European Explorers

Famous Explorers - The Voyages & Explorations of European Explorers over Land and Sea

Famous European Explorers - Voyages across Land and Sea
Who were the most famous European Explorers and what were their great accomplishments and achievements? A 'Who's who' list of the famous European Explorers of the Renaissance and Elizabethan era. The brave European Explorers were searching for fame, glory and wealth. They travelled across unknown land and sea.

These famous European Explorers faced terrible hardships. Their voyages of discovery took them to the East of Europe to India and China and to the New World - the Americas. Click here for a full list of Famous Explorers 1400 - 1600.

The Motives of the famous European Explorers
The motives of the famous European Explorers and their patrons were prompted by the following:

• Wealth - gold, silver and spices
• Increased Power in Europe
• Prestige
• Increasing opportunities for trade
• Spreading the Christian Religion
• Building European Empires

The Countries of the famous European Explorers

The Renaissance era saw an explosion in voyages of discovery. The European Explorers were predominantly from four countries:

• Portugal
• Spain

• France
• England

The Who's Who List of famous European Explorers
There were so many European Explorers during the Renaissance period it was referred to as the Age of Exploration. The following facts and information chart the voyages, explorations, major accomplishments and achievements in this list of the most famous European explorers:

European Explorers or Pirates?
The European explorers from Portugal and Spain led the early explorations. European Nations, such as England, were determined to share the opportunities offered by the exploration of the New World. If, on their voyages, the European Explorers encountered the opportunity to raid foreign European ships this would not have been greeted with disapproval from their monarchs. Thus many European Explorers also gained the reputation of being Pirates or  Privateers. The Spanish were continuously harassed in the Caribbean by pirates and buccaneers who attacked the Spanish galleons which were carrying riches back to Spain. The Age of Discovery turned into the Golden Age of Piracy.

Famous Explorers - European Explorers - Voyages across Land and Sea
Some interesting facts and information chart the voyages, explorations, major accomplishments, key dates and achievements of the most famous European explorers. Additional details, biography, timelines, facts, history and information about the famous European Explorers can be accessed via the Elizabethan Era Sitemap.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert 1539 - 1583

Sir Francis Drake 1540 - 1597

Sir Walter Raleigh 1552 - 1618

Sir Martin Frobisher 1535 - 1594

Sir Richard Grenville 1542 - 1591

Sir John Hawkins 1532 - 1595

Juan Ponce de Leon 1460 - 1521

Sir Richard Hawkins 1562 - 1622

Henry Hudson 1565 - 1611

• Interesting Facts and information about European Explorers
• Interesting Facts and information about Famous European Explorers
• Voyages & Explorations of European Explorers
• The Motives of European voyages of discovery and exploration
• Who's who list of famous European Explorers.
• Famous European Explorers

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European Explorers

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