Walter Raleigh

Walter Raleigh

 

Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, courtier, exploer, poet, politician, spy, soildier and cousin to Sir Richard Grenville. He was born on January 22nd 1552 (or 1554) from a Protestant family in Devon, the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne. He was favored by Queen Elizabeth I and was knighted in 1585.

 

Raleigh was one of the early colonizers of North America and he was granted a royal patent to explore Virginia and this was a harbinger for future English settlements there. He was also responsible for making tobacco popular in England.

 

Subsequently in 1594, Walter Raleigh heard of a "City of Gold" in South America and made it his goal to sail to it and find it. He published a book exaggerating events of his experiences that contributed to the legend of "El Dorado". Walter was later imprisoned in the Tower after Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, this time for being involved in the Min Plot against King James I, who was not favourably disposed towards him. In 1616 he was set free to lead a second expedition in search of El Dorado. His journey was unsuccessful and men under his command ransacked (robbed) a Spanish outpost. In 1618 he was executed when he returned to England to appease the Spanish. He was one of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era and in 2002 featured in the BBC poll of the "100 Greatest Britons"