Biography
Sir Walter Ralegh's ambitious spirit and strategic vision were instrumental in paving the way for English colonization in the Americas. His life, marked by grand achievements and devastating downfalls, reflects the volatile nature of his era. Through exploration, political maneuvering, and literary contributions, Ralegh left an indelible mark on history, even as his personal ambitions met a tragic end.
Early Life
The exact date of Walter Ralegh's birth remains a mystery, much like that of William Shakespeare, his notable contemporary. Although their birth years are debated, the year of their deaths is well-documented, highlighting their prominence. Over seventy variations of Ralegh's surname exist, but he eventually settled on the spelling "Ralegh" in the latter part of his life.
While some sources suggest Ralegh was born in 1552, his own legal testimonies hint at 1554 as more accurate. His birthplace was the Barton of Hayes, near East Budleigh in Devon, a region where adventurous maritime pursuits were common. His father, a gentleman farmer engaged in privateering, likely instilled in young Walter a love for the sea, as famously captured in Sir John Everett Millais’ painting of Ralegh enthralled by a sailor's tale. Despite his future seafaring fame, Ralegh's initial claim to fame was on land as a soldier. By the late 1560s, he joined the Protestant Huguenots in France, developing a lifelong anti-Catholic stance. He briefly attended Oriel College, Oxford, before leaving without a degree, a typical occurrence at the time, and later attempted legal studies at the Middle Temple in London.
Life’s Work
Ralegh embarked on his maritime career in 1578, captaining a ship under Sir Humphrey Gilbert's command, who aimed to explore and settle new lands for England. Adverse weather forced others to retreat, but Ralegh pressed on to the Cape Verde Islands. His career took a new direction in 1580 when he commanded troops in Ireland, forming a friendship with the poet Edmund Spenser and becoming embroiled in a scandalous affair with Alice Gould. The tale of his courtly gesture towards Queen Elizabeth I, as chronicled by Thomas Fuller, is legendary, illustrating his opulent fashion sense and his swift rise as one of her favored courtiers.
By 1583, Ralegh had become a significant figure at court, receiving Durham House from the queen and lucrative monopolies. His interest in exploration continued, and he backed the first English attempts to establish a settlement in North America in "Virginia," now North Carolina. Though the first colonists faced hardships and returned, and a later group vanished, Ralegh's efforts laid groundwork for future English expansion.
Despite personal successes, Ralegh's position weakened due to the arrival of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, as the queen's new favorite. Involvement with Elizabeth Throckmorton, a court lady, led to secret marriage, further straining his relationship with the queen. In 1592, during a mission to Panama, the revelation of his marriage resulted in imprisonment, but he was later released to safeguard the queen's share of a captured treasure galleon.
Banished from court, Ralegh retreated to Sherborne, an estate he had acquired earlier. Still driven by ambition, he continued his pursuit of exploration, taking up the quest for El Dorado in South America. His 1595 expedition to Guiana, though not successful in finding gold, was immortalized in his writing, "The Discovery of the Large, Rich, and Beautiful Empire of Guiana." He argued for English intervention against Spanish oppression, advocating for Elizabethan influence in the region.
Ralegh's military prowess was further demonstrated in the 1596 Cadiz expedition, where he led a daring attack resulting in a lifelong leg injury. His rivalry with Essex intensified during a subsequent ill-fated mission to...
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capture Spanish treasure. Essex's failed rebellion in 1601 and subsequent execution left Ralegh under suspicion, though his hand in Essex's downfall remains unproven.
Last Years and Legacy
As governor of Jersey in 1600, Ralegh made significant improvements, but Elizabeth's death in 1603 marked a turning point. King James I's ascent brought about Ralegh's decline, with accusations of treason leading to a farcical trial and a death sentence. Spared execution, he endured lengthy imprisonment in the Tower of London, where he composed "The History of the World," a work that eventually fell afoul of James.
Ralegh's release in 1616 for another expedition to Guiana was marred by ill health and Spanish hostility. The ill-fated venture resulted in his return to England and eventual execution in 1618, condemned for engaging Spanish forces. His composed demeanor at the scaffold won him admiration as a political martyr, influencing the leaders of the future English Civil War.
Ralegh's life, a blend of heroism and controversy, has fascinated generations. His visionary ideas for an English empire in the Americas were realized posthumously, capturing the English imagination. Though he did not achieve his full potential as a historical force, his legacy endures through the completion of his ambitious dreams by others.
Bibliography
Adamson, J.H., and H.F. Folland. The Shepherd of the Ocean: An Account of Sir Walter Ralegh and His Times. Boston: Gambit, 1969. This work places Ralegh within the historical and political contexts of his era, offering insights into his literary and professional relationships.
Armitage, Christopher M. Sir Walter Ralegh: An Annotated Bibliography. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1987. A comprehensive resource of nearly two thousand items concerning Ralegh's life and work.
Hammond, Peter. Sir Walter Ralegh. London: Pitkin Books, 1978. Provides a concise biography with numerous illustrations of key people and locations related to Ralegh.
Jones, H.G., ed. Ralegh and Quinn: The Explorer and His Boswell. Chapel Hill: North Caroliniana Society, 1987. A collection of papers from a conference honoring David Beers Quinn's contributions to the study of Ralegh.
Lefranc, Pierre. Sir Walter Ralegh, écrivain: L’Oeuvre et les idées. Quebec: Presses de l’Université Laval, 1968. Analyzes Ralegh's writings and the evidence of his authorship, assessing his development as a writer.
Mills, Jerry Leath. Sir Walter Ralegh. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1986. A chronological listing of scholarly works on Ralegh from 1901 to 1984, annotated by the compiler.
Ralegh, Sir Walter. The History of the World. Edited by C.A. Patrides. London: Macmillan, 1971. A modern selection from Ralegh's extensive historical work, with critical analysis of his achievements.
Ralegh, Sir Walter. Selected Prose and Poetry. Edited by Agnes M.C. Latham. London: University of London Athlone Press, 1965. Curated selections from Ralegh's poems and prose.
Ralegh, Sir Walter. Selected Writings. Edited by Gerald Hammond. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1986. A collection of Ralegh's major works, demonstrating the breadth of his literary contributions.
Wallace, Willard M. Sir Walter Ralegh. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1959. A detailed exploration of Ralegh's life, with considerable focus on his writings.
Wallace, Willard M. The Works of Sir Walter Ralegh. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1829. 8 vols. Reprint. New York: Burt Franklin, 1965. This extensive edition includes early biographies and a wide array of Ralegh's writings.
