Sir Walter Raleigh was a famous pirate during Elizabethan Era. He was born either in 1552 or 1554 as the youngest son to a Protestant family settled in Devon, England. There is very little information about his life before he became a pirate, but he was known to have lived in Ireland for some duration wherein he was involved in two massacres, one at Smerwick and the other at Rathlin Island.

His half brothers were Sir Humphery and Sir John Gilbert, and he had a brother named Carew and sister named Margaret. The only person whom Walter looked up to was Sir Humphrey.

Sir Walter Raleigh came back to England from Ireland in 1581 and progressed quickly in Queen Elizabeth I's favor and in 1585 was awarded knighthood. He participated in the colonization of Virginia by England. He is known to have secretly married Elizabeth Throckmorton.

Walter was also known for his height. He took over the command of the Guard and he played an important role in unfolding the Babington conspiracy whereby Queen Elizabeth was to be replaced by Mary, Queen of Scot.

He was awarded a huge estate in Ireland for his role in the conspiracy. He became the Governor of Jersey but there is ambiguity about the exact year. Some believe it to be 1585 where there are other datas which state that he became the Governor some where around 1600-1603.

In 1603, after the demise of Queen Elizabeth I, Walter was arrested for his role in the Main Plot against King James I, but was released in 1616 to carry out a search for El Dorado. During 1579-1583, Sir Walter had been a part of the suppression movement of the Desmond Rebels.

At Smerwick, after the mass killing of Italian and Spanish soliders, Walter and other men had captured the land of Smerwick.

Elizabethan Era England Life: This site gives information on various aspects of life during Elizabethan Times in England.

It covers Elizabethan Costumes/Clothing for men and women, Elizabethian Fashion, Crime, Torture, Theater/Stage, Arts and Culture, Family, Children, Family, Sports/Games, Education, Medicine and many other facts about the Elizabethan Period. Elizabethan Age is considered as a golden Era in English History. There is also information on Famous Pirates, Famous Woman Pirates, Pirate Costumes, Pirate Ships, Famous Explorers and Spanish Armada