c.1565-c.1611. English explorer. Under the
auspices of the Muscovy Company 1607-08, he
made two unsuccessful attempts to find the
Northeast passage to China. In Sept 1609,
commissioned by the Dutch East India Company,
he reached New York Bay and sailed 240 km/150
mi up the river that now bears his name,
establishing Dutch claims to the area. In
1610, he sailed from London in the Discovery
and entered what is now the Hudson Strait.
After an icebound winter, he was turned
adrift by a mutinous crew in what is now
Hudson Bay. Hudson had heard reports of two
possible channels to the Pacific Ocean across
North America. One of these had been
described by English soldier and colonist
John Smith. Since Hudson's search for the
Northeast passage proved unsuccessful, he
chose to pursue Smith's suggestion.