The Life of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, England's First Empire Builder

Long before empire became a slogan, one Devon gentleman staked his life on England's future at sea. One life altered an empire. In The Life of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, England's First Empire Builder, William Gilbert Gosling traces the rise of the soldier-courtier-seafarer whose daring paved the way for English colonization history and the achievements of the Sir Walter Raleigh era. Drawing on state papers, letters and chronicles, this historical explorer biography sets Gilbert against the vivid backdrop of Elizabethan England history and sixteenth century exploration. From the Irish wars to ambitious Atlantic ventures and his fateful Newfoundland enterprise, Gosling offers a complete Sir Humphrey Gilbert biography that reads as classic maritime history and serious nonfiction British history in one. It serves as an essential reference for age of exploration research, rich in detail on British empire building, early navigation and Newfoundland exploration history, yet written with enough colour and pace to engage curious general readers and to support history students and scholars. First published in the early twentieth century, Gosling's study preserves an earlier appreciation of empire, showing how Gilbert's generation understood conquest, faith and duty at sea. Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions. Restored for today's and future generations. More than a reprint - a collector's item and a cultural treasure, ideal for readers of maritime adventure, libraries building collections in English colonization history, and anyone drawn to the bold beginnings of the British Atlantic world.