Tudor Adventures: The Voyage of Discovery That Transformed England

Evans gives a rich account of a lesser known voyage that had a profound impact on England’s age of exploration. In the early 16th century, England fell behind its European peers in the discovery of oceanic trade routes as Spain and Portugal reached new lands in Asia and the Americas. Seeking a shorter trade route to Asia by heading northeast from Britain, and after years of planning, three ships “organized by Sebastian Cabot and led by Sir Hugh Willoughby and Richard Chancellor” sailed from London. Evans shows how this voyage of 1553, although unsuccessful (the ships made it to Russia, where they met the court of Ivan the Terrible), was a “turning point in English economic and cultural history.” Of the three ships that set sail, only one returned—with Richard Chancellor on board. Russian fishermen found the other two vessels in the Varzina estuary, east of northern Finland, with both crews dead—for reasons now called into question. Though focused primarily on the voyages themselves, Evans contextualizes the political atmosphere of England and how royal meddling affected English expansion. Balanced and stimulating, Evans has produced a work suited to history buffs and general-interest readers alike. Photos & map. (Aug.)