Denise's Reviews > The Queen's Slave Trader: John Hawkyns, Elizabeth I, and the Trafficking in Human Souls

I was hoping to read this.So glad it's that good.

It is accessible, that is to say easy to read. Sometimes some of these histories are not and are boring. This one is not. The author goes into details about John Hawkyns' father too. John Hawkyns was related to Francis Drake (which I found interesting).The author describes the 3 voyages, that Hawkyns made to the New World and all the problems he encountered. And there were many, battles with the Spanish and Portuguese, various storms, no food, little water, the slave gathering trips themselves, being attacked by hippopotamus as well as alligators and crocodiles, all of which were new animals to these men, no markets for the slaves, disease,etc.

Yes,that really is interesting that he was related to Drake.I wouldn't have thought but I guess since Drake commanded a lot of her fleet he could have had relatives everywhere in it.It sounds really fascinating!I will be sure to try a find a copy.I love almost anything Tudor related!

There is a little about Queen Elizabeth too. She actually was a partner to his endeavors. She supplied him with ships and received a share of the proceeds.Funny, he sometimes didn't sell all his slaves and brought them back to England. They were servants/slaves in private homes. Some eventually were able to start businesses, own property and had families. Then the Queen complained there were too many black people in England and she wanted them shipped back to Africa.

That's really weird because before I saw this I didn't know she was really involved with the buying and selling of slaves.I know she had things brought to her from America but I didn't know it included slaves.I can't say I'm surprised but just wouldn't have thought slaves would have been one of her shipments.Sugar and tobacco yes but slaves no.

And one of the founding groups, that invested money in the slave trade were the Quakers!