A few hundred years ago, the known physical world was a lot smaller. With the discovery of the 'new world' (and its gold deposits), many Europeans were emboldened to find out more about what was out there and wasted no time launching ships and staking claims. Here are many of the more successful.
the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia, and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia's first natural historian, as well as one of the most important He came from Somerset, England, and fought alongside buccaneers in Central America. Marooned on the Nicobar Islands in the India...
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the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia, and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia's first natural historian, as well as one of the most important He came from Somerset, England, and fought alongside buccaneers in Central America. Marooned on the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean, he escaped in a canoe and wrote about his travels in "Voyage Around the World" in 1697.
an English naturalist and geologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and in a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace introduced h...
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an English naturalist and geologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and in a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. Darwin published his theory of evolution with compelling evidence in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, overcoming scientific rejection of earlier concepts of transmutation of species.
a British advisor to KamehamehaI and helped form the Kingdom of Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in 1790 as the sole survivor of the massacre of the crew of The Fair American. He along with John Young became friends and advisors to Kamehameha. He brought western mili...
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a British advisor to KamehamehaI and helped form the Kingdom of Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in 1790 as the sole survivor of the massacre of the crew of The Fair American. He along with John Young became friends and advisors to Kamehameha. He brought western military knowledge to Hawaii and played a prominent role during Hawaii's first contacts with the European powers. He spent the rest of his life in Hawaii and was known to the Hawaiian as ?Aikake.
a Greek maritime pilot in the service of the King of Spain, Philip II. He is best known for his claim to have explored the Strait of Anián, now known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, between Vancouver Island (now part of British Columbia, Canada) and the Olympic Peninsula (northwestern Washington State, United States).
French navigator of the early 16th century, was widely believed in 17th and 18th century France to have been the true discoverer of the Terra Australis (which does not refer to Australia). This claim is not now accepted by historians. Explored Brazil (Santa Catarina).
a Belgian Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), active in missionary work among the Native Americans of the Midwestern United States and Western United States in the mid-19th century. Explored North America.
a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States (Florida, Georgia, Alabama and most likely Arkansas), and the first documented European to have crossed the Mississippi River. Explored Central America and the southern United States
a Dutch officer on Willem Barentsz' second and third voyages (1595 and 1596) in search of the Northeast passage. De Veer kept a diary of the voyages and in 1597 was the first person to observe and record the Novaya Zemlya effect, and the first westerner to obser...
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a Dutch officer on Willem Barentsz' second and third voyages (1595 and 1596) in search of the Northeast passage. De Veer kept a diary of the voyages and in 1597 was the first person to observe and record the Novaya Zemlya effect, and the first westerner to observe hypervitaminosis A caused by consuming polar bear liver.
a cabin boy of the expedition of Juan Díaz de Solís to the Río de la Plata. His last name seems to come from his origin, El Puerto de Santa María. There are no known facts about his life in Spain . On October 8, 1515 he embarked as a cabin boy on the aforementioned expedition, which departed from the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda with three ships. At th...
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a cabin boy of the expedition of Juan Díaz de Solís to the Río de la Plata. His last name seems to come from his origin, El Puerto de Santa María. There are no known facts about his life in Spain . On October 8, 1515 he embarked as a cabin boy on the aforementioned expedition, which departed from the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda with three ships. At the beginning of February 1516, the ships entered the River Plate , an enormous expanse of fresh water that forms the estuary of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, mistaking it for an arm of the sea for what was called the Sweet Sea.
a nobleman of the Portuguese royal household, was a Portuguese explorer. He sailed around the southernmost tip of Africa in 1488, reaching the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic, the first European known to have done so. Explored Africa
a 15th-century Portuguese explorer. He was the brother of Bartolomeu Dias and discovered some of the Cape Verde islands together with António Noli. In 1497 on the first Portuguese India Armadas expedition to India, Diogo Dias served as clerk aboard Vasco da Gama...
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a 15th-century Portuguese explorer. He was the brother of Bartolomeu Dias and discovered some of the Cape Verde islands together with António Noli. In 1497 on the first Portuguese India Armadas expedition to India, Diogo Dias served as clerk aboard Vasco da Gama's flagship São Gabriel. He was one of the first to go ashore in the discovery of Brazil in April 1500.
an early Spanish explorer of Western North America who "was a hard worker and skillful organizer and leader. He inspired confidence in his companions and followers, and always maintained the best of order and of diligence among those who were under his charge". He was involved in three expeditions associated with the explorations of Francisco Vásquez de Cor...
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an early Spanish explorer of Western North America who "was a hard worker and skillful organizer and leader. He inspired confidence in his companions and followers, and always maintained the best of order and of diligence among those who were under his charge". He was involved in three expeditions associated with the explorations of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado.
In 1500 and 1508, Diaz de Solis joined Vincente Pinzón on two voyages exploring along the coast of South America. He was appointed as chief pilot in 1512 and three years later was commissioned to lead an expedition to an area south of the Isthmus of Panama. He reached the estuary of Rio de la Plata in 1516 and sailed up the Uruguay River. He and all but one...
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In 1500 and 1508, Diaz de Solis joined Vincente Pinzón on two voyages exploring along the coast of South America. He was appointed as chief pilot in 1512 and three years later was commissioned to lead an expedition to an area south of the Isthmus of Panama. He reached the estuary of Rio de la Plata in 1516 and sailed up the Uruguay River. He and all but one of his landing party were killed and eaten by natives. The survivor, Francisco del Puerto, gave valuable information about the area to Sebastian Cabot, who explored the area in 1526.
a Spanish conquistador, who participated as a foot soldier in the conquest of Mexico with Hernán Cortés. He is often considered the "Man of Castilla" having many relationships due to his handsome demeanor. As a soldier of fortune, he participated in expeditions to Tierra Firme, to Cuba, and to the Yucatán peninsula before joining Cortés. In his later yea...
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a Spanish conquistador, who participated as a foot soldier in the conquest of Mexico with Hernán Cortés. He is often considered the "Man of Castilla" having many relationships due to his handsome demeanor. As a soldier of fortune, he participated in expeditions to Tierra Firme, to Cuba, and to the Yucatán peninsula before joining Cortés. In his later years he was an encomendero and governor in Guatemala where he wrote his memoirs called "The True History of the Conquest of New Spain".
a Baltic German geologist and explorer, who travelled in and contributed to the scientific understanding of Kamchatka. In 1851 Ditmar undertook a voyage to Kamchatka which would last until 1854, and there undertook important scientific investigations. His account of the travels in Kamchatka, published first in 1890, is still used by scientists involved in st...
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a Baltic German geologist and explorer, who travelled in and contributed to the scientific understanding of Kamchatka. In 1851 Ditmar undertook a voyage to Kamchatka which would last until 1854, and there undertook important scientific investigations. His account of the travels in Kamchatka, published first in 1890, is still used by scientists involved in studies of Kamchatka.
One of the leaders of the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition, a journey under a commission from the Spanish government to find a route from Santa Fe to Monterey and to record certain facts about the North American southwest.
an English nobleman, soldier, scholar and personal secretary of Christopher Hatton. His association with Francis Drake, on a 1577 voyage to interfere with Spanish treasure fleets, ended in a shipboard trial for treason and witchcraft and Doughty's execution.
an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, and was the first to complete it as captain and leader of the expedition throughout the entire circumnavigation. Queen more
an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, and was the first to complete it as captain and leader of the expedition throughout the entire circumnavigation. Queen Elizabeth I awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died of dysentery in after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico. His exploits were legendary, making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards to whom he was known as El Draque. King Philip II was said to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats, about £4 million (US$6.5M) by modern standards, for his life.
an English explorer and cartographer. In 1594, he led an expedition to the West Indies, of which he wrote an account. The illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, he inherited the bulk of the Earl's estate in accordance with his father's will, ...
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an English explorer and cartographer. In 1594, he led an expedition to the West Indies, of which he wrote an account. The illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, he inherited the bulk of the Earl's estate in accordance with his father's will, including Kenilworth Castle. In 1603–1605, he tried unsuccessfully to establish his legitimacy in court. After that he left England forever, finding a new existence in the service of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. There, he worked as an engineer and shipbuilder, and designed and published Dell'Arcano del Mare (1645-1646), the first maritime atlas to cover the whole world. He was also a skilled navigator and mathematician.
a French explorer, naval officer and rear admiral, who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. As a botanist and cartographer he left his mark, giving his name to several seaweeds, plants and shrubs, and places such as D'Urville Island.
