Essay about Captain John Smith

John Smith was born on January 9, 1579 in Alford, Willoughby, England. He was the eldest son of George Smith and Alice Rickards. George Smith was a yeoman farmer who most probably worked for Peregrine Bertie (Lord Willoughby). Smith was educated in Alford and later he attended a boarding school in nearby Louth. He also served briefly as an apprentice to Thomas Sewell, a local merchant, but his formal education ended in 1596 when his father died. Smith's mother remarried soon after the death of her husband.

Although Smith took over land from his father, he went on for a more adventurous life abroad. John Smith left home at age 16 and became a soldier. He began his travels by joining volunteers in France who were fighting for Dutch independence from Spain. Two years later, he set off for the Mediterranean Sea, working on a merchant ship. In 1600 he joined Austrian forces to fight the Turks in the "Long War." A courageous soldier, he was promoted to Captain while fighting in Hungary. He was fighting in Transylvania two years later in 1602. There he had killed three Turkish warriors in single combat, lopping off their heads, which he displayed on pikes. There he had been wounded, captured, sold into slavery, freed by Princess Charatza Tragabigzanda according to Smith, this girl fell in love with him and sent him to her brother. Then was tossed into another prison by her brother. This time he escaped by murdering his captor with a bat and travelling, penniless and on foot through Russia and Poland, where he was wounded, to finally rejoin his troops. After being released from service and receiving a large reward, he travelled all through Europe and Northern Africa. He returned to England in the winter of 1604-05.

Apparently restless in England, Smith became actively involved with plans to colonize Virginia for profit by the Virginia Company, which had been approved a contract from King James I. He