I guess you don't know who Sir Walter Raleigh is. Don't worry.
It is a pleasure to tell you about him.

Sir Walter Raleigh (be) born in the year 1552 and he (live) at the same time like the great Queen Elizabeth I (Henry VIII’s second daughter) of England (1558-1603).
The story (say) that the Queen and Raleigh first (meet) in a London street. It (rain) very heavily, so there (be) a large puddle of water in the middle of the road, right in the Queen’s way.
Young Raleigh, who (stand) near, (take) off his splendid red cloak (Pelerine) and (throw) it over the puddle for the Queen to walk on.

Elizabeth (be) simply touched by this , and (invite) the young man to come to the palace. Here she knighted him (schlug ihn zum Ritter) , and from now on people (call) him Sir Walter Raleigh.
In the following years, Raleigh (become) a famous sailor. He (make) several expeditions to North America where he (try) to colonize the new Continent.
But every time many people (die) and Raleigh (come) back with the rest.
He (give) the name “Virginia” to part of the new country in honour of Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen.
There are two things he (bring) with him from North America: the potato and tobacco.
So what would a real Swiss Raclette be without potaoes! Thank you, Mister Raleigh!
In Ireland you can still see the place where people (plant) the first potatoes he (bring) to Europe.
And when Walter (see) the Red Indians smoking some strange rolled-up leaves, Raleigh started doing the same and so did many many other people later, too.

When Elizabeth (die) , James I (become) King. He (like, -) Walter and after another expedition to New Guinea he (have to) go to prison. In 1618 he (be) beheaded (geköpft) but he (die) heroically like the great gentleman he (be) all of his life.