Thomas Cavendish

Thomas Cavendish

English explorer, navigator and privateer
Date of Birth: 19.09.1560
Country: Great Britain

Content:
  1. Biography of Thomas Cavendish
  2. Early Life
  3. Education and Early Career
  4. Exploration of the Pacific
  5. Journey Through the Pacific
  6. Raiding Spanish Ships and Cities
  7. Return and Legacy
  8. Second Expedition and Death

Biography of Thomas Cavendish

Thomas Cavendish was an English explorer, navigator, and privateer. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I, who invited him on board the 'Desire' for a dinner. The English people celebrated the return of the 'Desire' and the defeat of the Spanish Armada earlier that year.

Early Life

Thomas Cavendish was born on September 19, 1560, in Trimley St. Martin, near Ipswich, Suffolk, England. His father, William Cavendish, was a descendant of Roger Cavendish, the brother of Sir John Cavendish, from whom the Dukes of Devonshire and Dukes of Newcastle derived their Cavendish surname. When Thomas was 12 years old, he inherited his late father's estate. After finishing school at the age of 17, Cavendish spent eight years recklessly squandering his inheritance.

Education and Early Career

At the age of 15, Cavendish entered Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, where he studied for two years but did not earn a degree. He served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury, Dorset in 1584 and decided to embark on a journey to Virginia with Sir Richard Grenville the following year. Hoping to gain valuable experience, Cavendish ended up losing a significant amount of money, resulting in a failed investment. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Wilton in 1586.

Exploration of the Pacific

By July 1586, Spain and England were engulfed in war, culminating in the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the subsequent threat of invasion in 1588. Inspired by Sir Francis Drake's desire to launch surprise attacks on Spanish ports and ships in the Pacific Ocean and circumnavigate the globe, Cavendish decided to follow his example. After obtaining permission for his planned raid, Cavendish built the massive 120-ton ship 'Desire' equipped with 18 cannons.

Journey Through the Pacific

On July 21, 1586, Cavendish set sail from Plymouth, England, with the 'Desire,' accompanied by the 60-ton ship 'Content' armed with 10 cannons and the 40-ton sailing ship 'Hugh Gallant.' They reached the Strait of Magellan on January 6, 1587, after a thorough exploration of various bays, labyrinths, and abandoned settlements in Tierra del Fuego and the surrounding archipelago. On February 24, Cavendish emerged from the strait into the Pacific Ocean and sailed up the coast of South America. The ships anchored near Santa Magdalena Island, close to modern-day Punta Arenas, Chile, where the crew killed and salted two barrels of penguins for food.

Raiding Spanish Ships and Cities

Along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Thomas Cavendish's crew captured or sank nine Spanish ships and plundered several cities. They also obtained valuable information from a captive pilot, who revealed the expected arrival of the Manila galleon, a trading ship, in October or November 1587. The galleon usually stopped at Cape San Lucas on the Baja California Peninsula before heading to Acapulco. In reality, two galleons, 'San Francisco' and 'Santa Ana,' were heading to Cape San Lucas in 1587 but were caught in a typhoon in the Philippines, resulting in shipwrecks on the coast of Japan. 'Santa Ana' was salvaged and repaired, eventually continuing its journey.

Return and Legacy

In October 1587, Cavendish and his remaining two ships anchored off the coast above Mazatlan, where they repaired and careened their vessels. They also dug wells for water. On November 4, 1587, one of the lookouts spotted a 600-ton galleon with at least 200 people on board. After several hours of pursuit and battle between the English ships and the galleon 'Santa Ana,' Cavendish fired incendiary projectiles and heavy cannon fire, forcing the enemy to surrender. 190 Spaniards, including Sebastián Vizcaíno, and Filipino crew members of the 'Santa Ana' were brought ashore. Cavendish loaded his ships with a wealth of gold worth 100 Troy pounds, as well as silk, damask, musk, spices, and wine. After setting fire to the 'Santa Ana,' Cavendish's 'Desire' and 'Content' set sail on November 17, 1587. The fate of the 60-ton 'Content' remains unknown. Meanwhile, the surviving Spaniards extinguished the burning 'Santa Ana,' which had drifted along the coast, and managed to bring it to Acapulco with great difficulty.

Second Expedition and Death

Cavendish sailed across the Pacific Ocean and reached Guam on January 3, 1588, where he replenished supplies of food, water, and wood, trading them with the locals for metal goods. Making stops in the Philippines, Java, and other islands, Thomas Cavendish sold his plundered goods and gathered information about the happenings on the Chinese and Japanese coasts. His surviving crew members, disguised in new clothes and bedding, arrived home "looking fresh." By May 14, 1588, Cavendish reached the shores of Africa and returned home via the Cape of Good Hope, stopping at the island of St. Helena. He completed his circumnavigation in two years and 49 days, nine months faster than Francis Drake, but like Drake, Cavendish returned with only one ship.

Cavendish was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I, who was invited on board the 'Desire' for a dinner to celebrate the ship's return and the defeat of the Spanish Armada earlier that year. Following his first voyage, the 28-year-old Cavendish received significant financial support and other forms of assistance. In August 1591, his second expedition set sail further south to the Strait of Magellan, after which Cavendish returned to Brazil, where he lost a significant portion of his crew in a battle against the Portuguese in the village of Vitória. He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the island of St. Helena with the surviving members of his crew and died at the age of 32, possibly near Ascension Island, in 1592. English explorer John Davis continued the journey with Cavendish's crew, discovering the Falkland Islands before returning to England with exhausted, hungry, and sick sailors.

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