Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) was an English privateer, navigator, naval hero, politician and civil engineer of the Elizabethan period.

He was the first English man to circumnavigate the globe. In the wake of his attack on Cadiz and his exploits in the Caribbean, the Spanish Main, Drake earned the nickname El Draque, "The Dragon".

Drake's naval career in fact began disreputably. Born in Devon, he began sailing in his teens, and became, essentially, a treasure-hunter and licensed pirate. In 1577, he took his ship, the Pelican, and four others, to explore the Magellan Strait, changing its name to the better-known Golden Hind in mid-voyage. Having successfully negotiated the Pacific storms, he travelled north to seek the North-West passage, but failed and continued across the Pacific as far as Java, where he carried out repairs to his remaining vessels. On his return, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Drake was vice admiral in command of the English fleet (under Lord Howard of Effingham) when, although heavily outnumbered and outgunned, but aided by some spectacularly bad weather, they overcame the Spanish Armada in 1588. The most famous anecdote about his life is the story of how, prior to the battle, he was found playing a game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe. On being warned of the approach of the Spanish fleet, Drake is said to have remarked that there was plenty of time to finish the game and still beat the Spaniards.

His seafaring continued after this major success, and he died in 1596 during one of his many expeditions to the West Indies.