John Cunningham (explorer)
Encyclopedia
John Cunningham was a Scottish
explorer who served under the Danish
flag. He is most noted for his role in King Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland
In Denmark he was known as Hans Køning. In 1603 he became a captain in the Danish navy. In 1605 he was captain of the Trost and Chief Commander of the Danish expedition to Greenland
on the three ships Trost, Den Røde Løve (commanded by Godske Lindenov
) and Katten (commanded by John Knight). James Hall
was the expedition pilot. He again went to Greenland the following year as part of an even larger expedition, but this time only as captain of Den Røde Løve.
In 1615 he was among the commanders aboard the naval expedition under Gabriel Kruse
sent to Spitsbergen
to demand tolls from foreign whalers
. There he encountered Robert Fotherby
, Thomas Edge
, and Adriaen Block
. The following year he was part of the naval expedition under Jørgan Daa sent to rid the coasts of Norway
, the Faeroes, and Iceland
of illegal whalers and pirates. He served as captain of the Gabriel. In 1619 he was made Governor of the Province of Finnmark
, a post he retained until his death in 1651.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
explorer who served under the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
flag. He is most noted for his role in King Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland
Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland
Christian IV's Expeditions was a series of expeditions in the years 1605-1607 to Greenland and Arctic waterways sent by King Christian IV of Denmark in order to locate the lost Eastern Norse Settlement and assert Danish sovereignty over Greenland....
In Denmark he was known as Hans Køning. In 1603 he became a captain in the Danish navy. In 1605 he was captain of the Trost and Chief Commander of the Danish expedition to Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
on the three ships Trost, Den Røde Løve (commanded by Godske Lindenov
Godske Lindenov
Godske Christoffersen Lindenov was a Danish naval offiver and Arctic explorer. He is most noted for his role in King Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland...
) and Katten (commanded by John Knight). James Hall
James Hall (explorer)
James Hall was an English explorer. In Denmark, he was known as Jacob Hald. He piloted three of King Christian IV's Expeditions to Greenland under John Cunningham , Godske Lindenov , and Carsten Richardson . In his first voyage he charted the west coast of Greenland as far north as 68° 35' N...
was the expedition pilot. He again went to Greenland the following year as part of an even larger expedition, but this time only as captain of Den Røde Løve.
In 1615 he was among the commanders aboard the naval expedition under Gabriel Kruse
Gabriel Kruse
Gabriel Christoffersen Kruse of Tulsted and Hjulebjerg was an officer in the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy. He became a captain in 1610 and fought in the Kalmar War and the War against the Emperor .-Family:...
sent to Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
to demand tolls from foreign whalers
History of whaling
The history of whaling is very extensive, stretching back for millennia. This article discusses the history of whaling up to the commencement of the International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986....
. There he encountered Robert Fotherby
Robert Fotherby
Robert Fotherby was an early 17th century English explorer and whaler. From 1613 to 1615 he worked for the Muscovy Company, and from 1615 until his death for the East India Company.-Family Ties:...
, Thomas Edge
Thomas Edge
Thomas Edge was an English merchant, whaler, and sealer who worked for the Muscovy Company in the first quarter of the 17th century. Edge was born in the parish of Blackburn, Lancashire in 1587/88. His father was Ellis Edge. Edgeøya is named after him...
, and Adriaen Block
Adriaen Block
Adriaen Block was a Dutch private trader and navigator who is best known for exploring the coastal and river valley areas between present-day New Jersey and Massachusetts during four voyages from 1611 to 1614, following the 1609 expedition by Henry Hudson...
. The following year he was part of the naval expedition under Jørgan Daa sent to rid the coasts of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the Faeroes, and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
of illegal whalers and pirates. He served as captain of the Gabriel. In 1619 he was made Governor of the Province of Finnmark
Finnmark
or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens...
, a post he retained until his death in 1651.
See also
- Cartographic expeditions to GreenlandCartographic expeditions to Greenland....
- List of Arctic expeditions