Lawrence Kemys facts for kids
Lawrence Kemys (born around 1562, died 1618) was an English sailor and explorer. He was a close friend and partner of Sir Walter Raleigh. Kemys joined Raleigh on his trips to a region called Guiana in South America in 1595 and again from 1617 to 1618.
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Kemys's First Trip to Guiana
In 1595, Sir Walter Raleigh sailed to Trinidad and Guiana with four ships. Lawrence Kemys was the second-in-command and captain of a small Spanish ship called Gallego that they had captured.
The main goal of this trip was to find Manõa, a legendary city of gold also known as El Dorado. They also wanted to make friends with the local native tribes. When they arrived in Guiana, Kemys led a group of men inland. They traveled along the Essequibo River and reached a large body of water. Kemys thought it was Lake Parime, which was believed to be near El Dorado, but he was mistaken.
Kemys's Second Trip and Discoveries
The next year, in 1596, Raleigh could not go back to Guiana himself. So, he sent Kemys to lead another trip on a ship called the Darling. Kemys's job was to keep exploring the coast of Guiana and the Essequibo River.
Kemys returned with exciting stories about how rich the country was. He strongly suggested to Raleigh that it would be a great idea for Queen Elizabeth I to take control of the land. However, Raleigh was not in a position to follow this advice. Kemys then seemed to work for Raleigh on land for a while.
During his exploration, Kemys carefully mapped where different Amerindian tribes lived. He also wrote detailed reports about the geography, geology, and plants of the area. In his book, Relation of the Second Voyage to Guiana (1596), Kemys described the Guiana coast in great detail. He wrote that the local people traveled inland by canoe and land paths. They were heading towards a large body of water, which he thought was where Manoa of El Dorado was located.
Time in Prison and New Plans
In 1603, Sir Walter Raleigh was accused of planning against King James I. This was known as the Main Plot. Because Kemys was Raleigh's close follower, he was also involved. He was put in the Tower of London with Raleigh, and then in the Fleet prison from September to December 1603.
Kemys was probably set free at the end of that year. While Raleigh was in prison for thirteen years, Kemys seemed to manage his affairs. In 1617, King James I finally pardoned Raleigh. Kemys likely encouraged Raleigh to ask the King for permission to go on one last trip to the Orinoco River. When permission was given, Kemys went with him as a guide and captain. He claimed to know exactly where a rich gold mine was located.
Kemys's Final Voyage to Guiana
Kemys sailed with Raleigh to Guiana again in 1617. They were searching for gold. Raleigh hoped this gold would help him regain the King's favor. Kemys played a key role in the events that led to Raleigh's downfall and execution.
Kemys led a group of Raleigh's men in an attack on a Spanish outpost called Santo Tomé de Guayana. This town was on the Orinoco River. This attack went against Raleigh's orders and broke peace agreements King James I had made with Spain. Sadly, Raleigh's son, Walter, was killed during this attack.
When Raleigh was released from the Tower of London in 1616, he was given a special condition. He was allowed to go to Guiana to find gold and the legendary city of El Dorado. However, he was strictly told not to attack any Spanish colonies or ships. Since Raleigh was already under a suspended death sentence for treason from 1603, his men breaking this rule meant King James I had little choice but to carry out the old sentence.
The exact details of what happened when Kemys attacked Santo Tomé in January 1618 are not fully clear. English and Spanish reports tell different stories, with each side blaming the other for firing first. It seems unlikely that Kemys planned for things to turn out as badly as they did. Raleigh's son, Walter, was the first person to die in the short fight, hit by a musket ball. One other Englishman and two Spaniards were also killed before the Spanish soldiers ran away.
Kemys's men took control of the town, but they were surrounded by angry Spanish forces. Kemys sent out a few quick trips to find the gold he had promised, but they found nothing. After 29 days, and with no success in talking to the Spanish, Kemys ordered Santo Tomé to be robbed and burned. They then sailed back down the Orinoco River to meet Raleigh and their ships. They finally arrived on March 2.
Kemys's Death
Kemys had already sent a letter to Raleigh, telling him about the disaster and his son's death. He went to Raleigh's cabin to ask for forgiveness. However, Raleigh was too upset to forgive him. Raleigh later said, "I told him that he had undone me by his stubbornness, and that I would not support... in any way his past foolishness." Kemys reportedly replied, "I know then, Sir, what course to take," before going back to his own cabin.
After Raleigh returned to England, the Spanish ambassador, Count Gondomar, was very angry. He demanded that King James bring back Raleigh's death sentence, and the King had little choice but to agree. Raleigh was brought to London from Plymouth. He had many chances to escape but did not take them. Raleigh was beheaded in the Old Palace Yard at the Palace of Westminster on October 29, 1618.
Because the native people were aggressive towards Spain, the Spanish never returned to the region in large numbers. This allowed other European countries, like France, Holland, and England, to settle the area east of the Essequibo River over the next two centuries. This led to the creation of Dutch Guyana, French Guiana, and eventually British Guyana.
As more explorers visited the region over time, the idea of Lake Parime was finally proven wrong in the early 1800s. Some people thought that the seasonal flooding of the Rupununi savannah might have been mistaken for a permanent lake.
