John Cabot – interesting facts

October 10, 2010 | In: Famous Explorers

John Cabot was a navigator and explorer who crossed the Atlantic ocean in the service of Henry VII of England, making possible later claims to North America.

Cabot was born in Genoa, Italy. He became a citizen of Venice and traveled widely in the Mediterranian before moving to England with his family. He sailed from Bristol in May 1497 with 18 or 20 men on the Matthew. He landed in North America, probably Newfoundland, on June 24, and may have sailed as far south as Maine or as far north as Labrador.

Returning to England, Cabot was welcomed by the people of London and granted an annual pension of 20 pounds by Henry VII. John seems to have thought he had reached the northeastern corner of Asia, and he rapidly prepared a second voyage to sail beyond his earlier landing point. He was planning to sail to Japan. He set out in May 1498 with five ships and about 200 men. He was lost at sea in 1498, and no clear records of this second voyage have survived. Some of his ships may have returned to England, and one may have gone south and reached Spanish holdings in the Carribean Sea.

John Cabot will never be forgotten for his wonderful discovery of this beautiful island, Newfoundland!