Richard Hawkins
English seaman, explorer, and privateer; discovered the Falkland Islands.
Sir Richard Hawkins (c. 1562 – 17 April 1622) was an English sailor, explorer, and privateer. The son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins, he grew up around ships and the sea. In 1582 he sailed with his uncle William Hawkins to the West Indies, and later served under Drake in 1585 and commanded a queen’s ship against the Spanish Armada in 1588. In 1590 he took part in his father’s expedition off the coast of Portugal.
In 1593 Hawkins bought the galleon *Dainty*—originally built for his father—and set sail for the West Indies, the Spanish Main, and the South Seas. Though he later claimed the voyage was for geographical discovery, it appears his real aim was to raid Spanish overseas possessions. After visiting Brazil, the *Dainty* was caught in a storm near the Strait of Magellan and blown eastward. On 2 February 1594, Hawkins sighted land, which he named Hawkins’s Maiden Land in honor of Queen Elizabeth. This land is now known as the Falkland Islands.
Hawkins then returned to the South American mainland, passed through the Strait of Magellan, and reached Valparaíso, which he plundered. Pushing north, he arrived at the Bay of San Mateo (modern-day Ecuador) in June 1594. There, two Spanish ships attacked the *Dainty*. Though outmatched, Hawkins and his crew fought bravely. After being severely wounded, losing 27 men, and with his ship nearly sinking, he surrendered on 1 July 1594, under a promise of safe passage for himself and his crew. That promise was broken, and in 1597 Hawkins was sent to Spain, imprisoned first in Seville and later in Madrid. He was released in 1602, knighted in 1603, and elected Mayor of Plymouth the same year.
During his voyage, Hawkins noted the effectiveness of “sower oranges and lemmons” against scurvy, writing that it was “a wonderful secret of the power and wisedome of God” that such fruit could cure the disease. This was more than a century before James Lind’s better-known work on the subject.
In 1604 Hawkins became MP for Plymouth and Vice-Admiral of Devon. With English privateering banned in 1603, the coast was full of pirates. Hawkins often showed more sympathy for English pirates than for their Spanish victims, rarely bringing them to trial. Instead, he would take their loot or sell them a “discharge” before letting them go. He held the post until 1610, with a brief suspension in 1606–1607. In 1605 he was named a founding member o
- born
- c. 1562
- died
- 17 April 1622
- field
- Seamanship, exploration, privateering
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Discovery of Hawkins Maiden land (Falkland Islands), early use of citrus against scurvy
Lore & Background
Richard Hawkins was the son of Admiral Sir John Hawkins and from his early days was familiar with ships and the sea. In 1582 he accompanied his uncle William Hawkins to the West Indies, and in 1585 he captained a galliot in Drake's expedition to the Spanish main. He commanded a queen's ship against the Armada in 1588 and served in his father's expedition off Portugal in 1590.
In 1593 Hawkins purchased the galleon Dainty and sailed for the West Indies, the Spanish Main, and the South Seas. Although he later claimed the voyage was for geographical discovery, it seems clear his project was to prey on Spanish possessions. On 2 February 1594 he sighted land, which he named Hawkins Maiden land, now known as the Falkland Islands. After plundering Valparaíso, he was attacked by two Spanish ships in the Bay of San Mateo in June 1594. He surrendered on 1 July 1594 after a gallant defense, but the promised safe-conduct was not kept, and he was imprisoned in Spain until 1602.
Upon returning to England, Hawkins was knighted in 1603 and elected Mayor of Plymouth the same year. He served as Vice-Admiral of Devon from 1604 to 1610, where he was more sympathetic to English pirates than to their Spanish victims. He wrote an account of his voyage, Voiage into the South Sea (1622), which became a famous Elizabethan adventure.
Reader's Guide
Sir Richard Hawkins holds a notable place in Elizabethan maritime history for his 1593–1594 voyage, which resulted in the first recorded English sighting of the Falkland Islands. His naming of the land after Queen Elizabeth I reflects the era's blend of exploration, national pride, and personal ambition. Hawkins also made a significant, though often overlooked, contribution to naval medicine: he wrote about the efficacy of 'sower oranges and lemmons' in treating scurvy, more than a century before James Lind's more famous experiments. His account of the voyage, published in 1622, remains a key primary source for Elizabethan exploration and privateering. Hawkins's career also illustrates the blurred lines between exploration, privateering, and piracy, as well as the complex Anglo-Spanish relations of the period. His later role as Vice-Admiral of Devon, where he often released pirates rather than prosecuting them, highlights the challenges of enforcing maritime law after the end of official privateering.
Did You Know?
- Hawkins named the Falkland Islands 'Hawkins Maiden land' in honor of Queen Elizabeth I.
- He wrote about the use of 'sower oranges and lemmons' as a remedy for scurvy, more than a century before James Lind.
- After surrendering on a promise of safe-conduct, Hawkins was imprisoned in Spain until 1602.
- As Vice-Admiral of Devon, he often released pirates instead of bringing them to trial.
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