In this dissertation, all the categories of people that were on board fully manned warships are studied. The purpose of the study has been to describe life on board the large warships and to show how hierarchical power structures and social status were expressed and manifested in 17th century society. This has been achieved through an interdisciplinary method where historical and archaeological material, as well as imagery and ship models have been used. The roles of those on board at work, at rest and in battle have been analysed. In parallel, various hierarchical orders such as rank, estate, position and age, have been studied. 

Social status on board could be expressed through spaces, belongings, norms and practices. In the theoretical apparatus mainly used in this study, the concept of capital is central. Capital, i.e. various forms of assets, exist in several forms where symbolic capital is fundamental. This capital varies depending on the characteristics and abilities that are considered valuable in a specific social environment. Seamanship was a very important factor in obtaining status in the ship society. It formed the basis of the symbolic capital sought within the navy. However, there were differences between what seamanship meant and what the symbolic capital included for the different groups on board. 

Social status on warships was often expressed through rank and position, but this study also shows the number of other circumstances that could influence the social position of the people on the ships. Factors such as birth, age and experience played a major role.

The ship society, with the many groups and individuals from different social strata on board, was characterized by the norms and practices that existed in its day. It was thus in many parts a 17th century society in concentrated form. 

The 17th century marks the heyday of the Swedish 'four estates society'. The harmony of the four estates was not to be questioned. People's statuses weredisplayed in a very visible way, by means of clothing, housing and ways of living. The practices of social difference-making was strong. A naval ship was a kind offloating representation of power and the exterior displayed ideological messages.But the ideas of the 'four estates society' were also visible inside the ship. This article discusses the division of space onboard the warship Vasa (1628), and raises the question whether Vasa was representative of a warship in Europe inthe 17th century or not. By using historical sources and archaeological material, as well as paintings and ship models, we can get a better understanding of the interior of early-modern warships. Warships in the 17th century were extremely crowded. Even the officers lived in crowded, shared small spaces. Vasa's overall spatial arrangement was very similar to English, and especially Dutch ships from the 1600s. But there were differences. On a Swedish ship in the first half of the 17th century, the important thing was not to have your own cabin or space. What was thought to be important was that people of the same social level shared space according to their status.