Sir John Hawkins - Info sheet

Sir John Hawkins was a prominent figure in maritime history, known for his close familial ties to the famous explorer Francis Drake, as well as for his own expertise in navigation and trade. His career was marked by his involvement in the slave trade, an enterprise in which he captured Africans and sold them into slavery, a dark aspect of his legacy. Additionally, Hawkins made substantial advancements in naval engineering, contributing his skills to the design and construction of ships that would serve the Royal Navy.

Among his most significant achievements was the development of a new class of fighting galleon. These ships were superior to their Spanish counterparts, offering greater speed, weight capacity, and resilience to adverse weather conditions. The innovative design and capabilities of these galleons were instrumental in the English victory over the Spanish Armada. They represented a crucial turning point in naval warfare and were a testament to Hawkins' ingenuity and impact on naval architecture. The broader implications of his voyages and the era of discovery they were part of raise questions about the formation of the British Empire and the role such explorations played in establishing Britain's prominence on the global stage.