The Mary Rose was one of the two warships that Henry VIII commissioned in 1510, after he came to the throne. The Mary Rose was of great significance at the time as ships were used as visible representations of royal power. She was modified during her 35 years of service which shows how ships were starting to evolve; for example the height of the deck was altered so that she was able to carry heavier guns. She would have been used both as a gun platform and for transporting tr