Elizabethan Hero

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Elizabethan Hero

The Life of Sir Martin Frobisher

Category:	History
Author:	K. A. Frobisher
Publisher:	Booksurge
Price:	£7.14
ISBN:	9781419617089
Pages:	162
Reviewed in issue:	6

This is a fascinating book by a descendant of Sir Martin Frobisher which seeks to re-establish his famous ancestor’s place in history.

The story of Sir Martin Frobisher should be viewed against the backdrop of the times in which he lived. Elizabeth I, a Protestant, was on the throne and the dominant force in Europe was Catholic Spain. The English exchequer was almost empty and there was the imminent threat of invasion. There is no doubt that Frobisher was a superb sea captain and explorer. His searches for the North West Passage to the Far East required all of his skills in leadership and navigation. He was not always popular as he had a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian. That he never achieved the fame of Drake or Raleigh could be because that most of the adventures he was involved in were unsuccessful in the public perception.

The author highlights the fact that Frobisher was not properly recognised by his country, as he was not named prominently on the Plymouth Hoe Armada Monument nor buried in Westminster Abbey. All of which demonstrates the fickleness of history. As a footnote – although Frobisher was unsuccessful in finding a North West Passage to China and the Far East, the effects of global warming may yet make this a reality!

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