JOHN CABOT 

John Cabot also called Giovanni Baboto, his Italian name was an explorer of sorts although not much is known about his overall career.  Historians believe Cabot was born in Gaeta close to Naples sometime around 1455.  Additionally, we know his father was a merchant and that as a young boy he probably spent time growing up in Genoa.  However, by the age of six, Cabot was in Venice where he became a citizen. 

Then he married a Venetian woman named Mattea around 1482, being blessed with three sons, Sancio, Sebastian, and Ludovico.  Following in his father’s footsteps Cabot also became a merchant although he also learned another trade, being an expert mariner.  With this, he brought wonderful goods to include silk, spices, metals, and precious stones from Asia, traveling up the Red Sea or overland where he would take them to Europe to sell. 

Moving his family to Valencia in Spain around 1490, some believe this was prompted by his interest in expanding his efforts of exploration of the Atlantic Ocean, much like Christopher Columbus.  With leaders of this undertaking being primarily Portuguese, along with Spanish interest, monarchs from both countries were eager to discover new routes to Asia, which meant leading them to all the incredible riches of the country as well.  The explorers knew they needed to find routes other than the Mediterranean, which also meant avoiding the Italians hold on the spice trade. 

While this was one motivation, the other had to do with the fact that this was a time of deep religious beliefs and values.  The Europeans were extremely eager to tell people about Christianity and to squelch the spread of Islam.  The problem was that while John Cabot was interested in making the expeditions, both Spain and Portugal had no interest in him.  Therefore, the Portuguese chose their own route to Asia, sailing along the African coastline and then around the Cape of Good Hope. 

Interestingly, when Christopher Columbus returned from his transatlantic voyage in 1493, he believed the Caribbean land he reached was part of Asia.  In addition, the Spanish made their own voyage, believing they found Asia on their eastern route.  Because of this, John Cabot headed to England around 1494 and as a merchant of the Port of Bristol, he settled down with his family, serving under King Henry VII. Cabot’s plan was to reach Asia by sailing west across the north Atlantic, estimating the route shorter and quicker than that of Columbus’. 

Cabot was confident in his plan and while in England, he finally received the support and financial backing earlier denied by Portugal and Spain.  With this, the other merchants of Bristol agreed his plan was a good one, sponsoring him as he probed in the early 1480s around the north Atlantic, looking for potential trading opportunities.  Although not confirmed through documents, some historians believe the mariners of Bristol might have reached Labrador and Newfoundland prior to Cabot arriving, both voyages that were unofficial. 

However, in the early part of 1496, letters were written to John Cabot and his sons by Henry VII, providing him with authorization to sale to all part of the eastern, western, and northern sea, going on a mission of discovery and investigation.  The King wanted Cabot to find other islands, regions, provinces, and countries of “infidels and heathens” unknown to Christians.  For this reason, Cabot’s voyages were always done in the name of the English Crown and with the blessing of the King. 

Determined to please the King and make his mark on history, Cabot set out on his first voyage in 1496.  Unfortunately, the voyage was not a success.  In fact, this very voyage was captured in a letter from John Day, an English merchant to Christopher Columbus, which read, “He (Cabot) left with one ship but had a disagreement with his crew.  He was short of food, ran into bad weather, and made the decision to turn back”.  However, the following year on his second attempt, John Cabot had much more success when he officially discovered Newfoundland with his son, Sebastian.  After returning to English in 1498, Cabot died shortly after.