West Country Men: Difference between revisions

The '''West Country Men''' were a group of influential individuals in [[Elizabethan period|Elizabethan England]] who advocated the [[Plantations of Ireland|English colonisation]] of [[Munster]], attacks on the [[Spanish Empire]], and the expansion of the [[English Empire]]. The group included [[Humphrey Gilbert|Sir Humphrey Gilbert]], [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]], [[Francis Drake|Sir Francis Drake]], [[John Hawkins (naval commander)|Sir John Hawkins]], [[Richard Grenville|Sir Richard Grenville]], and [[Ralph Lane|Sir Ralph Lane]].<ref>{{Cite book| first=Alan| last=Taylor| authorlink=Alan Taylor (historian)| title=American Colonies, The Settling of North America| publisher=Penguin| year=2001| isbn=0-14-200210-0| url=https://archive.org/details/americancolonies00tayl| url-access=registration| pages=[https://archive.org/details/americancolonies00tayl/page/119 119], 123}}</ref> Five of these individuals originated in the southwest region of England known as the [[West Country]], and were particularly associated with the sea ports of [[Devon]], especially [[Plymouth]].