The NORSKE LOEVE was built in 1765 by the Nyholm shipyard, close to Copenhagen. The ship was named after the Norwegian Lion and the Danish-Norwegian Imperial Coat of Arms. There was a crew of 667 men and an armament of 70 iron cannons, with 26 cannons 24 pd. on the lower deck, 26 cannons 18 pd. on the middle deck and 18 cannons 8 pd. on the upper deck. All ornaments, made by the sculptor C. Moellerup, were reminders of Norway. On the transom there is a fisherman and a farmer, symbolizing the most important trades of Norway, agriculture and fishing.
Construc. No. 37 Name: NORSKE LØVE Type: Ship-of-the-Line Naval Architect: Knud N. Benstrup Weight: 1176¼ læsts Armament: 70 cannon – 24 pdr. in the main battery Dimensions: Length – 164′ Beam – 44′ 6″ Draft – 18′ (fore), 20′ (aft) Construction Dates: Keel Laid – May 17, 1734, Launched – February 9, 1735 Crew: Out of Service: 1764