Henry Hudson, whose biography and discoveries are the subject of this review, was a famous English navigator and discoverer of the 16th-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 mainland and some water areas are named after him.
General characteristics of the era
The captain's journey must be seen in the context of the era. He completed his studies during the years when Queen Elizabeth I sat on the throne, whose reign was marked by the rapid development of English navigation and trade. She encouraged the entrepreneurial spirit 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 under her many British companies initiated a study of water spaces in order to find more profitable ways of communication with other continents and countries.
Some Identity Information
Hudson Henry was born in 1570, and many researchers believe that the son of a sailor. Almost nothing is known about the early years of the future navigator. It is believed that hespent his youth by the sea, studying seamanship, became a cabin boy, and later rose to the rank of captain. There are reports that D. Davis' trip 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 acquire the fame of a talented navigator.
First trip
The English "Moscovite Company" was interested in finding north-eastern routes for trade, bypassing the Spanish and Portuguese possessions. In 1607, an expedition was organized to search for a northern route to Asian countries. Hudson Henry was to be in command. He had only one ship with a small crew at his disposal.
Going out to sea, he sent the ship in a northwesterly direction until he reached the Greenland coast. Along the way, the navigator made a map of this region. He reached Spitsbergen and came close enough to the North Pole. Since further travel was impossible due to the fact that the ice prevented the advance of ships, Hudson Henry gave the order to 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 made a new expedition with the same goal as before: to try to find a sea route to China and India through the northeast or northwest. The traveler wanted to find a space free from ice, and in the course of his search he ended up in the sea between Novaya Zemlya and Svalbard. However, the 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 trip
In 1609, the navigator embarked on a new voyage, but now under the Dutch flag. This country was a rival and successful competitor of the British crown in the development of new lands and the founding of colonies. Hudson could choose the direction of navigation at his own discretion. He sailed into the Barents Sea and was caught off guard by bad weather. The expedition found itself in extremely difficult conditions: cold weather set in, a murmur began among the team, threatening to turn into a riot. Then the discoverer suggested sailing towards the Davis Strait or heading for the North American coast.
The second option was chosen, and the ships headed northwest in search of shore, which Henry Hudson was counting on. North America was explored by him in sufficient detail: he approached the lands of the modern states, entered the bay and sailed along the large river, which currently bears his name. These were very important discoveries, but the captain made sure that he never reached the goal of his journey, and the path he found did not lead to China.
An interesting fact is that at the same time Frenchexplorer and traveler Champlain also explored these places with the same goal: to find a waterway to China. He managed to get to the same place where the Hudson was, but only on the other side, only one hundred and fifty kilometers separated them.
Meanwhile, disturbances began again on board the English ship, and the traveler was forced to return. On the way, he went to an English port, where he was arrested along with other compatriots: after all, according to the laws of the country, they were supposed to sail only under the flag of the kingdom. Soon they were released, and in the next year, 1610, a new expedition was organized.
Fourth trip
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 Greenlandic coasts, and then entered the strait, which now bears his name. Moving along the Labrador coast, the ship of travelers entered the bay, which was also named after him.
The next few months the navigator was engaged in mapping the American coast, and in winter the expedition was forced to go ashore for the winter. When the ice melted, the captain decided to continue his research, but a riot broke out on the ship: he, along with his son and seven sailors, were put on a boat without food and water. Nothing is known about his further fate, most likely he died.
Meaning
Great contribution to the discovery of lands andThe development of geographical science was made by Henry Hudson. What the navigator discovered, we examined above. His discoveries filled many blank spots on the maps of the period under consideration. The bay he discovered is several times larger than the B altic Sea. The coast he described later became a profitable place for the fur trade, which the company conducted for a long time. The Hudson Strait is a convenient outlet to the Arctic waters from the Atlantic Ocean. Many geographical features bear the traveler's name, including a river, a county, a city.
Henry Hudson became one of the most outstanding discoverers of his time. Photos, as well as maps of the continents, confirm that the navigator immortalized his name. Unfortunately, he, like many other travelers of that time, did not immediately receive recognition. The navigator did not have the opportunity to travel on several ships; he was given one or two ships. Nevertheless, his contribution to geographical science can hardly be overestimated. Thanks to him, hard-to-reach areas of the northern seas and coasts were described.
