Sir Walter Raleigh Research Paper

The Life and Death of Sir Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh was born around 1552 in a farmhouse near Burleigh Salterton Bay on the coast of Devonshire between Exmouth and Sidmouth. His father was Walter Raleigh and his mother was Catherine Champernown. Their last names were written in great diversity but the actual spelling of “Raleigh” was adopted by Sir Walter’s widow and is the most commonly accepted spelling. There is not much know of Sir Walter’s childhood, but in 1568 he was enrolled into the Oriel College, better known as Oxford. One year later he followed his cousin (Henry Champernown) to join the French Huguenots. According to History of the World, which was written by Raleigh, he was part of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572, …show more content…
By 1576 he joined a Temple and began writing poetry with hopes of print. After two years in obscurity, Raleigh joined his half-brother (Sir Humphrey Gilbert) in a voyage to search for the Northwest Passage to the Orient. The mission was not a success because it developed into a privateering mission, to which he hired his ship out to, against the Spanish. This act did not go over well with the Privy Council (advisors to the king) and he lost a lot of influence with them. Raleigh was a well-dressed, handsome, and very confident man which helped him to rise quickly in court (royal family and its advisors). He received much royal favor included a house in London and two estates in Oxford. Raleigh was knighted in 1584 and shortly after that was made the chief officer of the stannaries’ (mines). Although he was hated overall, his improvements of the mining codes made him very popular. He also sat for meetings about the governing body of England. He later became captain of the Queen’s Guard. This would be his highest office he ever held. By 1582 Humphrey Gilbert had organized a company to settle in the Americas. Raleigh was forbidden by the Queen to accompany him, but it did not stop Raleigh from investing …show more content…
So he sent his cousin whom perished shortly after being trapped by the Spanish forces. After Raleigh returned from getting revenge from his cousin Raleigh was imprisoned for a short time because the Queen had discovered that he was having a love affair with one of her maids of honor (Elizabeth Throgmorton). He would later marry her. Raleigh lost a lot of influence once again from the Queen, but later gained it back by successfully raiding Cadiz, Spain. He was allowed back into court, and even served in Parliament. After Queen Elizabeth passed away, Raleigh was once again imprisoned by James I (successor of Elizabeth) for plotting against the king. Although it was a false accusation his home in London was stripped from him. During his thirteen year imprisonment he gained the sympathetic ear of James’s eldest son, Henry, who was curious about ship building and naval defense. Although Henry was against the imprisonment of Raleigh he died before he could do any good for him. Raleigh was freed in 1616 and was allowed to go to South America in search of gold mines. Whilst searching for gold mines Raleigh and his men violated James’s strict instructions to avoid fighting