Henry Hudson

Timeline

1. 1607–1608Spitsbergen and the Barents Sea · Barents SeaIn 1607 and 1608 Hudson sailed north twice under commission from the Muscovy Company to seek a northeast or northwest passage, reaching the vicinity of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. Though he failed to open a route to Asia, he gained high-latitude sailing experience and charted portions of the coastline.
2. 1609Hudson River · Hudson RiverIn April 1609 Hudson departed Amsterdam aboard the Half Moon, still aiming for a northern passage but turning south to explore, entering in September the river later named the Hudson River, reaching as far as present-day Albany, trading with Indigenous tribes along the banks, and providing the basis for the later Dutch establishment of New Amsterdam.
3. 1610–1611Hudson Bay · Hudson BayIn 1610 Hudson entered Hudson Bay aboard the Discovery and wintered in the bay; in 1611, amid shortages and disputes over decisions, the crew mutinied, abandoning Hudson, his son, and a few loyalists in a shallop, after which their fate was unknown. The returning crew were later interrogated by English authorities, but no confirmed record of Hudson's fate exists.