Drake, Sir Francis

Drake, Sir Francis (c.1543–96). In legend the greatest of the Elizabethan ‘sea‐dogs’. A skilled seaman and naval tactician, an inspiring leader of men, he was, nevertheless, capable of greed, disloyalty, and poor judgement as a naval strategist. Though of yeoman stock, Drake became closely associated with a predatory aristocracy ready to sanction piracy against the French, Portuguese, and, above all, the Spanish. The contests also had a religious edge as Drake was a determined protestant.

Originally from Devon, Drake learned seamanship on a coastal bark plying from the Thames, but in the 1560s joined a kinsman, Hawkins, on ventures to Spain and the Caribbean. He made at least three more piratical expeditions to the Caribbean, with that in 1572 capturing 30 tons of silver. In 1577 Drake embarked on a circumnavigation of the globe financed by the queen. Drake's expedition was the second to circuit the globe and led to his claiming California for Elizabeth. On the return of the Golden Hind in 1580, Drake, rich and famous, was knighted.

There followed further raids on Spain and, most notably, assaults on key Spanish positions around the Caribbean in 1585–6 and Cadiz in 1587. These actions, combined with the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 with Drake second in command, ended Spain's supremacy at sea. In 1589, Drake led an expedition against Lisbon before settling to involvement in the life of Plymouth, becoming its MP. He was encouraged to resume a privateering career in 1595 but the attacks in the West Indies failed and Drake died at sea.