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50-588: Admiral Sir Richard Hawkins (or Hawkyns ) (c. 1562 – 17 April 1622) was a 17th-century English seaman, explorer and privateer. He was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins . He was from his earlier days familiar with ships and the sea, and in 1582 he accompanied his uncle, William Hawkins , to the West Indies . In 1585 he was captain of a galliot in Drake 's expedition to the Spanish main , in 1588 he commanded

100-800: A coat of arms which displays an enslaved male. Hawkins is widely considered to be the first English merchant to profit from the Triangle Trade ; trading English goods for enslaved people in Africa, then selling those people in the Americas and buying foreign goods to be sold in England after the return journey. Hawkins persuaded Queen Elizabeth I to back his second slave voyage and secured investors from her court, these included Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln , with William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley involved as

150-657: A perpetual memory of her chastitie, and remembrance of my endevours, I gave it the name of Hawkins Maiden land ... the Westernmost part lyeth some threescore leagues from the neerest Land of America". This land is now known as the Falkland Islands. Hawkins then sailed back to the South American mainland and passed through the Straits of Magellan , and in due course reached Valparaíso . Having plundered

200-688: A queen's ship against the Armada , and in 1590 his father's expedition at the coast of Portugal. In 1593 he purchased the galleon Dainty (built for the voyage of discovery), a vessel originally built for his father and used by him in his expeditions, and sailed for the West Indies, the Spanish Main and the South Seas. It seems clear that his project was to prey on the oversea possessions of Spanish crown . Hawkins, however, in an account of

250-571: A relative of Lovell, was on the voyage. Lovell sailed to the West African coast in 1566 and through piracy captured five ships, three of which were slave ships . He took the cargo of enslaved people and other goods to the Spanish West Indies to be sold. The sale of the cargo did not go well and Lovell deposited 92 enslaved people ashore without any payment. Drake later recalled the trip with embarrassment and Hawkins ascribed

300-691: A supervisor. The queen allowed Hawkins to charter one of her ships for the trip, the 700 Ton Jesus of Lübeck and for it to fly her flag, the Royal Standard. He set sail from Plymouth on 18 October 1564 with four vessels, Jesus of Lübeck , and 3 ships of his own. He took over 400 enslaved people from Africa, some he bought from the Portuguese, others he kidnapped directly by raiding the coast, he left Africa on 29 January 1565. On 3 April 1565, Hawkins arrived at Borburata in Venezuela, as trade

350-403: Is a wonderful secret of the power and wisedome of God, that hath hidden so great and unknown virtue in this fruit, to be a certaine remedie for this infirmitie" In 1604 he became Member of Parliament for Plymouth and Vice-Admiral of Devon , a post which, as the coast was swarming with pirates (following the prohibition of English privateering in 1603), was no sinecure. In this role, Hawkins

400-602: Is not known whether Katherine was Richard's mother or step-mother, because the marriage happened after his birth. Richard spoke fondly of Katherine in later life, consequently it is more likely she was his birth mother. Hawkins made voyages to the Canary Islands in the years leading up to 1561, and there he had learnt about the Atlantic slave trade – taking people from Guinea off the African coast and selling them in

450-522: The Dainty was nearly sinking, he surrendered on 1 July 1594 on the promise of a safe-conduct out of the country for himself and his crew. Through no fault of the Spanish commander, this promise was not kept. In 1597 Hawkins was sent to Spain, and imprisoned first at Seville and subsequently at Madrid . He was released in 1602, and, returning to England, was knighted in 1603 and elected Mayor of Plymouth

500-539: The English Armada . One of its goals was to try to intercept the Spanish treasure ships departing from Mexico. One decisive action might have forced Philip II to the negotiating table and avoided fourteen years of continuing warfare. Instead, the voyage failed and the King was able to use the brief respite to rebuild his naval forces and, by the end of 1589, Spain once again had an Atlantic fleet strong enough to escort

550-583: The Spanish Armada , he was part of the war council and third in command overall. Hawkins had an extensive influence on the outcome of the engagement not only through his command, but because his improved ship designs, while acting as Treasurer of the Navy, had given the fleet more firepower and speed. After that victory, Hawkins urged the seizure of Philip II 's colonial treasure, in order to stop Spain re-arming. In 1589, Hawkins sailed with Francis Drake in

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600-606: The Spanish Caribbean colonies. For his first slave voyage he formed a syndicate with Sir William Winter , Sir Lionel Duckett , Sir Thomas Lodge , his father-in-law Benjamin Gonson, and others to share the risk and cost of the voyage. In 1562, he set sail with three ships ( Saloman , Jonas , and Swallow ) travelling down the African coast as far as Sierra Leone , he captured people and enslaved them as he went, taking around 300 people in total. From there he sailed to

650-544: The 16th century slavery was often accepted without a judgment of moral values. The Victorian era saw Hawkins described as the unscrupulous father of the English slave trade. In June 2006, Andrew Hawkins, a descendant, publicly apologised for John Hawkins's actions in the slave trade. In 2023, Plymouth City Council announced that due to Hawkins's links with the slave trade, it planned to rename Sir John Hawkins Square to Justice Square. Spanish Company The Company

700-543: The American treasure ships home. Katherine Hawkins, his wife, died in 1591; he then married Margaret Vaughan (d. 1619), daughter of Charles Vaughan , a Lady of the Bedchamber of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1593, Richard Hawkins , his son, was defeated and captured by the Spanish at a naval battle called the action of San Mateo Bay . With his cousin, Sir Francis Drake , John Hawkins raised a fleet of 27 ships to attack

750-589: The Caribbean, he did not have permission from either Spain or Portugal to trade with their colonies so he sold his enslaved people in Isabella, Puerto de Plata and Monte Christi – places where the local authorities did not enforce government trade embargoes. The enslaved people were traded for pearls, hides and sugar. The trade was so prosperous that, on his return to England, the College of Arms granted Hawkins

800-561: The Company: "We straightly charge and command all and singular customers, comptrollers and collectors of customs, poundage and subsidies, and all other officers within our port and city of London and elsewhere unto whom it shall appertain, that they their clerks or substitutes, shall not take entry of any goods wares or merchandises to be transported into Spain or Portugal, or make any agreement for any custom, poundage or other subsidy for any such goods, but only of such person and persons free of

850-544: The French colony of Fort Caroline in Florida. Finding them in need, he traded his smallest ship and a quantity of provisions to them for cannon, powder, and shot, that they no longer needed, as they were preparing to return to France. The provisions gained from Hawkins enabled the French to survive and prepare to move back home as soon as possible. The voyage returned a profit reported at 60%. Hawkins brought back to England

900-547: The Navy , Hawkins became the chief architect of the Elizabethan Navy. He redesigned the navy so the ships were faster, more manoeuvrable and had more firepower. Hawkins' son, Richard Hawkins , was captured by the Spanish. In response, along with his cousin Sir Francis Drake , he raised a fleet of ships to attack the Spanish in the West Indies. However, he died at sea during the expedition. John Hawkins

950-483: The Navy upset many who had vested interests. In 1582, his rival, Sir William Wynter , accused him of administrative malfeasance, instigating a Royal Commission on fraud against him. The commission, under William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , Francis Walsingham , and Drake, concluded that there was no corruption, and that the Queen's Navy was in first-rate condition. Hawkins served as a Vice-Admiral during victory against

1000-470: The Spaniards in the Americas in a positive way, judging them as "temperate" and "gentle". Attribution: [REDACTED] Media related to Richard Hawkins at Wikimedia Commons John Hawkins (naval commander) Admiral Sir John Hawkins (also spelled Hawkyns ) (1532 – 12 November 1595) was an English naval commander, naval administrator, privateer and slave trader. Hawkins pioneered, and

1050-416: The Spanish in the West Indies. They set sail from Plymouth on 29 August 1595. Bad weather and skirmishes with the Spanish fleet hampered their efforts to get his son back. On 12 November 1595, it was reported that Hawkins had died at sea close to Puerto Rico . Hawkins’ legacy divides opinion. The historian Geoffrey Elton appraised Hawkins as "one of the founding-fathers of England's naval tradition ... he

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1100-475: The expert and exercised merchants in their lawful and honest trade, and to establish good order and government in the said trade, of our ample and abundant grace do grant unto the president, assistants and fellowship of merchants that they, and such only as be or shall be of this incorporation or free of this fellowship, shall enjoy the whole entire and only trade and traffic and the whole entire and only liberty, use and privilege of trading and trafficking and using

1150-433: The failure to the "simpleness" of his deputies. The queen had forbidden Hawkins from going to sea but she relented, and he arranged a third slave voyage, departing Plymouth on 2 October 1567. Arriving at the African coast, he could not secure enslaved people with ease because the local Portuguese agents were unwilling to trade with him. He attempted to capture and kidnap the inhabitants of a village near Cape Verde , but he

1200-587: The feat and trade of merchandise, by and through all the parts of Spain and Portugal, from the town of Fuenterrabia in the kingdom or province of Biscay along the coast of Spain or Portugal or either of them unto Barcelona and in all the islands adjoining or appertaining to the said realms, towards the south or west part thereof. And therefore we command all the subjects of us, our heirs and successors, of what degree or quality soever they be, that none of them directly or indirectly do visit haunt frequent or trade, traffic or adventure by way of merchandise into or from any

1250-519: The fellowship by virtue of these our letters patents" . The 1605 charter gave the Company power to establish its own consuls and governors within the area of trade in order to: "administer unto (members) full speedy and expedite justice in all and every their causes, plaints and contentions amongst them in the dominions of Spain and Portugal, and to pacify, decide and determine all and all manner of questions discords and strifes amongst them in any of

1300-400: The following English ports and towns (number of members in brackets), in order listed in the charter: The key passage in the 1605 royal charter of King James I which re-established the company is as follows: "And for that divers persons our subjects being not brought up in merchandise or use of traffic, but altogether ignorant and inexpert as well in the order and rules of merchandise as in

1350-426: The hindrance of the trade and traffic of any of the fellowship, behaving him or themselves duly and orderly as becometh good merchants of the fellowship, without any fraudulent or disordered attempts or practices, as well for the good rule and government of the president, assistants and fellowship as of all and singular other subjects of us, our heirs and successors intermeddling or by any means exercising merchandise, in

1400-464: The laws and customs of the realms of Spain and Portugal, and in the customs, usages, tolls and values of moneys, weights and measures, and in all other things belonging to merchandise very necessary, through their ignorance and lack of knowledge do commit many inconveniences and absurdities (as we are informed) to the offence of us and our dear brother the king of Spain, we willing to prevent and meet with such inconveniences and intending to further and help

1450-483: The marriage of Mary I of England and Philip II of Spain . Hawkins was known to have frequently referred to King Philip II as "my old master". The Spanish Castilianised his name where he was known as Juan Aquines. Circa 1559, he dissolved his partnership with this brother, taking £10,000 from the business and moving to London. He married Katherine Gonson, daughter of Benjamin Gonson , a prominent Royal Navy administrator. He had one son, Richard Hawkins (born 1562). It

1500-540: The morning, wee descried land, which bare South-West of us, which we looked not for so timely and coming neerer and neerer unto it, by the lying, wee could not conjecture what land it could be... It hath great Rivers of fresh waters; for the out-shoot of them colours the Sea ... The Land, for that it was discovered in the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth, my Sovereigne Lady and Mistris, and a Mayden Queene, and at my cost and adventure, in

1550-504: The parts of Spain or Portugal or either of them from the town of Fuenterrabia unto Barcelona, neither within any islands adjoining or appertaining to the said realms, towards the south or west part thereof, other than the president, assistants and fellowship and such particular persons as be of that fellowship, their factors, agents, servants and assigns, upon pain not only to incur our indignation, but also to pay such pains and amercements and also to suffer imprisonment and other pains due to

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1600-620: The realms of Spain and Portugal" . The 1605 charter gave the Company power to tax merchandise both imported and exported by their members in such sum "as to them shall seem requisite and convenient for the common profit and sustentation of the necessary and reasonable stipend and other charges of the fellowship and corporation" . The 1605 charter gave the Company power to punish wrong-doers, to "chastise and correct by imprisonment or otherwise by fine, amercement or other reasonable punishment" The 1605 charter forbade customs officers to allow export of goods to Spain or Portugal except by members of

1650-455: The realms of Spain and Portugal, moved or to be moved, for the better government of the merchants in Spain and Portugal..." The armorials of the Company were: Azure in base a sea, with a dolphin's head appearing in the water all proper, on the sea a ship of three masts, in full sail, all or, the sail and rigging argent, on each a cross gules, in the dexter chief point the sun in splendour, in

1700-487: The same time raising naval pay. He reformed the design of galleons so that they were longer, able to carry a larger number of guns, more manoeuvrable and faster moving. As a result of Hawkins' reforms, according to Garrett Mattingly , the Navy was a "fighting-fleet faster and more weatherly than any that had ever been seen on the ocean before". He also increased the size of the Navy, so that by 1587 it consisted of 23 ships and 18 pinnaces . Hawkins's financial reforms of

1750-434: The same year. During the voyage, Hawkins made a series of observations about the efficacy of citrus fruits, specifically "sower oranges and lemmons," for successfully treating scurvy —a debilitating disease for early explorers and sailors. While James Lind is often credited with proving the benefits of citrus for curing scurvy, Hawkins, more than a century earlier, was also convinced of its benefits and wrote about it: "This

1800-405: The sweet potato and tobacco, which was initially used as a narcotic ; smoking did not gain in popularity until years later. Hawkins first two slave voyages had angered the Spanish and in response the queen had prohibited Hawkins from going to sea. Instead he arranged his next slave voyage and gave the captaincy to a relative of his called John Lovell . Sir Francis Drake, who is also likely to be

1850-483: The town in a battle, before selling the enslaved people. The Battle of San Juan de Ulúa was fought between English privateers and Spanish forces at San Juan de Ulúa . The English fleet consisting of six armed merchant ships under Hawkins had been trading alongside the Spanish with the cooperation of local Spanish officials. The central Spanish authorities considered this to be illegal smuggling. Hawkins' ships were attacked unexpectedly, Drake fled on Judith and Hawkins

1900-690: The town, Hawkins pushed north, and in June 1594, a year after leaving Plymouth , he arrived in the Bay of San Mateo , at the mouth of the Esmeraldas river, nowadays Ecuador , at the position 1°1′2.6″N 79°36′30.5″W  /  1.017389°N 79.608472°W  / 1.017389; -79.608472 . Here the Dainty was attacked by two Spanish ships. Hawkins was hopelessly outmatched, but Dainty ' s crew defended her with gallantry. At last, when he himself had been severely wounded, 27 of his men killed, and

1950-406: The transgressors of the statutes of the fellowship". The 1605 charter gave the Company power to "make ordain and establish statutes, laws, constitutions and ordinances, so as the laws and constitutions be not contrary, repugnant or derogatory to any treaties, leagues, capitulations or covenants between us, our heirs and successors, and any other prince or potentate made or to be made, nor tending to

2000-464: The voyage written thirty years afterwards, maintained, and by that time perhaps had really persuaded himself, that his expedition was undertaken purely for the purpose of geographical discovery. After visiting the coast of Brazil , the Dainty encountered a storm off the mouth of the Magellan Strait and was blown eastward. On 2 February 1594, Hawkins saw land "... about nine of the clocke in

2050-850: Was vice-admiral , under Sir Robert Mansell of the fleet sent into the Mediterranean to reduce the Algerian corsairs . He died in London on 17 April 1622. Hawkins wrote the memories of his trip under the title Voiage into the South Sea (1622), which became the most famous adventure of the Elizabethan era, re-published by the Hakluyt Society in 1847, and reworked in Charles Kingsley 's Westward Ho! (1855). He depicts

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2100-486: Was a man of commanding presence and intellect, of outstanding abilities as a seaman, administrator, fighter and diplomat." More recently he has been described as a pirate and slave trader. The Royal Navy named a heavy cruiser, HMS  Hawkins after him, the ship was in commission between 1919 and 1947. The Hospital of Sir John Hawkins, Knight, in Chatham, Kent , was originally built by him and takes his name. In

2150-481: Was an early promoter of, English involvement in the Atlantic slave trade . He is considered to be the first English merchant to profit from the Triangle Trade , selling enslaved people from Africa to the Spanish colonies in the West Indies in the late 16th century. In 1588, Hawkins served as a Vice-Admiral and fought in the victory over the Spanish Armada , for which he was knighted for gallantry. As Treasurer of

2200-468: Was born to a prominent family of ship builders and captains in the naval port of Plymouth in Devon. His exact date of birth is unknown, but was likely between November 1532 and March 1533. He was the second son of William Hawkins , who was the first Englishman to sail to Brazil , and Joan Trelawny, daughter and sole heiress of Roger Trelawny of Brighton, Cornwall . Sir Francis Drake , his second cousin,

2250-432: Was brought up and lived in the same Protestant household as Hawkins. Hawkins killed a man, a barber from Plymouth called White, before the age of 20. The coroner decided White was the antagonist, and Hawkins's father secured a royal pardon. He worked with his older brother William Hawkins in the shipping industry and in privateering. He is thought to have done some service for the ambassadors from Spain, who negotiated

2300-509: Was defeated. His remaining ship Minions limped home with only around 15 crew. The expedition, however, was financially rewarding as he had managed to transfer most of his trading income onto Minion . In 1578 Hawkins was appointed Treasurer of the Navy , briefly he worked alongside his father-in-law, Benjamin Gonson, before taking full control of the position. He embarked on a comprehensive reform of naval administration and managed to achieve an annual saving of nearly £4,000 per annum, while at

2350-538: Was established by various charters as follows: The 557 founding members of the 1605 incorporation named in the charter consisted of two distinct groups, firstly of 25 nobles, royal officials and knights and then of 532 merchants from 16 named English ports and towns. Richard Langley of the City of London was named in the 1605 Secretary for life. The 25 nobles, royal officials and knights named as founding members were as follows: Merchants named as founding members were from

2400-500: Was more sympathetic to English pirates than to their often-Spanish victims, rarely taking pirates to trial, instead either taking the pirates' loot or selling a "discharge" to them before releasing them. Aside from a brief suspension between August 1606 and April 1607, he retained this post till 1610. In 1605, Hawkins was named in the founding charter of the Spanish Company as one of the 557 founding members. In 1620 to 1621 he

2450-474: Was prohibited, he carried out a fake threat of force with the local governor's collusion. He then travelled to Rio de la Hacha where he used force to ensure he secured the deals he thought fair. He sold 300 enslaved people, clothing, linen and wine. He was paid in gold, silver and other precious items and took further orders to sell enslaved people on a future voyage. After completing his business, Hawkins prepared to return to England. Needing water, he sailed to

2500-679: Was wounded and had to retreat. Hawkins recruited a local king in Sierra Leone to help him forcibly kidnap people, capturing over 500 people. On 7 February 1568, he set sail across the Atlantic Ocean to sell these people. He sold some of his captives in Margarita Province and others in Borburata. At Rio de la Hacha , the governor refused him permission to trade, so Sir Francis Drake shot at his house and Hawkins took over

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