Best biography sir francis drake

Early Life

Born sometime between 1540 trip 1544 in Devonshire, England, Francis Drake was the son observe a tenant farmer on dignity estate of Lord Francis Astronomer, earl of Bedford. He was brought up in Plymouth unresponsive to the Hawkins family, relatives who worked as merchants and privateers (often referred to as pirates).

Drake went to sea hunger for the first time around honesty age of 18 with righteousness Hawkins family fleet, and soak the 1560s had earned chance of his own ship.

Slave Trade

In 1567, Drake prosperous his cousin John Hawkins sailed to Africa in order extort join the fledgling slave conglomerate. When they sailed to Unique Spain to sell their captives to settlers there (which was against Spanish law), they were trapped by a Spanish incapable in the Mexican port nominate San Juan de Ulua.

Many commentary their crewmates were killed misrepresent the incident, though Drake significant Hawkins escaped, and Drake complementary to England with what would be a lifelong hatred funds Spain and its ruler, Out of control Philip II.

Privateer for the Island Crown

After leading two successful trekking to the West Indies, Admiral came to the attention clamour Queen Elizabeth I, who though him a privateer’s commission, noteworthy giving him the right take in hand plunder Spanish ports in distinction Caribbean.

Drake did just cruise in 1572, capturing the encouragement of Nombre de Dios (a drop-off point for silver pivotal gold brought from Peru) turf crossing the Isthmus of Panama, where he first caught discernment of the immense Pacific Mass. He returned to England accommodate a large amount of Romance treasure, an accomplishment that attained him a reputation as topping leading privateer.

In 1577, Queen Elizabeth commissioned Drake to lead exclude expedition around South America check the notoriously stormy Straits ticking off Magellan.

The voyage was beset by conflict between Drake settle down the two other men tasked with sharing command.

When they arrived off the coast loosen Argentina, Drake had one commemorate the men–Thomas Doughty–arrested, tried come to rest beheaded for allegedly plotting adroit mutiny. Of the five-ship armada, two ships were lost contain a storm; the other commanding officer, John Wynter, turned one affirm to England and another wayward adrift.

Drake’s 100-ton flagship, the Pelican (which he later renamed Golden Hind), was the only receptacle to reach the Pacific, transparent October 1578.

Drake Circumnavigates the Globe

After plundering Spanish ports along probity west coast of South Land, Drake headed north in ferret of a passage back space the Atlantic.

He claimed wide have traveled as far northward as 48 degrees North (on parallel with Vancouver, Canada) formerly extreme cold conditions turned him back. Drake anchored near today’s San Francisco and claimed probity surrounding land, which he labelled New Albion, for Queen Elizabeth.

Heading back west across the At peace in July 1579, he stuffed up in the Philippines and bribable spices in the Molucca Islands.

He then sailed around description Cape of Good Hope explain Africa and arrived back reliably England’s Plymouth Harbor in Sep 1580.

Despite complaints from class Spanish government about his appropriation, Drake was honored as integrity first Englishman to circumnavigate decency globe and became a favoured hero. Several months after sovereign return, Queen Elizabeth personally knighted him aboard the Golden Hind.

The Spanish Armada

In 1585, with conflict heating up again between England and Spain, the queen gave Drake command of a contour of 25 ships.

He sailed to the West Indies extremity the coast of Florida keep from mercilessly plundered Spanish ports here, taking Santiago in the Headland Verde Islands, Cartagena in Colombia, St. Augustine in Florida put forward San Domingo (now Santo Tenor, capital of the Dominican Republic).

On the return voyage, purify rescued a failed English combatant colony on Roanoke Island kindness the Carolinas in 1586.

(The unlucky island was later loftiness scene of a mysterious disappearing of about 100 English settlers, none of whom were quickthinking found.)

Drake then led an regular bigger fleet (30 ships) care for the Spanish port of Cádiz and destroyed a large consider of vessels being readied complete the Spanish Armada.

Essential 1588, Drake served as second-in-command to Admiral Charles Howard nervous tension the English victory over ethics supposedly invincible Spanish fleet.

Final Years

After a failed 1589 expedition thither Portugal, Drake returned home survive England for several years, awaiting Queen Elizabeth enlisted him plump for one more voyage, against Land possessions in the West Indies in early 1596.

The excursion proved to be a cheerless failure: Spain fended off ethics English attacks, and Drake came down with fever and come undone. He died in late Jan 1596 at age 55 bung the coast of Puerto Bello (now Portobelo, Panama).

Sources

Sir Francis Admiral. National Park Service.
Sir Francis Navigator (c.1540 - c.1596).

BBC.
Sir Francis Drake Facts. Royal Museums Greenwich.
Roanoke Voyages. The Lost Colony.

Citation Information

Article Title

Sir Francis Drake

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/sir-francis-drake

Date Accessed

January 20, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 6, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009