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The Explorers Podcast is about the greatest explorers and explorations in history.
The podcast details the final months of Sir Walter Raleigh's life following his disastrous second Guiana expedition, which resulted in no gold and the death of his son Watt. Pressured by Spanish ambassador Count Gondomar, King James had Raleigh arrested and ultimately executed on October 29, 1618, under his old 1603 sentence rather than a new trial.
The podcast host discusses a theory that King James preferred for Sir Walter Raleigh to escape the country rather than face trial, as executing him would make the king look like a Spanish puppet while acquitting him would anger Spain.
Following Sir Walter Raleigh's execution, his wife Bess recouped funds from the sale of his ship and successfully maintained their financial standing. Years later, their surviving son Carew campaigned to have the family restored to blood, eventually trading away the Sherborne estate in 1628 to secure the restoration and a pension.
The English expedition to the Spanish Main in the summer of 1595, led by maritime legends Francis Drake and John Hawkins, was severely hampered by dysentery and fever. Both Hawkins and Drake succumbed to illness, and their attempts to capture San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Panama resulted in heavy casualties and eventual withdrawal.
Spanish soldiers landed in Cornwall in the late summer of 1595, routed local militia, and sacked towns, causing widespread panic about a potential Spanish armada. This raid prompted Walter Raleigh to focus on preparing regional defenses upon his return to England.
A joint English-Dutch expedition, comprising 150 ships and 14,000 men, successfully attacked and sacked the Spanish port of Cadiz on June 29th, 1596. Despite initial landing difficulties, English ships, including Raleigh's Warspite, engaged Spanish galleys, leading to their capture or sinking.
During the assault on Cadiz, Walter Raleigh was severely injured by an explosion, sustaining wounds to his leg that would cause him to limp for life. Despite his injuries, he maintained command. Following the victory, Raleigh expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, 'I have naught but poverty and pain.'
Following the sack of Cadiz, the Earl of Essex knighted 36 men, a move that angered Queen Elizabeth I, as this was her prerogative. This action, along with others, contributed to her displeasure with the expedition's leadership, despite the significant blow dealt to Spain.
A Spanish invasion fleet of 81 warships and 50 support vessels, carrying 20,000 men, set out in October 1597 with the intent to attack England via the French port of Brest. However, the fleet was scattered and ultimately called off due to severe storms, resulting in the loss of five galleons and 500 men.
A subsequent Spanish invasion attempt in October 1597, similar in scale to the second, also ended in disaster. The fleet, comprising 81 warships and 50 support vessels with 20,000 men, was headed for the French port of Brest but was again scattered by storms and forced to call off the invasion, losing several ships and men.
Facing a fall from grace after marrying without permission and being banished from court, Sir Walter Raleigh devised a plan in 1594 to seek his fortune and redeem himself by finding the legendary city of El Dorado in South America. He aimed to bring back vast wealth for Queen Elizabeth and secure his own financial future.
The legend of El Dorado, first heard by the Spanish around 1530, evolved from a tale of a priest-king covered in gold dust to a mythical city overflowing with gold and gems. Native peoples often misdirected Spanish conquistadors searching for this fabled place.
Antonio de Berrio, the governor of Guiana, launched multiple expeditions between 1584 and 1590 in search of the legendary El Dorado, focusing on the region around the Orinoco River. Despite his efforts and establishing a settlement on Trinidad in 1592, he was unable to find the golden city.
In 1594, Walter Raleigh's exploratory expedition, led by Jacob Whiddon, arrived in Trinidad. Whiddon's attempts to inquire about El Dorado were rebuffed by Governor Antonio de Berrio, who even had local natives ambush an English shore party. Whiddon later returned to England with tales of gold and cities, bolstering Raleigh's interest.
By the end of 1594, Walter Raleigh had obtained a license from the crown to 'discover and subdue heathen lands not in possession of any prince or inhabited by any heathen people,' and was authorized to 'offend and enfeeble the king of Spain.' The crown provided no funding but would share in profits.
Matt from The Explorers Podcast is organizing a new expedition tour focused on historical exploration sites. The tour will be developed collaboratively with the podcast audience, featuring expert guides and potentially replica ship experiences. Those interested can provide input via a survey to help shape the itinerary and excursions.
Listeners who express interest in the upcoming Explorers Podcast tour by filling out a survey and providing their email address will qualify for an early bird discount. This discount will offer a 10% reduction on the total cost of the tour.
Sir Walter Raleigh was tasked with defending Cornwall and Devon against the Spanish Armada in 1588, preparing fortifications and mustering troops. Meanwhile, his rivalry with the younger Earl of Essex intensified, with Essex resenting Raleigh's influence and wit.
Walter Raleigh commissioned the construction of a large warship, the 'Ark Raleigh,' a 1,100-ton vessel with three banks of guns and four masts. He designed it with the Queen's master shipwright, Richard Chapman, and sold it to Queen Elizabeth for 500 pounds.
The Spanish Armada, consisting of 137 ships and thousands of men, was sighted off the coast of Cornwall on June 29, 1588. England mobilized its fleet of 150 ships and prepared coastal defenses in anticipation of a Spanish invasion.
In 1589, England launched a large-scale naval expedition, the 'English Armada,' commanded by Francis Drake, with the goal of weakening Spain by supporting a rebellion in Portugal. The venture, costing a significant sum and involving 20,000 men and nearly 200 ships, ultimately failed due to logistical issues, disease, and an overoptimistic assessment of Portuguese support.
Queen Elizabeth allowed Walter Raleigh to join the English Armada but insisted his rival, the Earl of Essex, remain at court. Essex, however, defied the order and joined the fleet, only for Raleigh to be recalled by the Queen due to the expedition's impending failure.
While Raleigh was not directly involved in the naval combat against the Spanish Armada, he patrolled the Irish Sea and maintained a high profile. In December 1588, the feud between Raleigh and Essex escalated when Essex slapped Raleigh and challenged him to a duel, possibly due to Raleigh's continued favor with the Queen.