Maritime enterprise, 1485-1558

This volume opens a window onto the early Tudor age, a time when England first turned its gaze outward across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. It weaves together the twin strands of discovery and commerce, beginning with the bold voyages of John and Sebastian Cabot and the fledgling colonial ideas that followed their 1497 and 1498 expeditions. Through careful examination of contemporary records, the author shows how royal policy under Henry VII laid the groundwork for a maritime ambition that would soon reshape the nation’s fortunes.

The narrative then follows the growth of English trade routes to Brazil, the African coast, and the North‑East, revealing how diplomacy, naval organization, and mercantile interests intertwined. By re‑evaluating long‑standing assumptions—particularly around Sebastian Cabot’s independent explorations—the book offers a fresh, scholarly perspective on the early forces that set England on its path to seafaring power.