Raleigh's Charter
See also: Anglo-Spanish War (1585)On March 25, 1584, Queen Elizabeth I granted Raleigh a charter for the colonization of the area of North America known as Virginia. This charter specified that Raleigh needed to establish a colony in North America, or lose his right to colonization.
Raleigh and Elizabeth intended that the venture should provide riches from the New World and a base from which to send privateers on raids against the treasure fleets of Spain. Raleigh himself never visited North America, although he led expeditions in 1595 and 1617 to South America's Orinoco River basin in search of the legendary golden city of El Dorado.
Read more about this topic: Roanoke Colony
Famous quotes containing the words raleigh and/or charter:
“Whosoever, in writing a modern history, shall follow truth too near the heels, it may haply strike out his teeth.”
—Sir Walter Raleigh (15521618)
“Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou knowst thy estimate:
The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;
My bonds in thee are all determinate.”
—William Shakespeare (15641616)