(1553-1618) English explorer and soldier, and advisor of Queen [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Elizabeth I]]. Participated in the suppression of Irish rebellions, for which he received a 40,000 acre estate in Munster, where he is credited with introducing potatoes to Irish farms. Raleigh was instrumental in organizing the attempted English settlement at [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Notes to Fill/Roanoke]], although he never visited North America himself. He did lead two expeditions to the [Orinoco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orinoco) River in South America, seeking the mythical golden city of [El Dorado](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado). Raleigh participated in the defense against the [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Spanish Armada]] and was a personal favorite of Queen Elizabeth, although she imprisoned him in the Tower of London when she discovered he had secretly married one of her ladies in waiting. He was released to lead another expedition against the Spanish and then was imprisoned again, but within a year was a Member of Parliament. Raleigh returned to South America to explore what is now Guyana and Venezuela, and then was wounded during the capture of Cádiz in Spain. After several more adventures and achievements on behalf of Elizabeth, the Queen died in 1603 and Raleigh was almost immediately arrested for treason against her successor, King James I. He was convicted but the King spared his life. Raleigh remained imprisoned in the Tower for thirteen years, during which he wrote five volumes of his incomplete *[History of the World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_the_World_(Raleigh))*. In 1617 Raleigh received a full pardon and was tasked with a second mission to South America in search of El Dorado. An attack on a Spanish outpost, which killed his son Walter, also caused the Spanish ambassador to demand that the King reinstate Raleigh's death sentence. The king complied and after passing up several opportunities to escape, Raleigh was beheaded at Westminster Palace in October 1618.