Was Henry Hudson inspired by someone?

Yes, Henry Hudson was inspired by John Cabot's voyages to North America. Cabot was an Italian explorer who made two voyages to North America in 1497 and 1498, under the sponsorship of King Henry VII of England. Cabot's voyages were the first European explorations of the North American mainland since the Viking voyages of the 10th and 11th centuries. Hudson was inspired by Cabot's voyages and wanted to find a northwest passage to Asia.