Robert Dudley (explorer)
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Sir Robert Dudley (7 August 1574 – 6 September 1649) was an
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
and cartographer. In 1594, he led an expedition to the
West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
, of which he wrote an account. The illegitimate son of
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years. Dudley's youth was ov ...
, he inherited the bulk of the Earl's estate in accordance with his father's will, including
Kenilworth Castle Kenilworth Castle is a castle in the town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, England managed by English Heritage; much of it is still in ruins. The castle was founded during the Norman conquest of England; with development through to the Tudor pe ...
. In 1603–1605, he tried unsuccessfully to establish his legitimacy in court. After that he left
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
forever, finding a new existence in the service of the grand dukes of Tuscany. There, he worked as an engineer and shipbuilder, and designed and published ''
Dell'Arcano del Mare ''Dell'Arcano del Mare'' by Sir Robert Dudley is a 17th-century maritime encyclopaedia, the sixth part of which comprises a maritime atlas of the entire world, which is the first such in print, the first made by an Englishman, and the first to ...
'' (1645-1646), the first maritime
atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geographic ...
to cover the whole world. He was also a skilled
navigator A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
and mathematician. In Italy, he styled himself "Earl of Warwick and Leicester", as well as "Duke of Northumberland", a title recognized by
Emperor Ferdinand II Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria and Maria of Bavaria. His parents were de ...
.


Early life

Robert Dudley was the son of
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years. Dudley's youth was ov ...
and his lover
Douglas Sheffield Douglas, Lady Sheffield ( Howard; 1542/1543 – 1608), was an English noblewoman, the lover of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and mother by him of explorer/cartographer Sir Robert Dudley, an illegitimate son. Seventeen years after Le ...
, daughter of
William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham (c. 151012 January 1573) was an English diplomat and military leader. He served four monarchs, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, in various official capacities, most notably on diplo ...
. He grew up in the houses of his father and his father's friends, but had leave to see his mother whenever she wished. His mother married Sir Edward Stafford in November 1579, and then left for Paris. Leicester was fond of his son and often made trips to see him. Dudley was given an excellent education and was enrolled at
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...
, in 1587, with the status of ''filius comitis'' ("Earl's son"). There, his mentor was Thomas Chaloner, who also became his close friend. In 1588, when the
Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...
threatened England, the 14-year-old Robert joined his father, who was commanding the army at Tilbury Camp, preparing to resist a Spanish invasion, but on 4 September, the Earl of Leicester died. His will gave Dudley a large inheritance, including the castle and estate at
Kenilworth Kenilworth ( ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Warwick (district), Warwick District in Warwickshire, England, south-west of Coventry, north of Warwick and north-west of London. It lies on Finham Brook, a ...
, and on the death of his uncle, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, the lordships of Denbigh and Chirk. In early 1591, Dudley was contracted to marry Frances Vavasour with the consent of
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
, who liked Dudley very much but wished him to wait until he was older. Later that year, Vavasour secretly married another man and was banished from court. In turn, the 17-year-old Dudley married Margaret, a sister of Sir Thomas Cavendish, in whose last voyage he had probably invested. Dudley was excluded from court for this secret marriage, but only for a few days. Margaret was given two ships by her father Robert, named the ''Leicester'' and the ''Roebuck''. She soon died childless.


Expeditions

In 1594, Dudley assembled a fleet of ships, including his flagship, the
galleon Galleons were large, multi-decked sailing ships first used as armed cargo carriers by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries during the age of sail and were the principal vessels drafted for use as warships until the Anglo-Dutch W ...
''Beare'', as well as the ''Beare's Whelpe'', and the
pinnace Pinnace may refer to: * Pinnace (ship's boat), a small vessel used as a tender to larger vessels among other things * Full-rigged pinnace The full-rigged pinnace was the larger of two types of vessel called a pinnace in use from the sixteenth c ...
s ''Earwig'' and ''Frisking''. He intended to use them to harass the Spaniards in the Atlantic. The Queen did not approve of his plans, because of his inexperience and the value of the ships. She did commission him as a general but insisted that he sail to
Guiana The Guianas, sometimes called by the Spanish loan-word ''Guayanas'' (''Las Guayanas''), is a region in north-eastern South America which includes the following three territories: * French Guiana, an overseas department and region of France * ...
, instead. Dudley recruited 275 veteran sailors, including the navigator Abraham Kendal, and the captains Thomas Jobson and Benjamin Wood. Dudley's fleet sailed on 6 November 1594, but a sudden storm separated the ships and drove the vessels back to different ports. Dudley sent word to the captain of the ''Beare's Whelp'' to join him in the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
or Cabo Blanco, and he sailed again. At first, Dudley's trip proved unlucky: the ''Earwig'' sank, and most of the vessels he encountered were friendly. Dudley led only one raid in the Gulf of Lagos. In December, the expedition finally managed to capture two Spanish ships at
Tenerife Tenerife (; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands. It is home to 43% of the total population of the archipelago. With a land area of and a population of 978,100 inhabitants as of Janu ...
. Dudley renamed them ''Intent'' and ''Regard'', manned them with his sailors, and put Captain Woods in charge. He sailed to Cabo Blanco, expecting to meet the ''Beare's Whelpe'' there, but it did not show up. Dudley's fleet sailed to
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
and anchored at Cedros Bay on 31 January 1595. There, he discovered an island that he claimed for the English crown and named ''Dudleiana''. Then he sailed to Paracoa Bay for repairs and made a reconnaissance to San Jose de Oruna, but decided not to attack it. Dudley divided his forces, sending the ''Intent'' and ''Regard'' to the north. In Trinidad, he recruited a Spanish-speaking Indian who promised to escort an expedition to a gold mine up the
Orinoco River The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...
. The expedition, led by Captain Jobson, returned after two weeks; as it turned out, their guide had deserted them, and they had struggled back. Dudley returned to Trinidad. On 12 March, Dudley's fleet sailed north, where it finally captured a Spanish merchantman. It then sailed on to Cabo Rojo, in
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, waited for suitable prey for some time, and then sailed towards
Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...
. A storm blew the ''Beare'' north to near what is now New England before the fleet finally reached the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
. Low on provisions and working guns, Dudley sailed for home, but he met a Spanish
man-of-war The man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship or frigate from the 16th to the 19th century. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually reserved for a ship armed wi ...
on the way. He managed to outmanoeuvre and cripple it in a two-day battle, but decided not to board it. The ''Beare'' arrived at St Ives in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
at the end of May 1595, and Dudley heard that Captain Woods had taken three ships. The next year, 1596, Dudley joined
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following ...
, to serve as commander of the ''Nonpareil'' in an expedition against Cadiz. He was later knighted for his conduct in the
Capture of Cadiz Capture may refer to: * Asteroid capture, a phenomenon in which an asteroid enters a stable orbit around another body *Capture, a software for lighting design, documentation and visualisation *"Capture" a song by Simon Townshend * Capture (band), ...
, although what he did is not recorded. Shortly afterwards he married Alice, daughter of Sir Thomas Leigh of Stoneleigh. In 1597, Dudley sent Captain Wood on a trading voyage to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
with the ''Beare'', the ''Beare's Whelp'' and the ''Benjamin'', but they never returned.


Claiming legitimacy

Dudley claimed to have been told in May 1603, by a shadowy adventurer called Thomas Drury, that his parents had been secretly married. He began trying to establish his claim to the peerages of
Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. Early creatio ...
and
Earl of Warwick Earl of Warwick is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the United Kingdom. The title has been created four times in English history, and the name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick. Overview The first creation ...
, as well as to the property of his deceased uncle Ambrose Dudley, including Ambrose's
Warwick Castle Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from a wooden fort, originally built by William the Conqueror during 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a meander of the River Avon. The original wooden motte-an ...
estates. The case came before the Star Chamber in 1604–1605 and aroused great public interest. Ninety witnesses appeared for Dudley and 57 for the widowed Countess of Leicester,
Lettice Knollys Lettice Knollys ( , sometimes latinized as Laetitia, alias Lettice Devereux or Lettice Dudley), Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester (8 November 1543Adams 2008a – 25 December 1634), was an English noblewoman and mother to the courtier ...
. Dudley persuaded, and perhaps pressured, his mother to support his cause. She declared in writing (she did not attend the trial in person) that Leicester had solemnly contracted to marry her in Cannon Row,
Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
, in 1571, and that they were married at
Esher Esher ( ) is a town in Surrey, England, to the east of the River Mole. Esher is an outlying suburb of London near the London-Surrey Border, and with Esher Commons at its southern end, the town marks one limit of the Greater London Built-Up ...
,
Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
, "in wintertime" in 1573. Yet all of the 10 putative witnesses ("besides others") to the ceremony were long since dead. Neither could she remember who the "minister" was, nor the exact date of the marriage. The Star Chamber rejected the evidence and fined several of the witnesses. It was concluded that Sir Robert Dudley had been duped by Drury, who in his turn had sought "his own private gains".
King James I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until hi ...
ratified the judgement, and it was handed down on 10 May 1605. In 1621, an official investigation in
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...
, Dudley's new country, concluded that Dudley's "friends maintain that his father married Lady Sheffield, but they are unable to account for her marriage during his lifetime, an act so injurious to the alleged legitimacy of her son."


In Italy

Dudley left England in July 1605, by Calais. His lover and cousin
Elizabeth Southwell Lady Elizabeth Southwell ( née Cromwell), called Lady Cromwell (1674–1709) was an English noblewoman, the only daughter of Vere Essex Cromwell, 4th Earl of Ardglass and wife Catherine Hamilton. Title When her father died in 1687, she claimed ...
accompanied him, disguised as a page. She was a daughter of
Sir Robert Southwell Sir Robert Southwell PRS (31 December 1635 – 11 September 1702) was a diplomat. He was Secretary of State for Ireland and President of the Royal Society from 1690. Background and education Robert Southwell was born near Kinsale in County ...
and
Lady Elizabeth Howard Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire (born Lady Elizabeth Howard; c. 1480 – 3 April 1538) was an English noblewoman, noted for being the mother of Anne Boleyn and as such the maternal grandmother of Elizabeth I of England. The eldest daugh ...
, who was a granddaughter of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, Dudley's uncle. The couple declared that they had converted to
Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. Dudley married Elizabeth Southwell in
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
in 1606, after they had received a papal dispensation because they were blood relatives, and they first settled in
Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
. In English law, this marriage was bigamous as he was still married to Lady Alice (a marriage not recognised by the Pope as it had taken place in the Church of England). He began to use his father's title of Earl of Leicester and his uncle's title of Earl of Warwick. Dudley designed and built warships for the arsenal of Livorno and became a naval advisor to
Ferdinand I, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (30 July 1549 – 3 February 1609) was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1587 to 1609, having succeeded his older brother Francesco I. Early life Ferdinando was the fifth son (the third surviving at t ...
, of the
Medici family The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...
. He received an annuity of 2,000
ducat The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wi ...
s. In 1608, Dudley convinced the Duke to send the privateer galleon ''Santa Lucia Buonaventura'' to Guiana and northern Brazil in the only tentative of Italian colonization in the Americas, known as the
Thornton expedition The Thornton expedition was a 1608 Tuscan expedition under Captain Robert Thornton, an Englishman, sent by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando I of Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Tuscany to explore North Region, Brazil, northern ...
.


Attempts at reconciliation

James I revoked Dudley's travel licence in 1607. When he ordered Dudley to return home to provide for his deserted wife and family, Dudley refused. He was then declared an
outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...
, and his estate was confiscated. He continued contacts with the English court through Sir Thomas Chaloner, who was now a chamberlain to Henry, Prince of Wales. He corresponded with the young Prince on the subjects of
navigation Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, ...
and
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
, and in 1611 tried to broker a marriage between him and
Caterina Caterina is a feminine given name which is an Italian and Catalan form of the name ''Katherine''. Notable people with the name include: In music: * Caterina Assandra, Italian composer and Benedictine nun * Caterina Bueno, Italian singer and fo ...
, daughter of Duke Ferdinand. Meanwhile, Henry Frederick had taken a fancy to Kenilworth Castle, calling it "the most noble and magnificent thing in the midland parts of this realm". Wanting it, he was willing to buy it from Dudley and agreed in 1611 to pay £14,500, with Dudley to hold the office of
constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
of the castle for his lifetime. When Henry died in 1612, only £3,000 had been paid, and it is unclear whether Dudley ever received it. The new Prince of Wales,
Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
, then took possession of the castle but failed to pay the balance owing. In 1621, he got an
Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
allowing Dudley's wife to sell the estate to him for £4,000. In 1618, James I granted the Earldoms of Leicester and Warwick to others ( Lord Lisle and Lord Rich). In 1620, Dudley convinced Grand Duchess Maria Magdalena, wife of the new duke Cosimo II, to ask her brother, the
Emperor Ferdinand II Ferdinand II (9 July 1578 – 15 February 1637) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, Hungary, and Croatia from 1619 until his death in 1637. He was the son of Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria and Maria of Bavaria. His parents were de ...
, to recognize his claim to his grandfather's title of
Duke of Northumberland Duke of Northumberland is a noble title that has been created three times in English and British history, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The current holder of this title is Ralph Percy, 12th Duke o ...
. Dudley succeeded on 9 March 1620, and James I severed all negotiations for conciliation.


Later years

In addition to shipbuilding, Dudley was busy with many projects in Tuscany, including the
Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...
's
breakwater Breakwater may refer to: * Breakwater (structure), a structure for protecting a beach or harbour Places * Breakwater, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia * Breakwater Island Breakwater Island () is a small island in the Palme ...
and harbour fortifications, draining local swamps, and building a palace in the heart of Florence. He also designed new galleys, and he wrote his memoirs of navigation and seamanship between 1610 and 1620. Later, Dudley incorporated his notes into six volumes of ''
Dell'Arcano del Mare ''Dell'Arcano del Mare'' by Sir Robert Dudley is a 17th-century maritime encyclopaedia, the sixth part of which comprises a maritime atlas of the entire world, which is the first such in print, the first made by an Englishman, and the first to ...
'' (''The Secret of the Sea''), self-published in 1646–1647. He also wrote a ''Maritime Directory'' as a manual for the Tuscan Navy but it was never published. In 1631, his wife Elizabeth died the day after giving birth to her last child. Several of their 13 children married into the Italian nobility. In 1644, King
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
created Dudley's second wife Alice Duchess of Dudley for life and recognized Dudley's legitimacy but did not restore his titles and estate. Robert Dudley died on 6 September 1649 outside Florence in Villa Rinieri (now Villa Corsini a Castello). He was buried at San Pancrazio in Florence. A son of Dudley was Carlo Dudley, titular Duke of Northumberland who was the father of Maria Cristina Dudley, the second wife of Marquis Andrea Paleottil they were the parents of Adelhida Paleotti who married
Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury, KG, PC (15 July 16601 February 1718) was an English politician who was part of the Immortal Seven group that invited Prince William III of Orange to depose King James II of England during the Glorious R ...
; there was no issue of this marriage. Despite the marriages of Dudley descendants, "No Dudleys in the line male now remained to carry on the name. After the third generation they became extinct in Italy". In 1660, after
the Restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...
, Lady Alice, Dudley's second wife (regarded in English law as his legitimate widow), petitioned King Charles II to have her title as Duchess of Northumberland recognised; and for her daughters, Lady Katherine Leveson and Lady Anne Holborne, to be given the rank and precedence of a duchess's daughters. However, the King kept the title in the gift of the Crown, and bestowed it instead on his illegitimate son, George Fitzroy. Dudley bequeathed his estate to
Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando II de' Medici (14 July 1610 – 23 May 1670) was grand duke of Tuscany from 1621 to 1670. He was the eldest son of Cosimo II de' Medici and Maria Maddalena of Austria. He was remembered by his contemporaries as a man of culture and ...
. His collection of scientific instruments is on display at the
Museo Galileo Museo Galileo, the former ''Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza'' (Institute and Museum of the History of Science) is located in Florence, Italy, in Piazza dei Giudici, along the River Arno and close to the Uffizi Gallery. The museum, dedicate ...
(Galileo Museum, formerly the Institute and Museum of the History of Science) in Florence.


''Dell'Arcano del Mare''

The most important of Dudley's works was ''
Dell'Arcano del Mare ''Dell'Arcano del Mare'' by Sir Robert Dudley is a 17th-century maritime encyclopaedia, the sixth part of which comprises a maritime atlas of the entire world, which is the first such in print, the first made by an Englishman, and the first to ...
'' (Secrets of the Sea). It includes a comprehensive treatise on navigation and shipbuilding and it has become renowned as the first atlas of sea charts of the world. ''Dell'Arcano del Mare'' consists of six known volumes that illustrate Dudley's knowledge of navigation,
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
and
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
and it includes 130 original maps, all his own creations and not copied from existing maps, which was unusual for the period. Originally published at Florence in 1645 in Italian, they represent a collection of all contemporary naval knowledge. The atlas also includes a proposal for the construction of a fleet of five rates (sizes) of ships, which Dudley had designed and described. ''Dell'Arcano del Mare'' was reprinted in Florence in 1661 without the charts of the first edition. The distinctive character of Dudley's charts was an early use of Mercator projection.


Footnotes


Citations


References

*Adams, Simon (2008a)
"Dudley, Sir Robert (1574–1649)"
''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' online edn. Jan 2008 (subscription required) Retrieved 2010-04-03 * Adams, Simon (2008b)
"Sheffield, Douglas, Lady Sheffield (1542/3–1608)"
''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...
'' online edn. Jan 2008 (subscription required) Retrieved 2010-04-03 * Read, Conyers (1936): ''A Letter from Robert, Earl of Leicester, to a Lady'' The Huntington Library Bulletin No.9 April 1936 *Rickman, Johanna (2008): ''Love, Lust, and License in Early Modern England: Illicit Sex and the Nobility'' Ashgate Publishing * Role, Raymond E. (2003): "Sir Robert Dudley Duke of Northumberland" in ''History Today'' March 2003 * Warner, G.F (1899)
''The Voyage of Robert Dudley to the West Indies, 1594–1595''
Hakluyt Society * Wilson, Derek (1981): ''Sweet Robin: A Biography of Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester 1533–1588'' Hamish Hamilton


External links

* Dudley, Robert Jr:
Dell'arcano del mare
'. Digitized copy of The National Library of Finland. {{DEFAULTSORT:Dudley, Robert English cartographers Engineers from London Sailors from London English privateers 1574 births 1649 deaths People from Richmond, London English explorers 16th-century explorers 16th-century English people 17th-century explorers 17th-century English people
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
17th-century cartographers