born 0441; 1535, Yorkshire, Eng.
died Nov. 22, 1594, Plymouth, Devon
English navigator and early explorer of Canada's northeastern coast.
Searching for the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean, he crossed the Atlantic in 1576 and reached Labrador and Baffin Island, discovering Frobisher Bay . Returning to England with reports of possible gold mines, he obtained royal backing for further expeditions in 1577 and 1578; when he brought back nothing of value, his backing collapsed. In 1585 he sailed as vice admiral of Sir Francis Drake 's expedition to the West Indies, and in 1588 he played a prominent part in the campaign against the Spanish Armada.