to port to bring his ships closer to the British battlecruisers, and a minute later at 17:46, the order to open fire was given.
Shortly after 19:00, the German cruiser had become disabled by a shell from ; Rear Admiral Behncke in König attempted to maneuver his ships in order to cover the stricken cruiser. Simultaneously, the British III and IV Light Cruiser Squadrons began a torpedo attack on the German line; while advancing to torpedo range, they smothered Wiesbaden with fire from their main guns. The Königs fired heavily on the British cruisers, but even sustained fire from the Germans' main guns failed to drive off the British cruisers. In the ensuing melee, the British armored cruiser was struck by several heavy-caliber shells from the German dreadnoughts. One salvo penetrated the ship's ammunition magazines and, in a massive explosion, destroyed the cruiser.
By the time the German fleet returned to the Jade estuary, the Nassau class battleships , , and and the Helgoland class battleships and took up guard duties in the outer roadstead
Roadstead
A roadstead is a place outside a harbor where a ship can lie at anchor. It is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea, narrower than a bay or gulf. It has a surface that cannot be confused with an estuary. It can be created artificially by jetties or dikes...
. The Kaiser class battleships , , and , took up defensive positions outside the Wilhelmshaven locks. The four König class ships, along with other capital ships—those that were still in fighting condition—had their fuel and ammunition stocks replenished in the inner harbor.
Fleet advance of 18–19 August
During the fleet advance on 18–19 August, the I Scouting Group was to bombard the coastal town of Sunderland in an attempt to draw out and destroy Beatty's battlecruisers. As and were the only two remaining German battlecruisers still in fighting condition in the Group, three dreadnoughts were assigned to the unit for the operation: Markgraf, Grosser Kurfürst, and the newly commissioned . Admiral Scheer and the rest of the High Seas Fleet, with 15 dreadnoughts of its own, would trail behind and provide cover. The British were aware of the German plans and sortied the Grand Fleet to meet them. By 14:35, Scheer had been warned of the Grand Fleet's approach and, unwilling to engage the whole of the Grand Fleet just 11 weeks after the decidedly close call at Jutland, turned his forces around and retreated to German ports.Operation Albion
In early September 1917, following the German conquest of the Russian port of RigaRiga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, the German navy decided to expunge the Russian naval forces that still held the Gulf of Riga
Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, or Bay of Riga, is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. According to C.Michael Hogan, a saline stratification layer is found at a depth of approximately seventy metres....
. To this end, the Admiralstab (the Navy High Command) planned an operation to seize the Baltic islands of Ösel
Saaremaa
Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
, particularly the Russian gun batteries on the Sworbe peninsula
Sõrve Peninsula
Sõrve Peninsula is a peninsula which forms the southernmost section of the Estonian island Saaremaa. Its length is 32 km, and its maximum width 10 km...
. On 18 September, the order was issued for a joint Army-Navy operation to capture Ösel and Moon
Muhu
Muhu , is an island in the Baltic Sea. With an area of 198 km² it is the third largest island belonging to Estonia, after Saaremaa and Hiiumaa....
islands; the primary naval component was to comprise the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, Moltke, along with the III Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet. The V Division included the four Königs, and was by this time augmented with the new battleship . The VI Division consisted of the five Kaiser class battleships. Along with nine light cruisers, three torpedo boat flotillas, and dozens of mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
warfare ships, the entire force numbered some 300 ships, and were supported by over 100 aircraft and six zeppelins. The invasion force amounted to approximately 24,600 officers and enlisted men. Opposing the Germans were the old Russian pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought
Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea-going battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905. Pre-dreadnoughts replaced the ironclad warships of the 1870s and 1880s...
s Slava
Russian battleship Slava
Slava was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy, the last of the five s. Commissioned too late to participate in the Battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War, she survived while all of her sister ships were either sunk during the battle or surrendered to the Imperial...
and Tsarevitch, the armored cruiser
Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
s Bayan, Admiral Makarov, and Diana, 26 destroyers, and several torpedo boats and gunboats. The garrison on Ösel numbered some 14,000 men.
The operation began on 12 October, when Moltke, Bayern, and the Königs began firing on the Russian shore batteries at Tagga Bay. Simultaneously, the Kaisers engaged the batteries on the Sworbe peninsula; the objective was to secure the channel between Moon and Dagö
Hiiumaa
Hiiumaa is the second largest island belonging to Estonia. It is located in the Baltic Sea, north of the island of Saaremaa, a part of the West Estonian archipelago. Its largest town is Kärdla.-Name:...
islands, which would block the only escape route of the Russian ships in the Gulf. Both Grosser Kurfürst and Bayern struck mines while maneuvering into their bombardment positions; damage to the former was minimal, but Bayern was severely wounded; the ship had to be withdrawn to Kiel for repairs.
On 16 October, it was decided to detach a portion of the invasion flotilla to clear the Russian naval forces in Moon Sound; these included the two Russian pre-dreadnoughts. To this end, König and Kronprinz, along with the cruisers and and a number of smaller vessels were sent to engage the Russian battleships. They arrived by the morning of 17 October, but a deep Russian minefield kept the ships temporarily at bay. A rude surprise came to the Germans, when they discovered that the 30.5 cm guns of the Russian battleships out-ranged their own 30.5 cm guns. The Russian ships managed to keep the distance wide enough to prevent the German battleships from being able to return fire, while still firing effectively on the German ships—at several points the Germans had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid the Russian shells. However, by 10:00, the minesweepers had cleared a path through the minefield, and König and Kronprinz dashed into the bay; the two big dreadnoughts engaged the Russian battleships, König dueled with Slava and Kronprinz fired on both Slava and the cruiser Bayan. The Russian vessels were hit dozens of times, until at 10:30 the Russian naval commander, Admiral Bakhirev
Mikhail Bakhirev
Mikhail Koronatovitsch Bakhirev was a Russian Naval officer and Admiral.Bakhirev was born into a Don Cossack family near Novocherkassk. His father was a sotnik in the cossacks of the Imperial Russian Army.He joined in 1888 as a cadet in the Navy and was on the gunboat Bobr the Far Eastern Fleet...
, ordered their withdrawal. Slava had taken too much damage, and was unable to make good her escape; instead, she was scuttled and her crew was evacuated on a destroyer.
By 20 October, the naval operations were effectively over; the Russian ships had been destroyed or forced to withdraw, and the German army held their objectives. However, on 29 October, Markgraf struck a mine during the German withdrawal from the Gulf of Riga.
Fate
Ludwig von Reuter
Ludwig von Reuter was a German admiral during World War I, who commanded the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet when it was interned at Scapa Flow at the end of the war. On 21 June 1919 he ordered the scuttling of the fleet to prevent the British from seizing the ships.-Early life:Reuter was...
, was interned in the British naval base in Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
. The fleet remained in captivity during the negotiations that ultimately produced the Versailles Treaty. It became apparent to Reuter that the British intended to seize the German ships on 21 June, which was the deadline for Germany to have signed the peace treaty. Unaware that the deadline had been extended to the 23rd, Reuter ordered his ships be sunk. On the morning of 21 June, the British fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers; at 11:20 Reuter transmitted the order to his ships.
Of the four ships, Kronprinz was the first to sink. She slipped beneath the waters of Scapa Flow at 13:15. Grosser Kurfürst followed 15 minutes later at 13:30. König sank at approximately 14:00, but Markgraf did not sink until 16:45;Rosyth
Rosyth
Rosyth is a town located on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 12,790....
, where she was broken up for scrap metal. The other three ships remain on the sea floor, though the wrecks were sold to Britain in 1962.