Ralph Lane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Lane
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| Member of Parliament for Higham Ferrers |
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| In office 1556 – January 1559 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | c.1532 |
| Died | October 1603 (aged 70–71) |
| Resting place | St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland 53°20′22″N 6°16′17″W / 53.33944°N 6.27139°W |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | explorer |
| Signature | .png){kind=small} |
Sir Ralph Lane (born around 1532 – died October 1603) was an English explorer. He lived during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He helped England set up colonies in Ireland in 1583. He was also the sheriff of County Kerry, Ireland, from 1583 to 1585. Sir Ralph Lane is well-known for being part of the first attempt to create an English settlement on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. This attempt in 1585 was not successful. He was made a knight by the Queen in 1593.
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Early Life and Family
Ralph Lane was born around 1532. His parents were Sir Ralph Lane of Orlingbury and Maud Lane. His mother, Maud, was a cousin of Catherine Parr. Catherine Parr was the last queen consort of King Henry VIII. This meant Ralph Lane had connections to the royal family.
Ralph Lane's Career
Ralph Lane became a Member of Parliament for Higham Ferrers in 1556. A Member of Parliament is someone elected to represent an area in the country's government. This was a surprising choice at the time. However, Lane had good connections in that area.
In 1563, Lane started working for Queen Elizabeth I. He was an equerry, which meant he was an officer in the Royal Household. His jobs included enforcing laws and collecting taxes. He also helped fight against rebels in 1569. In 1571, he worked to stop pirates. He was a captain in the Netherlands from 1572 to 1573. He was also elected as a Member of Parliament for Higham Ferrers again in 1558. Later, he became an MP for Northampton in 1563.
The Roanoke Colony Adventure
Sir Ralph Lane is most famous for trying to start a settlement on Roanoke Island. This was done at the request of Sir Walter Raleigh. Queen Elizabeth wanted England to set up colonies in new lands. The Americas seemed like a good place for England to expand.
The Voyage to Roanoke
The journey began on April 9, 1585. Lane sailed from Plymouth, England. He traveled with Sir Richard Grenville, who was Raleigh's cousin. Grenville was a sailor who later wrote a book about his discoveries. The fleet had five ships: the Tiger, the Roebuck, the Red Lion, the Elizabeth, and the Dorothy.
The trip on the Tiger was difficult. Lane and Grenville often argued. Lane found Grenville to be very proud and ambitious. During a big storm near Portugal, the Tiger got separated from the other ships. The Tiger arrived at Baye's Muskito (now Guayanilla, Puerto Rico) on May 11. While waiting, Grenville traded with the Spanish. He also attacked some of their ships. He even built a small fort. The Elizabeth arrived soon after the fort was built.
Grenville eventually got tired of waiting for the other ships. He left on June 7. The fort was left behind, and its exact location is now unknown. On June 26, the Tiger sailed into the Ocracoke Inlet. It got stuck on a sand bank. This ruined most of their food supply. The crew managed to fix the ship. In early July, they met the Roebuck and Dorothy. These ships had arrived at the Outer Banks a few weeks earlier. The Red Lion had dropped off its passengers. Then it sailed to Newfoundland to attack other ships.
Life in the Colony
After exploring the coast, a problem arose. Grenville accused the people of a village called Aquascogoc of stealing a silver cup. In return, the English attacked and burned the village.
Despite this incident and low food, Lane and 107 other settlers stayed on Roanoke Island. They arrived on August 17, 1585. They built a small fort on the north end of the island. Lane and Grenville continued to disagree. This caused problems for the colony from the start. Lane was described as proud and quick-tempered. He did not like being told what to do. Grenville and his crew soon sailed back to England. He promised to return in April 1586 with more men and supplies.
The English quickly met the local Native Americans. However, the English treated them harshly. The colonists sometimes kidnapped Native Americans. They did this to get supplies or information. Lane had a military background. He often used force instead of talking things out. This made his dealings with the local tribes difficult from the beginning.
Leaving Roanoke
April 1586 passed, but Grenville did not return. In June, the earlier disagreement about the stolen cup led to an attack on the fort. The settlers were able to fight them off. Also in June, Sir Francis Drake arrived at Roanoke. Drake offered Lane and his men a ride back to England. Lane quickly accepted this offer. Their food was running low, and tensions with the local tribes were high. Drake's fleet reached Portsmouth, England, on July 28. The settlers from Roanoke brought new things to England. These included snuff, corn, and potatoes. Ralph Lane's story of the colony was later published in a book in 1589.
Grenville's relief fleet arrived shortly after Drake had left with the settlers. Finding the colony empty, Grenville returned to England. He left a small group of men behind. This was to keep a British presence and protect Raleigh's claim to the land.
Later Life and Death
Lane took part in other expeditions after Roanoke. In January 1592, he was made the muster-master general of Ireland. This meant he was in charge of checking the military forces. The next year, he was made a knight by Sir William FitzWilliam. FitzWilliam was the Lord Deputy of Ireland, a high-ranking official.
In 1594, Lane was badly hurt during the Nine Years' War in Ireland. He never fully recovered from his injuries. Sir Ralph Lane died in 1603 in Dublin, Ireland. He was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral there.
See also
Images for kids
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Sir Ralph Lane's signature
