Sir Martin Frobisher (c. 1535 or 1539 – November 22, 1594) was an English seaman (from Wakefield, Yorkshire) who made three voyages to the New World to look for the Northwest Passage. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Wakefield lies at the heart of the City of Wakefield, a Metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago All landed in northeastern Canada, around today's Resolution Island and Frobisher Bay. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Resolution Island is one of the Canadian arctic islands in Nunavut, Canada. Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. On his second voyage, Frobisher found what he thought was gold and carried 200 tons of it home on three ships, where initial assaying determined it to be worth a profit of £5 per ton. Encouraged, Frobisher returned to Canada with an even larger fleet and dug several mines around Frobisher Bay. Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. He carted 1,350 tons of the ore back where, after years of smelting, it was realised that both that batch of ore and the earlier one he had taken were worthless. As an English privateer/pirate, he collected riches from French ships. A privateer was a private Warship authorized by a country's Government by Letters of marque to attack foreign shipping Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering He was later knighted for his service in repelling the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible
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Early life
Frobisher was born in Wakefield, England. He was the youngest of five children. His father was Bernard Frobisher, and his mother was Margaret Frobisher of Altofts in the parish of Normanton, Yorkshire, England. Altofts is a village near Normanton, West Yorkshire, England. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches Normanton is a town and Civil parish within the City of Wakefield metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He grew up as a youth living with his uncle and going on many trips. The family descended from John Frobysler (born about 1255) who was of Scottish extraction and went to fight for Edward I in the Welsh wars. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost Wales in the Late Middle Ages covers the period from the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in late 1282 to the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts He was granted lands at Chirk in Flintshire, North Wales. Chirk (Y Waun is a small Town in north-east Wales, between Wrexham and Oswestry. History The current administrative area of Flintshire (a Unitary authority) came into existence in 1996 when the former Administrative county of Clwyd North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England.
At an early age, he was sent to a school in London, where he was placed under the care of a kinsman, Sir York John. In 1553, Sir John sent him to sea with a trading expedition sailing to the Guinea coast of Africa. The following year on another expedition to Guinea he was held hostage for several months before being freed. Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea (pronounced /ˈgɪni/ République de Guinée is a country in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea . [1] By 1565, he is referred to as Captain Martin Frobisher and in 1571—1572 as being in the public service at sea off the coast of Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Frobisher was charged with piracy at least three times, although the cases never went to trial. [1] He had married in 1559.
The first voyage in search of the Northwest Passage
As early as 1560 or 1561, Frobisher had formed a resolution to undertake a voyage in search of a Northwest Passage as a trade-route to India and China (referred to at that time as Cathay). India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Cathay is the Anglicized version of "Catai" and an alternative name for China in English
It took him fifteen years to gain the necessary funding for his project. In 1576 Frobisher managed to convince the Muscovy Company, an English merchant consortium which had previously sent out several parties searching for the Northwest Passage, to license his expedition. The Muscovy Company (also called Russian Company or Muscovy Trading Company, Russian: Московская компания) was a With the help of Micheal Lok, the Muscovy Company's director, Frobisher was able to raise enough capital for three barks: the Gabriel and Michael, of about 20-25 tons each, and a pinnace of ten tons, with a total crew of 35. A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel History of the term The word barc appears to have come from Celtic languages A pinnace is one of two marine craft the first a small vessel used as a tender to larger vessels amongst other things and the second a ship rigged vessel popular in northern waters through [1]
He weighed anchor at Blackwall, and, after having received a good word from Queen Elizabeth I of England at Greenwich, set sail on June 7th, 1576, by way of the Shetland Islands. This entry concerns the area of London known as Blackwall For the type of merchant sailing ship first built there and named after it see Blackwall Frigate Greenwich ( ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ GREN-itch /ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ/ GREN-idge or /ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ/ GRIN-idge is a district in south-east London, Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Shetland (formerly spelled Zetland, from etland; Old Norse non Hjaltland; Sealtainn is an Archipelago off the northeast coast of
In a storm, the pinnace was lost, and the Michael was abandoned, but on 28 July, the Gabriel sighted the coast of Labrador. Events 1540 - Thomas Cromwell is executed at the order of Henry VIII of England on charges of Treason. Modern Labrador Just like its island neighbour Newfoundland early settlement in Labrador was tied to the sea as demonstrated by the Montagnais, Innu and
A few days later, the mouth of Frobisher Bay was reached, and because ice and wind prevented further travel north, Frobisher determined to sail westward up this passage (which he conceived to be a strait) to see "whether he might carry himself through the same into some open sea on the back side. Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. "
Baffin Island was reached on the 18 August 1576, where the expedition met some of the local natives. Baffin Island (ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ Qikiqtaaluk, Île de Baffin Old Norse: Helluland) in the territory of Nunavut is the largest member Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Having made arrangements with one of the natives to guide them through the region, Frobisher sent five of his men in a ship's boat to return the native to shore, but instructing them to avoid getting too close to any of the other natives. The boat's crew disobeyed, however, and were apparently taken captive by the Inuit. After days of searching Frobisher could not recover them, and eventually took hostage the man who had agreed to guide them to see if an exchange for the missing boat's crew could be arranged. The effort was fruitless, and the men were never seen again, but Inuit legend tells that the men lived among them for a few years until they died attempting to leave Baffin Island in a self-made boat. Inuit (plural the singular Inuk, means "man" or "person" is a general term for a group of culturally similar Indigenous peoples inhabiting Baffin Island (ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ Qikiqtaaluk, Île de Baffin Old Norse: Helluland) in the territory of Nunavut is the largest member Frobisher turned homewards, and reached London on 9 October. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Among the things which had been hastily brought away by the men was a "piece of a black stone,". There assayers were unimpressed with the ore. Only one out of four experts consulted believed the ore to be gold-bearing, and he admitted he "knew how to flatter nature". Nevertheless, Frobisher's backers, led by Micheal Lok and the Muscovy Company used this assessment to lobby for investment for another voyage. [2]
The second voyage
The next year, a much bigger expedition than the former was fitted out. The Queen sold the Royal Navy ship Ayde to the Company of Cathay and provided £1000 towards the expenses of the expedition. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Company of Cathay was granted a charter from the crown, giving the company the sole right of sailing in every direction but the east. Frobisher was appointed high admiral of all lands and waters that might be discovered by him.
On 25 May 1577 the expedition, consisting, besides the Ayde, of the ships Gabriel and Michael, with an aggregate complement of 150 men, including miners, refiners, gentlemen, and soldiers, left Blackwall, and sailing by the north of Scotland reached Hall's Island at the mouth of Frobisher Bay on 17 July. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. This entry concerns the area of London known as Blackwall For the type of merchant sailing ship first built there and named after it see Blackwall Frigate Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians A few days later the country and the south side of the bay was solemnly taken possession of in the queen's name. British Arctic Territories was a territory in North America consisting of the Islands of what is now Canada 's high Arctic.
Several weeks were now spent in collecting ore, but very little was done in the way of discovery, Frobisher being specially directed by his commission to "defer the further discovery of the passage until another time. " There was much parleying and some skirmishing with the natives, and earnest but futile attempts were made to recover the men captured the previous year.
The return was begun on 23 August, and the Ayde reached Milford Haven on 23 September. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Milford Haven (Aberdaugleddau meaning "mouth of the two Rivers Cleddau" is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales. Events 1122 - Concordat of Worms. 1459 - Battle of Blore Heath, the first major battle of the English The Gabriel and Michael later arrived separately at Bristol and Yarmouth. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London
Frobisher was received and thanked by the queen at Windsor. Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited Castle in the world and dating back to the time of Great preparations were made and considerable expense incurred for the assaying of the great quantity of "ore" (about 200 tons) brought home. This took up much time, and led to considerable dispute among the various parties interested.
The third voyage
Meantime, the faith of the queen and others remained strong in the productiveness of the newly discovered territory, which she herself named Meta Incognita, and it was resolved to send out a larger expedition than ever, with all necessaries for the establishment of a colony of 100 men. Frobisher was again received by the queen, and Her Majesty threw a fine chain of gold around his neck.
On the 30 June 1578, the expedition, consisting in all of fifteen vessels, left Harwich, and sailing by the English Channel on June 20 reached the south of Greenland, where Frobisher and some of his men managed to land. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Harwich (ˈhærɪdʒ is a town in Essex England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the On 2 July, the foreland of Frobisher Bay was sighted. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. Stormy weather and dangerous ice prevented the rendezvous from being gained, and, besides causing the wreck of the barque Dennis of 100 tons, drove the fleet unwittingly up a new strait (Hudson). A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel History of the term The word barc appears to have come from Celtic languages After proceeding about sixty miles up this "mistaken strait," Frobisher with apparent reluctance turned back, and after many buffetings and separations, the fleet at last came to anchor in Frobisher Bay.
Some attempt was made at founding a settlement, and a large quantity of ore was shipped. Too much dissension and discontent prevented a successful settlement. On the last day of August, the fleet set out on its return to England, which was reached in the beginning of October. The ore was taken to a specially constructed smelting plant at Powder Mill Lane in Dartford. Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east Kent. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format Despite many attempts, the ore was apparently not worth smelting and was eventually used in Elizabethan road construction. [2] This ended Frobisher's attempts at the Northwest Passage. .
Action against the Spaniards, 1580-1588
In 1580, Frobisher was employed as captain of one of the queen's ships in preventing the plans of Spain to assist the Irish in their resistance of encroaching English rule, and in the same year obtained a grant of the reversionary title of clerk of the Royal Navy. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)
In 1585, he commanded the Primrose, as vice-admiral to Sir Francis Drake in his expedition to the West Indies. Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c 1540 &ndash 27 January 1595 was an English Privateer, navigator, Slaver, and politician The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Soon afterwards, the country was threatened with invasion by the Spanish Armada, and Frobisher's name was one of four mentioned by the Lord High Admiral in a letter to the queen of "men of the greatest experience that this realm hath. The Spanish Armada ( Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada, "Great and Most Fortunate Navy" or Armada Invencible, "Invincible " For his signal services in the Triumph, in the dispersion of the Armada, Martin Frobisher was knighted. He continued to cruise about in the Channel until 1590, when he was sent in command of a small fleet of ships to the coast of Spain.
Later life
In 1591, he visited his native Altofts, and there married his second wife, a daughter of Lord Wentworth, becoming at the same time a landed proprietor in Yorkshire and Notts. Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Nottinghamshire (abbreviated Notts) is an English county in the East Midlands, which borders South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire He found, however, little leisure for a country life, and the following year took charge of the fleet fitted out by Sir Walter Raleigh to the Spanish coast, returning with a rich prize. Sir Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (c 1552 – 29 October 1618 was a famed English writer Poet, Soldier, Courtier and Explorer
In November 1594, he was engaged with a squadron in the siege and relief of Brest, when he received a gunshot wound at Fort Crozon,[3] a Spanish-held fortress and due to poor medical treatment, died days later at Plymouth on 15 November. Brest (bʁɛst in French, in Breton) is a city in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. His soft organs were buried at St Andrew's Church, Plymouth on 22 November. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran His body was then taken to London and buried at St Giles-without-Cripplegate
Legacy
One of the houses of Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, is named after Frobisher, as is one of the four houses at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green. St Giles-without-Cripplegate is an Anglican church in the City of London, located within the modern Barbican complex. Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School may refer to Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Ashbourne, England Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Alford In addition, the Royal Navy Hawkins class heavy cruiser HMS Frobisher was named after him. Design The ships were improved versions of the Birmingham sub-class of the "Town" class cruisers, thus they were initially known as the "Improved Interwar career Frobisher was commissioned on 20 September 1924 and entered service with the Mediterranean Fleet as Flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron
Martin Frobisher Infant/First/Primary School. Altofts, Yorkshire, is named after him.
References
- Hoffman, A. (1977). Lives of the Tudor Age. New York: Barnes & Noble.
Notes
- ^ a b c Bumstead, J. M. . The Peoples of Canada: A Pre-Confederation History. Oxford University Press. pg 55.
- ^ a b Bumstead, J. M. . The Peoples of Canada: A Pre-Confederation History. Oxford University Press. pg 56.
- ^ Kennedy, John J. . Hudson, Frobisher and the Early Exploration of Canada: Some Heraldic Puzzles. Académie internationale d'héraldique.
External links
- The Canadian Museum of Civilization - The Nunavut Voyages of Martin Frobisher
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
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