How Africans Were Lured into the First Slave Ship’ Jesus of Lubeck

The Jesus of Lübeck was initially a 700-ton sailing vessel built in Lübeck, Germany, in the early 16th century. In 1540, King Henry VIII of England acquired the ship to enhance his fleet, and it saw action during the 1545 French invasion of the Isle of Wight.

However, after sustaining damage, the ship was chartered to John Hawkins by Queen Elizabeth I in 1562, marking the start of its dark involvement in the transatlantic slave trade.

John Hawkins’ Slave Trade Expeditions

Hawkins organized four voyages between 1562 and 1568, during which he captured and enslaved hundreds of Africans from West Africa, particularly Sierra Leone, to sell them in the Spanish colonies in the Americas.

His first expedition saw him forcibly take 300 Africans in Sierra Leone, whom he sold to Spanish plantations.

In one account, Hawkins, presenting himself as a devout Christian missionary, preached to the Sierra Leoneans about a god named Jesus.

He convinced those who desired salvation to board his ship, the Jesus of Lübeck. Once aboard, the Africans were imprisoned and transported to the Americas, where they were traded for pearls, hides, and sugar.

The English Slave Trade Triangle

Hawkins played a significant role in establishing the English slave trade triangle, where ships would sail to West Africa, transport enslaved Africans to the Americas, and return to England with goods produced by enslaved labor.

Though others had taken slaves from Africa before him, Hawkins was the first Englishman to profit from this trade on a large scale. His voyages were so lucrative that Queen Elizabeth I provided him with additional ships and supplies for future journeys.

She even granted him a coat of arms depicting a bound African slave, a grim testament to the royal support he enjoyed.

Also Read: How The Story, Birth of Jesus And The Bible Was Copied From Ancient Egypt Spirituality

The Last Voyage of the Jesus of Lübeck

In September 1568, during his final voyage, Hawkins’ fleet encountered a Spanish armada near San Juan de Ulúa, resulting in a fierce battle.

The Jesus of Lübeck was heavily damaged and eventually captured by the Spanish. The ship was later sold to a local merchant, marking the end of its involvement in the slave trade.