On this day 516 years ago, England’s King Henry VII granted letters patent to John Cabot, giving him “free authority, faculty and power to sail to all parts, regions and coasts of the eastern, western and northern sea, under our banners, flags and ensigns… to find, discover and investigate whatsoever islands, countries, regions or provinces of heathens and infidels, in whatsoever part of the world placed, which before this time were unknown to all Christians.”
Christopher Columbus had already “discovered” Cuba and the West Indies in 1492, and had conducted a second voyage of exploration around the West Indies in 1493, but Cabot was particularly interested in what might lie to the north. Starting from a northerly latitude, where the longitudes are closer together, Cabot expected that his route would be much shorter than that taken by Columbus.
Cabot’s set out in 1496 but was forced to return and re-attempt the voyage of discovery in 1497. His ship reached Newfoundland, a large island off the coast of Canada, in June 1497, the first known visit by Europeans to North America since the time of the Vikings. Upon returning to England the King gave him a £10 reward, and he set out on a second voyage the following year. He may have been lost at sea, or he may subsequently simply have faded into obscurity.