Walter Raleigh

Alternatively, Professor Walter Raleigh was a scholar and author circa 1900.

Early life and career

Walter Raleigh was born at Hayes Barton, which lies on the edge of Woodbury Common close to the village of East Budleigh, in Devon, England. He was the half brother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Adrian Gilbert. Raleigh's family had a fundamentally Protestant religious orientation and experienced a number of near escapes during the reign of the Catholic queen Mary I of England (1553 - 1558). During childhood, Raleigh developed a hatred of Catholicism, and proved quick to express it after the Protestant Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558. In 1572 he is listed as an undergraduate at Oxford and in the registry of the Middle Temple in 1575.

Related Topics:
Devon - England - Humphrey Gilbert - Adrian Gilbert - Protestant - Mary I of England - Catholicism - Elizabeth I - 1558 - 1572 - Middle Temple - 1575

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By 1581, after a number of military and naval engagements in France, Ireland and elsewhere, he had become established as a courtier and as Elizabeth's favourite. The story that he once took off an expensive cloak and threw it over a mud puddle for Queen Elizabeth to walk across illustrates Raleigh's flamboyant manner—the event probably never happened, but everyone had come to expect that sort of thing from Raleigh, and Elizabeth always favored that kind of showmanship.

Related Topics:
1581 - France - Ireland - Cloak

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In 1587, the first Ark Royal was built as Ark Raleigh at Deptford on the River Thames, on Raleigh's orders, he was later compelled to sell the ship, to cover his debts.

Related Topics:
1587 - ''Ark Royal'' - Deptford - River Thames

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