Overview
SMS König was a member of the König class.
SMS König is associated with Germany and Imperial German Navy. It belonged to König class, so the class page provides the shared design history while this page concentrates on the individual ship.
Construction and identity
The available construction record identifies SMS König as built by Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven, laid down on 1911-10, launched on 1913-03-01, and completed on 1914-08-09.
The ship's documented identity includes service with Imperial German Navy.
Service history
Served with the High Seas Fleet and fought at Jutland; later took part in Baltic operations before internment and scuttling at Scapa Flow.
The ship's configuration should be interpreted through the documented class and the dates attached to this individual vessel; equipment should not be assumed to have remained unchanged throughout service.
Class context: König class
The König class concentrated all five twin 30.5 cm turrets on the centerline and strengthened protection over the Kaiser design.
As a member of König class, SMS König shared the class's documented design framework and intended roles of Fleet combatant. Individual refits, transfers, and wartime changes belong to this ship only when separately documented.
Later service and disposition
scuttled while interned. The associated date is 1919-06-21. The recorded location is Scapa Flow.
SMS König matters as an individual career within König class, allowing class-wide design history to be separated from this ship's own construction, identities, service, and fate.
Class relationship
This ship is recorded as a member of König class. Shared design history belongs on the class page; this page concentrates on the individual hull where evidence is available.
Sources and further reading
- Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921Conway Maritime Press
- German Warships 1815–1945, Volume OneNaval Institute Press
- König-class history ↗German Naval History · accessed 2026-09-18