Cornelis Drebbel Took King Underwater

More than 400 years ago, in 1620, Dutch engineer and inventor Cornelis Drebbel built the first navigable submarine while working for the English Royal Navy. He constructed the steerable vessel from a leather-covered wooden frame, while his final model used six oars and could carry 16 passengers. The submarine reportedly remained submerged for three hours while traveling beneath the River Thames. Drebbel also took King James I on a test dive, making him the first monarch to travel underwater.

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