221 Great Explorers of the World tells the story of legends who explored the world and provided us its history and culture as we read it now.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa was born in 1475 in Spain and he died on 12th January 1519 (aged 44 years) in Acla, Panama. A Spanish Explorer and conquistador Vasco was the first European to have crossed the Isthmus of Panama to see the Pacific Ocean. He also established the town of Darien on the Isthmus […]
Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de La Salle was born on 22nd November 1643 in Rouen, Normandy, France, and he died on 19th March 1687 (aged 43 years) in Huntsville, Texas. Rene is known for leading an expedition to the Mississippi river and claiming the area for France. He named it
Sir Richard Francis Burton was born on 19th March 1821 in Torquay, Devon, England, and he died on 20th October 1890 (aged 69 years) in Trieste, Hungary. The first European to visit the Great Lakes of Africa, Richard and his companion were the first to reach Lake Tanganyika. He wrote a well-documented trip to the
Pedro de Alvarado was born in about 1485 in Badojoz, Spain, and he died on 4th July 1541 (aged 56 years) in Guadalajara, Mexico. A Spanish conquistador and Second-in-command to Hernan Cortes in the expedition for the conquest of Mexico, Pedro occupied the Aztec capital. He was also sent to take over the Mayans and
Joseph Banks was born on 24th February 1743 in London, UK, and he died on 19th June 1820 (aged 77 years) in London, UK. Joseph was a Botanist, scientist and explorer. He explored the newly discovered areas of New Foundland and Labrador and even went as far as Iceland to study the natural history of
Richard Evelyn Byrd was born on 25th October 1888 in Winchester, Virginia, and he died on 11th March 1957 (aged 68 years) in Boston, Massachusetts. The first person to reach the South Pole by air, Richard completed the distance in 18 hours and 41 minutes. He was an American naval officer and polar explorer. He
John Galt was born on 2nd May 1779 in Irvine, Scotland, and he died on 11th April 1839 (aged 60 years) in Greenock, Scotland. Appointed to aid the colonization of Canada, John opened roads through the thick forests between Lakes Huron and Erie and founded the cities of Guelph and Goderich. He explored and travelled
Mungo Park was born on 11th September 1771 in Selkirk, Scotland and he died in January 1806 (aged 35 years) in Bussa, Nigeria. The first westerner to travel to find the source of the Niger River, Mungo wrote about this expedition which became very popular. On the journey he was held prisoner by a Moorish
Robert Edwin Peary was born on 6th May 1856 in Pennsylvania and he died on 20th February 1920 (aged 64 years) in Washington DC. Robert reached the Geographic North Pole with his expedition on 6th April 1909. Robert Peary made his first expedition to the Arctic hoping to cross by a dog-sled. He and a
Louis Joliet was born on 21st September 1645 in Quebec, Canada, and he died in May 1700 (aged 55 years) in Canada. Louis was a Canadian explorer who explored the origin of the Mississippi river with the help of Native American tribes, he embarked on this expedition with Jacques Marquette and became one of the
Gaspar Cortes Real was born in 1450 in the Kingdom of Portugal and he disappeared around 1501. Gaspar was an explorer to the Portuguese King who sent him to discover lands and a North-West Passage to Asia. He reached Greenland instead believing it to be East Asia but chose not to land. He went on
Sir Martin Forbisher was born in 1535 in Yorkshire, UK, and he died on 22nd November 1594 (aged 59 years) in Plymouth, UK. Well-known for the discovery of Labrador and Forbisher Bay in Canada, Martin was one of the first English explorers who tried to discover a North-West Passage to the Indies but failed. He
Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in 1567, Hoorn, Netherlands and he died in 1625 (aged 58 years), Antongil Bay, Madagascar. He was a dutch explorer and navigator for the Dutch East India Company. In 1615, Willem and his younger brother Jan Schouten sailed from Texel in the Netherlands, in an expedition led by Jacob le
Christopher Kit Carson was born on 24th December 1809 in Madison County, Kentucky, and he died on 23rd May 1868 (aged 58 years) in Colorado. An American trapper and guide, Kit Carson made an important contribution to the westward expansion of the United States working on various journeys with many explorers. In 1853, he agreed
Thor Heyerdahl was born on 6th October 1914 in Larvik, Norway, and he died on 18th April 2002 (aged 87 years) in Italy. Famous for his Kontiki Expedition Thor sailed 8,000-km across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft to prove that the ancient people could make long voyages making contacts with the people of