October 29

Born around 1554 in Devon, Raleigh rose to prominence as a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, leading expeditions to Guiana in search of gold. He sponsored the ill-fated Roanoke Colony, the first English attempt at a permanent settlement in North America. As Vice-Admiral of Devon and Lieutenant Governor of Jersey, he navigated both naval command and courtly intrigue. After a period of royal disfavour under King James I, he was arrested and executed for alleged treason in 1618. Raleigh's writings on exploration and his promotion of tobacco use secured his lasting fame.

Andrea Debono was born in Valletta, Malta, in 1821 and ventured into the Sudan as a trader and explorer. He established a trading station at Gondokoro on the White Nile and facilitated early European expeditions into Central Africa. Debono navigated complex relations with local leaders and negotiated ivory and gum arabic commerce. His detailed observations of the Nile’s course and surrounding lands provided valuable geographic information. Debono’s journals and maps contributed to the era’s growing interest in African exploration. He faced hardships including disease and political upheaval before his death in Alexandria in 1871. His pioneering work laid groundwork for later explorers such as Henry Morton Stanley.