Date of Birth: May 4, 1827
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Date of Death: September 15, 1864
Biography
John Hanning Speke was born on May 4, 1827, in Bideford, Devon, England. He was a British Army officer and explorer primarily known for his expeditions in Africa and his role in the discovery of the source of the Nile River. Speke joined the British Indian Army in 1844 and served in various capacities, including in the Punjab region during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. His love for adventure and natural history led him to Africa, where he first traveled to Somalia in 1854 with the famous explorer Richard Francis Burton. Speke is most well-known for his expeditions to East Africa with Burton in 1857, and later solo expeditions, where he identified Lake Victoria as the source of the Nile. This discovery was a significant milestone in the field of geography and exploration, although it was initially met with skepticism from the scientific community and Burton himself. Speke’s claims were later vindicated, and he is credited with one of the most important geographical discoveries of the 19th century. He died prematurely under mysterious circumstances on September 15, 1864.
5 Interesting Facts about John Hanning Speke
1. John Hanning Speke was the first European to reach Lake Victoria, which he identified as the source of the Nile River.
2. He served in the British Indian Army and participated in the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
3. Speke’s discovery of the Nile’s source was initially disputed by his former expedition partner, Richard Francis Burton.
4. He wrote several books about his African explorations, including “Journal of the Discovery of the Source of the Nile.”
5. Speke died from a gunshot wound, and it remains unclear whether it was an accident or suicide.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from John Hanning Speke
1. “I believed myself to be the discoverer of the source of the Nile.”
2. “I shall leave the question of the Nile to be settled by those who come after me.”
3. “I had no idea of the hardships that awaited me in Africa.”
4. “Travelers must be prepared to suffer, and to suffer severely.”
5. “The satisfaction of making a great discovery will make amends for all the sufferings which one experiences in the accomplishment of the task.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
John Hanning Speke’s highest net worth is not well-documented, but his contributions to geography and exploration were invaluable.
Children
John Hanning Speke did not have any children.
Relevant Links
1. [John Hanning Speke – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hanning_Speke
2. [Biography of John Hanning Speke](https://www.biography.com/explorer/john-hanning-speke
3. [John Hanning Speke – Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Hanning-Speke
4. [The Discovery of the Source of the Nile](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3282
