Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552-1618 CE) was an English courtier, soldier, mariner, explorer, and historian. A one-time favourite of his queen, Elizabeth I of England (r. 1558-1603 CE), Raleigh organised three expeditions to form a colony on the coast of North America in the 1580s CE. The colony was abandoned but the expeditions were notable for introducing tobacco and the potato to England. Unsuccessful at colonisation and falling out with his queen when he married one of her ladies-in-waiting, Raleigh turned instead to finding El Dorado, the fabled golden city of South America. Once more, success was elusive. Back in England, the adventurer was accused of treason by King James I of England (r. 1603-1625 CE) and imprisoned in the Tower of London for 13 years. Writing poetry and an important work of history, the beached mariner was improbably freed in 1616 CE to explore one last time South America. This final expedition was another failure and led once again to imprisonment. Raleigh was executed in the Tower in 1618 CE.
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Timeline
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c. 1552Walter Raleigh is born in Devon, England.
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1584The Amadas-Barlowe expedition explores North America and trades with Native Americans on Roanoke Island.
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1585Walter Raleigh is knighted by Elizabeth I of England.
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Apr 1585 - Jul 1585Settlers sail to Virginia in North America to create England's first colony on Roanoke Island.
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22 Jul 1587A second wave of settlers arrives to form the Roanoke Colony in Virginia, North America.
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Nov 1591Sir Walter Raleigh marries in secret Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Throckmorton.
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Aug 1592 - Sep 1592Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Tower of London for marrying in secret a lady-in-waiting of Elizabeth I of England.
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3 Aug 1592A fleet of English ships funded by Sir Walter Raleigh captures the Portuguese treasure ship, the carrack Madre de Deus.
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1595Sir Walter Raleigh makes his first unsuccessful attempt to find El Dorado in South America.
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Jun 1596A large English fleet lands and captures the Spanish port of Cadiz.
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1603 - 1616Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Tower of London on charges of treason against James I of England.
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1614Sir Walter Raleigh's 'History of the World' is published.
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Mar 1617Sir Walter Raleigh again attempts to find El Dorado in South America.
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29 Oct 1618Sir Walter Raleigh is executed at the Tower of London.
