The ship was built in 1627 on the Slottö shipyard in Nakskov in Denmark after a design of Scottish shipbuilder Daniel Sinclair.

Stora Sofia was the flagship of the navy of the Danish king Christian IV.

During the short Torstenson War between Denmark-Norway and Sweden in 1645, Denmark put an embargo on the young city of Gothenburg, founded in 1621.

Stora Sofia was the flagship of a Danish fleet under admiral Ove Gjedde that was ordered to enforce the embargo.

Shortly after the arrival of the fleet, a storm broke loose and threw the Stora Sofia onto the rocks.