Francis Drake
English sailor and privateer (c. 1540 – 1596)
AI overview
Francis Drake was an English sailor and privateer who lived from around 1540 to 1596, gaining prominence during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He is remembered as a significant figure in English naval history, though historical views of him vary depending on whether one emphasizes his role in English maritime expansion or his involvement in slave trading and raids on Spanish colonies.
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Person · Open Library
- Born
- 1540-00-00
- Died
- 1596-01-27
- Works
- 23
Top works
- Report of a committee of justices relative to the annual expenditure of the county, from Easter 1759, to Easter 1818 ....
- Ecclesiastes. The life of the Reverend & Excellent Jonathan Mitchel
- Famous Voyage of Sir Francis Drake into the South Sea
- World Encompassed and Analogous Contemporary Documents Concerning Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation of the World
- History and Antiquities of the City of York
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Listeners · Last.fm
- Listeners
- 113
- Total plays
Article
Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540 – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer and privateer best known for making the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580 (being the first English expedition to accomplish this). He is also known for participating in the early English slaving voyages of his cousin, John Hawkins, and John Lovell. Having started as a simple seaman, in 1588 he was part of the fight against the Spanish Armada as a vice admiral.
At an early age, Drake was placed into the household of a relative, William Hawkins, a prominent sea captain in Plymouth. In 1572, he set sail on his first independent mission, privateering along the Spanish Main. Drake's circumnavigation began on 13 December 1577. He crossed the Pacific Ocean, until then an area of exclusive Spanish interest, and laid claim to New Albion, plundering coastal towns and ships for treasure and supplies as he went. He arrived back in England on 26 September 1580. Elizabeth I awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581 which he received aboard his galleon the Golden Hind.