Henry Hudson, whose biography and discoveries are the subject of this review, was a famous English navigator and pioneer of the 16-17th centuries. He made a great contribution to the development of geographical science, studied and described the Arctic Ocean, as well as new straits, bays, rivers and islands. Therefore, a number of objects on the territory of the North American continent and some water spaces were named after him.
General characteristics of the era
Captain's voyages should be seen in the context of the era. He completed his research in the years when Queen Elizabeth I sat on the throne, whose reign was marked by the rapid development of English shipping and trade. She encouraged the entrepreneurship of maritime companies, as well as the private initiatives of sailors. It was during the years of her reign that F. Drake made his famous round-the-world trip. The Queen’s treasury was enriched by maritime trade, so with it many English companies initiated a study of water spaces to find more beneficial ways of communication with other continents and countries.
Some personality information
Hudson Henry was born in 1570, and many researchers believe that in the family of a sailor. Almost nothing is known about the early years of the future navigator. It is believed that he spent his youth by the sea, studying marine affairs, became a young man, and subsequently rose to the rank of captain. There is news that the trip of D. Davis was organized in the house of a certain D. Hudson, who was probably a relative of the future discoverer. Consequently, Hudson Henry was an experienced sailor and even before the start of his famous voyages he managed to gain the fame of a talented navigator.
First trip
The English “Muscovite Company” was interested in finding the northeastern trade routes bypassing the Spanish and Portuguese possessions. In 1607, an expedition was organized to search for the northern route to Asian countries. Hudson Henry was to command. At his disposal was only one ship with a small crew.
Going out to sea, he directed the ship in a northwest direction until he reached the Greenland coast. On the way, the navigator made a map of this region. He reached Svalbard and came close enough to the North Pole. Since further travel was impossible due to the fact that the ice interfered with the advancement of ships, Hudson Henry ordered the return to his homeland. Here he spoke about the possibilities of whaling in the northern seas, which contributed to the development of this industry in the country.
Second journey
The following year, the captain carried out a new expedition with the same goal as before: try to find the sea route to China and India through the northeast or northwest. The traveler wanted to find a space free of ice, and in the course of his searches he fell into the sea between Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard. However, Hudson could not find a free passage here, and therefore turned to the northeast. But here again, failure awaited him: the ice again blocked his path, the captain was forced to return to his homeland.
Third journey
In 1609, the sailor embarked on a new voyage, but now under the Dutch flag. This country was a rival and a successful competitor to the British crown in developing new lands and founding colonies. Hudson, in his discretion, could choose the direction of swimming. He sailed into the Barents Sea and was caught unawares by bad weather. The expedition found itself in extremely difficult conditions: cold came, a grumble began among the team, threatening to go over to the riot. Then the discoverer suggested sailing in the direction of the Davis Strait or heading to the North American coast.
The second option was chosen, and the ships headed northwest in search of the coast, as Henry Hudson had hoped. He studied North America in sufficient detail: he approached the lands of modern states, entered the bay and sailed along the large river, which now bears his name. These were very important discoveries, but the captain made sure that he had not reached the goal of his journey, and that the path found did not lead to China.
An interesting fact is that at the same time, the French explorer and traveler Champlain also explored these places for the same purpose: to find a waterway to China. He managed to get to the same place where Hudson was, but only on the other hand, they were separated by only one hundred and fifty kilometers.
Meanwhile, unrest began again on board the English ship, and the traveler was forced to return. On the way, he went to the English port, where he was arrested along with other compatriots: after all, according to the laws of the country, they had to fly only under the flag of the kingdom. Soon they were released, and the next, 1610, a new expedition was organized.
Fourth journey
This time, Henry Hudson, whose discoveries played an important role in the development of geographical research, was hired by the British East India Company. He again went north, sailed to the Icelandic and Greenland shores, and then entered the strait, which now bears his name. Moving along the Labrador shores, the travelers ship entered the bay, which was also named after him.
The next few months, the seafarer was engaged in mapping American shores, and in winter the expedition was forced to go ashore for the winter. When the ice disappeared, the captain decided to continue research, but a riot began on the ship: he, along with his son and seven sailors, was put on a boat without food and water. Nothing is known about his future fate; most likely, he died.
Value
A great contribution to the discovery of land and the development of geographical science was made by Henry Hudson. What the seafarer discovered, we examined above. His discoveries filled many white spots on the maps of the time in question. The bay that he discovered is several times larger than the Baltic Sea. The coast described by him subsequently became a profitable place for trading in fur, which the company had been leading for a long time. The Hudson Strait is a convenient exit to the Arctic waters from the Atlantic Ocean. Many geographical objects bear the name of a traveler, including a river, a district, a city.
He became one of the most outstanding discoverers of his time, Henry Hudson. Photos and maps of the mainland confirm that the sailor immortalized his name. Unfortunately, he, like many other travelers of that time, did not immediately receive recognition. The navigator was not able to travel on several ships, he was given one or two ships. Nevertheless, his contribution to geography is difficult to overestimate. Thanks to him, inaccessible areas of the northern seas and coasts were described.