John Eckstein, To the Right Honorable The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of Great Britain, this plate representing the arrival of the 'Discovery' and 'Resolution', under Captains Clerke and Gore, 1779

Greenwich, London, National Maritime Museum, PAI0244: https://images.rmg.co.uk/asset/41844/

Contrary to popular legend, Christopher Columbus did not struggle to obtain backing for his famous voyage in 1492 because everyone thought that the earth was flat! By the fifteenth century, all serious map-makers and navigators knew the truth, and even had a pretty accurate idea of the earth’s size. A desire for power and profit - as well as the expectation of heathen souls to save and then enslave - drove European mariners into uncharted waters.

We shall sail with the Spanish and Portuguese to the Americas and the Indies, circumnavigate with Francis Drake, follow intrepid fools into the heart of Africa, marvel at Tasman and Cook’s quest for Terra Australis, and experience the frustrations and hardships associated with the quest for the North-West Passage. Come with us on these - and more - voyages of discovery!

RJW F222315 Online course (via Zoom)

10 weeks, Tuesday 10 January - Tuesday 21 March (incl., with half-term break on 14 February)

£110 (individual registration); £198 (for two people sharing one screen).