John Cabot's 1497 Voyage
- When
- 1497
- Where
- Port of departure; Port of return
- Episodes
- 2
John Cabot departed Bristol on 2 May 1497 aboard the Matthew, reaching the North American coast on 24 June under Henry VII's commission. The voyage, funded by Bristol merchants, marked the earliest known European exploration of coastal North America since Norse visits.
Episodes
- Departure from Bristol
Cabot's expedition departed Bristol on 2 May 1497 aboard the Matthew, sailing westward under royal commission.
- Return to Bristol
The Matthew returned to Bristol on 6 August 1497, completing the voyage and leading to Cabot's royal pension.
Background and detail
Royal Commission and Funding. Henry VII granted Cabot letters patent on 5 March 1496, requiring expeditions to depart from Bristol. This directive suggests primary financial support came from Bristol-based merchants. Cabot, an Italian navigator, operated under this English royal commission to explore westward.
Return and Recognition. The ship returned to Bristol on 6 August 1497. In December 1497, Cabot received a pension of £20 per year, backdated to March 1497, confirming his service to the Crown during the expedition. This voyage is considered the earliest known European exploration of coastal North America since the Norse.
People involved
- John Cabot · Navigator and Explorer
- Henry VII · King of England and Commissioner
- Bristol Merchants · Financial Supporters and Crew
Sources
- John Cabot Wikipedia
- Matthew Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-31
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.