Walter Raleigh: Alchemist, Adventurer, the Queen's Favorite.

Walter Raleigh (1552 - 1618) was an explorer, poet, philosopher sailor and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. During his lifetime, he had a huge impact on the world's cultural heritage and became one of the founders of the colonisation of America.

Walter Raleigh was born in Hayes Barton, County Devon, into an old noble family. His father was a staunch Protestant, which played an important role in shaping Raleigh's worldview. The political repressions suffered by his father during the reign of Queen Mary I increased Walter Raleigh's hostility to Catholicism.

In 1569, Raleigh travelled to France where, as a soldier, he participated in the religious wars on the side of the Huguenots, the French Protestants, witnessing the Night of Saint Bartholomew (a mass slaughter of Huguenots in France).  

After returning to England, Raleigh entered Oxford University, where he received a classical education in 1575.

In 1579 Raleigh travelled to Ireland to participate in the suppression of rebellions and the exploration of new territories in the interests of the English monarchy. His strategic military successes attracted the attention of Elizabeth I. At the same time, he began to participate in maritime expeditions and fought Spanish ships.

By the early 1580s, Raleigh had become a favourite of the Queen, receiving the title of knight and large land holdings, making him one of the wealthiest men in England. None of his contemporaries doubted Raleigh and Elizabeth's love affair. In 1584 he organised an expedition to America and founded an English colony in what is now North Carolina - Roanoke. There is still a town in North Carolina that bears the explorer's name. And Raleigh named the state of Virginia in honour of his favourite queen.

During this period, Raleigh formed a closed society called «the School of Night», a philosophical circle that studied alchemy, philosophy and hermeticism. «The School of Night» also included astronomer Thomas Harriot and poet Christopher Marlowe. The group's main purpose was to study the latest scientific discoveries and ancient heritage.

Walter Raleigh was also closely associated with John Dee (1527-1609), an English mathematician, astrologer, alchemist and advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. Dee was a pioneer in the science of navigation, playing an important role in developing maps and supporting British naval expeditions. John Dee is believed to have said to Elizabeth I: «The glory of the British crown lies beyond the empire».

John Dee is also known for his occult and alchemical studies, including attempts to communicate with angels through the «Enochian language», which enhanced his reputation as a magician. His ideas on secret knowledge and sacred geometry influenced esoteric societies and alchemists, and later Freemasonry. John Dee was united with Walter Raleigh by their shared spiritual quest in «the School of Night» and their interest in ancient knowledge, alchemy and the expansion of the British Empire.

The obsidian disc that Raleigh brought back as a gift to John Dee from America is still on display in the British Museum to this day.

In 1594, Raleigh discovered Spanish documents claiming that there was a city built of pure gold on the banks of the Caroni River (in present-day Venezuela). As early as 1595, Raleigh led an expedition to South America in search of the mythical Eldorado, the «golden city» that the Spanish had failed to find. Although he did not find the golden kingdom, his account of the expedition, «The Discovery of Guiana», was an important moment in the exploration of the New World and fuelled interest in the search for Eldorado. In addition, Raleigh was the first to introduce new plants to England - potatoes and tobacco, a variety of which was also named Virginia in honour of the Queen.

With the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 and the accession of King James I to power, Raleigh's position deteriorated dramatically. He was accused of plotting against the king and imprisoned in the Tower of London. During his imprisonment, Raleigh wrote his major philosophical works, including «The History of the World». In these works, one can easily find reflections of his deep thoughts on human nature, morality and destiny, which later influenced Masonic philosophy. In particular, Raleigh, in describing ancient civilisations, highlighted the existence of an eternal and unified moral order common to all cultures, which is consonant with Masonic tolerance of all world religions.

In addition, a prince - the son of James I - came straight to the Tower to take lessons from Raleigh.

In 1612, Raleigh advised James I Stuart to arrange the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth Stuart to the Protestant ruler of the Palatinate, Frederick V. Raleigh saw this union as a way of strengthening ties with Protestant Europe, and subsequently the wedding did take place.

It is believed that the wedding of the Palatinate and Elizabeth is reflected in the title of the third Rosicrcian treatise: «The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz».

This wedding was a very significant event in the history of the English crown. Later, when, as a result of the confrontation with the Jacobites, the English throne could only be occupied by a Protestant; 1714, the grandson of Frederick V and Princess Elizabeth became the British monarch. George of Hanover came to the throne and the Gregorian era of democratic change began, and three years later Freemasonry opened itself to the public by establishing the Grand Lodge of England.

In 1616 Raleigh was released to lead a new expedition to South America in search of Eldorado. However, James I set a condition - if Raleigh engaged in armed skirmishes with the Spanish, he would be executed. Raleigh's attempts to regain his lost position failed: Raleigh did encounter and engage the Spanish garrison, and failed to find the gold. This prompted Raleigh's indictment for treason and his execution in England in 1618. Raleigh's contemporaries considered his death senseless - in their opinion, he was not involved in plots against the monarchy and was executed because of the king's personal dislike. Raleigh's image reinforces the final act of his life, when he took command of his own execution.

Object from the Museum's collection: The first edition of Walter Raleigh's «The History of the World». This print run was largely destroyed on the orders of James I, he suspected that on the title page of the book he was depicted with a woman's breasts. It may have been an illustration of a statement offensive to the king: Rex erat Elizabeth, Regina Jacobus (Elizabeth was king and James was queen), emphasising the weakness of the incumbent monarch compared to his predecessor.