| Timeline |
| 1552 |
Born near Budleigh Salterton, Devon |
| 1569 |
Fights for the Huguenots |
| 1572 |
Attends Oriel College, Oxford |
| 1575 |
Attends Middle Temple law college |
| 1580 |
Fights against the Irish rebels in Munster |
| 1583 |
Gains monopoly of wine licenses |
| 1585 |
Gains monopoly of the export of broadcloth ; Knighted by Queen Elizabeth I |
| 1587 |
Appointed captain of the queen's guard |
| 1588 |
Marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (kept a secret from the queen) [year approx.] |
| 1589 |
Tries to establish a colony near Roanoke Island (in present North Carolina) |
| 1592 |
Imprisoned in the Tower of London when Elizabeth I learns of his marriage |
| 1595 |
Leads an expedition to what is now Venezuela, in South America |
| 1596 |
The Discoverie of Guiana published; Joins Robert Devereux, earl of Essex, on an unsuccessful expedition to the Spanish city of Cádiz |
| 1597 |
Joins Essex on an expedition to the Azores |
| 1600 |
Appointed governor of Jersey |
| 1603 |
Accused of plotting to dethrone the king, imprisoned in the Tower for 13 years |
| 1614 |
The History of the World published |
| 1616 |
King suspends sentence, Raleigh is free. He mounts expedition to Venezuela |
| 1618 |
Executed, 29 October, Tower of London |
