Robert Dudley (explorer)

Sir Robert Dudley was an English explorer and cartographer. In 1594, he led an expedition to the West Indies, of which he wrote an account. The illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, he inherited the bulk of the Earl's estate in accordance with his father's will, including Kenilworth Castle. In 1603–1605, he tried unsuccessfully to establish his legitimacy in court. After that he left England forever, finding a new existence in the service of the grand dukes of Tuscany. There, he worked as an engineer and shipbuilder, and designed and published Dell'Arcano del Mare (1645-1646), the first maritime atlas to cover the whole world. He was also a skilled navigator and mathematician. In Italy, he styled himself "Earl of Warwick and Leicester", as well as "Duke of Northumberland", a title recognized by Emperor Ferdinand II.

7 August 1574

Born on the same birth day (7 August): Abbie Cornish • Adam Yates • Anne Fadiman • Beanie Wells • Carsten Busch • DeMar DeRozan • Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos • Eamonn Darcy • Edward Hardwicke • Elinor Ostrom • Francesca Gregorini • John Birmingham • Koenraad Elst • Louis Leakey • Marcus Roberts • Mary Frances Winston Newson • Miguel Llera • Sidney Crosby • Uwe Nettelbeck • Victoria of Baden

Born in the same month (August 1574): Albert Szenczi Molnár