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The Quest for El Dorado

Sir Walter Ralegh and the City of Gold

The Quest for El Dorado cover

The Quest for El Dorado

Sir Walter Ralegh and the City of Gold

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Pre-order. Available 21 May 2026
$35.00

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Description

A new history of one the greatest feats of exploration – Walter Ralegh's search for El Dorado, the legendary City of Gold.

In 1594, English adventurer Sir Walter Ralegh heard the story of a lost city in South America from a Spanish conquistador. Setting out from Plymouth in February 1595, Ralegh reached the mouth of the Orinoco River and travelled over 400 miles inland to find it. Along the way, he captured galleons full of treasure, fought the Spanish and befriended the indigenous peoples.

Hoping to win favour with Queen Elizabeth I, he was convinced that a 'gold-rich empire more lucrative than Peru' lay just beyond reach. He vowed to return once more, so he could finally earn fame and fortune. The book that he wrote about his voyage, Discoverie, reveals the worldview of Europeans on the cusp of the modern era and the enormous drive that the search for unimaginable riches gave men such as Ralegh during the Age of Exploration. But, after he was imprisoned by James I, with a death sentence hanging over him, his hopes were put on hold for years until he was finally granted a second chance to try again…

The Quest for El Dorado is a compelling new narrative of one of the most enduring myths in history. Based on contemporary sources and his own researches as a maritime archaeologist, David Gibbins tells a story of exploration and plunder, shedding new light on Ralegh's famous voyages.

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Product details

Published 21 May 2026
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Pages 320
ISBN 9781526688910
Imprint Bloomsbury Publishing
Illustrations 2 b/w maps; 1 x 16pp plate section (16.02.26)
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

David Gibbins

David Gibbins is the internationally bestselling a…

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Environment: Photon QA