Drake Francis. Sir Francis Drake

Francis Drake was born in 1540 in the town of Tavistock, Devonshire, in the family of a poor village priest, Edmund Drake. Some sources claim that in his youth his father was a sailor. Francis's grandfather was a farmer who owned 180 acres of land. Francis's mother was from the Milway family, but I could not find her name. In total, there were twelve children in the Drake family, Francis was the eldest.

Francis left his parents' home early (presumably in 1550), joining a small merchant ship as a cabin boy, where he quickly mastered the art of navigation. Hardworking, persistent and calculating, he attracted the attention of the old captain, who had no family and who loved Francis as his own son and bequeathed his ship to Francis. As a merchant captain, Drake undertook several long voyages to the Bay of Biscay and Guinea, where he profitably engaged in the slave trade, supplying blacks to Haiti.

In 1567, Drake commanded a ship in the squadron of the then-famous John Hawkins, who plundered the coast of Mexico with the blessing of Queen Elizabeth I. The British were out of luck. When, after a terrible storm, they defended themselves in San Juan, they were attacked by a Spanish squadron. Only one ship out of six escaped the trap and, after a difficult voyage, reached its homeland. It was Drake's ship...

In 1569 he married a girl named Mary Newman, about whom I have been unable to find out anything. It is only known that the marriage turned out to be childless. Mary died twelve years later.

"Pelican" - the flagship of Francis Drake

Soon, among the far from good-natured pirates and slave traders, young Drake began to stand out as the most cruel and the luckiest. According to contemporaries, “he was a powerful and irritable man with a furious character,” greedy, vindictive and extremely superstitious. At the same time, many historians claim that he undertook risky voyages not only for the sake of gold and honors, but that he was attracted by the very opportunity to go where no Englishman had ever been. In any case, geographers and sailors of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries owe it to this man for many important clarifications of the world map.

After Drake distinguished himself in suppressing the Irish rebellion, he was presented to Queen Elizabeth and outlined his plan to raid and devastate the western shores of South America. Along with the rank of rear admiral, Drake received five ships with a crew of one hundred and sixty selected sailors. The Queen set one condition: that the names of all those noble gentlemen who, like her, gave money to equip the expedition, remain secret.

Drake managed to hide the expedition's true goals from Spanish spies by spreading the rumor that he was heading to Alexandria. As a result of this misinformation, the Spanish ambassador in London, Don Bernandino Mendoza, did not take measures to block the pirate's path to the Western Hemisphere.

On December 13, 1577, the flotilla - the flagship Pelican (Pelican) with a displacement of 100 tons, Elizabeth (80 tons), Sea Gold (30 tons), Swan (50 tons) and the galley Christopher - left Plymouth .

In the time of Queen Elizabeth I, there were no official rules for measuring ships, and therefore the dimensions of Drake's ship do not match in different sources. By comparing the information, R. Hockel provides the following data: length between stems - 20.2 meters, maximum width - 5.6 meters, hold depth - 3.03 meters, side height: amidships - 4.8 meters, aft - 9.22 meters, in the bow - 6.47 meters; draft - 2.2 meters, mainmast height 19.95 meters. Armament - 18 guns, of which seven guns on each side and two on the forecastle and stern. In terms of the shape of the hull, the Pelican was a transitional type from a carrack to a galleon and was well suited for long sea voyages.

Drake's cabin was decorated and furnished with great luxury. The utensils he used were made of pure silver. While eating, musicians delighted his ears with their playing, and a page stood behind Drake's chair. The Queen sent him gifts of incense, sweets, an embroidered sea cap and a green silk scarf with the words embroidered in gold: “May God always protect and guide you.”

Drake's Assault on Cartagena (vintage engraving)

Reconstruction of the supposed appearance of the "Golden Hind"

As soon as the storm passed, Drake headed north and entered Valparaiso Harbor on December 5th. Having captured a ship in the harbor loaded with wines and gold bars worth 37 thousand ducats, the pirates landed on shore and plundered the city, taking a cargo of gold sand worth 25 thousand pesos.

In addition, they found secret Spanish maps on the ship, and now Drake was not moving forward blindly. It must be said that before Drake’s pirate raid, the Spaniards felt completely safe on the west coast of America - after all, not a single English ship passed through the Strait of Magellan, and therefore the Spanish ships in this area had no guards, and the cities were not prepared to repel the pirates. Walking along the coast of America, Drake captured and plundered many Spanish cities and settlements, including Callao, Santo, Trujillo, and Manta. In Panamanian waters, he overtook the ship "Carafuego", on which a cargo of fabulous value was taken - gold and silver bars and coins worth 363 thousand pesos (about 1600 kg of gold). In the Mexican harbor of Acapulco, Drake captured a galleon loaded with spices and Chinese silk.

Then Drake, having deceived all the hopes of his enemies, did not turn back to the south, but crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached the Mariana Islands. Having repaired the ship in the Celebes area, he set course for the Cape of Good Hope and on September 26, 1580, dropped anchor in Plymouth, completing his second circumnavigation of the world after Magellan.

It was the most profitable voyage ever undertaken, with a return of 4,700%, about £500,000! To imagine the enormity of this sum, it is enough to cite two figures for comparison: the military operations to defeat the Spanish “Invincible Armada” in 1588 cost England “only” 160 thousand pounds, and the annual income of the English treasury at that time was 300 thousand pounds. Queen Elizabeth visited Drake's ship and knighted him right on deck, which was a great reward - there were only 300 people in England who had this title!

Knighting of Francis Drake

In 1585 Drake remarried. This time it was a girl from a rather rich and noble family - Elizabeth Sydenham. The couple moved to the Buckland Abbey estate, which Drake had recently purchased. Today there is a large monument there in honor of Drake. But, as in his first marriage, Drake had no children.

In 1585-1586, Sir Francis Drake again commanded an armed English fleet directed against the Spanish colonies of the West Indies, and, just like the last time, returned with rich booty. For the first time, Drake commanded such a large formation: he had 21 ships with 2,300 soldiers and sailors under his command.

It was thanks to Drake's energetic actions that the Invincible Armada's departure to sea was delayed for a year, which allowed England to better prepare for military action. Not bad for one person! And it happened like this: on April 19, 1587, Drake, commanding a squadron of 13 small ships, entered the harbor of Cadiz, where the Armada ships were preparing to sail. Of the 60 ships in the roadstead, he destroyed 30, and captured some of the remaining ones and took them with him, including a huge galleon with a displacement of 1,200 tons.

In 1588, Sir Francis had a heavy hand in the complete defeat of the Invincible Armada. Unfortunately, this was the zenith of his fame. An expedition to Lisbon in 1589 ended in failure and cost him the favor and favor of the queen. He was unable to take the city, and out of 16 thousand people only 6 thousand remained alive. In addition, the royal treasury suffered losses, and the queen had a very bad attitude towards such issues. It seems that Drake's happiness has left him, and the next expedition to the shores of America for new treasures has already cost him his life.

Sir Francis Drake

Since Sir Francis Drake had no children to inherit his title, it was given to his nephew, also named Francis. At the time it seemed like a curiosity of fate, but later it became the cause of many incidents and misunderstandings.

Sir Francis Drake (circa 1540 - January 28, 1596) - English navigator, corsair, vice admiral (1588). The first Englishman to circumnavigate the world (1577-1580). An active participant in the defeat of the Spanish fleet (Invincible Armada) in the Battle of Gravelines (1588), thanks to Drake's skillful actions, the British managed to gain an advantage over enemy forces with superior firepower.

It would seem that it is a matter of honor and duty for any reigning person to fight pirates and all kinds of other robbers.

It also seems obvious that the fate of a pirate is to be in every possible way afraid of the powers that be, or at least to avoid meeting with them.

But history knows completely different examples.

One of them testifies to an amazing, at first glance even impossible, and yet absolutely natural union of two people from the distant past.

She is none other than Her Majesty the Queen of England. He is, without a doubt, a real pirate, an inveterate sea robber.

But, nevertheless, she favored him and even gave him a silk scarf with the words embroidered in gold: “May God always protect and guide you.” Handing him a sword on the eve of a dangerous voyage, she said: “We believe that whoever strikes a blow to you ... will strike it to us.”

And how could it be otherwise if Her Majesty, in modern language, “entered into a share” with the famous pirate, became his “sponsor”, while demanding that her personal participation in the “commercial” deal be kept strictly secret...

By Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder (1520–1590). Title English: The Wanstead or Welbeck Portrait of Elizabeth I or The Peace Portrait of Elizabeth I. Date between 1580 and 1585. Technique oil on wood. Dimensions 45.7 × 38.1 cm

It was the 16th century. Several centuries remained before the development of international law to combat piracy, and the hijacking of ships for the purpose of profit flourished on the seas. That's how it is; but to persuade the monarch of one of the largest European states to encourage and finance robbery was far from easy even then...

But Sir Francis Drake managed to do it. For about twenty years, the “iron pirate,” as he was later called, robbed with the assistance of his powerful patroness. He was knighted and became a national hero...

But Drake is interesting to us not only and not so much for this. During the next predatory voyage, trying to avoid a meeting with an angry enemy, the pirate was forced to look for a new route to his homeland. This journey, almost three years long, turned out to be... the second circumnavigation in history!..

Drake was born in 1545 in the south of England, in an island country where the profession of a sailor has long been held in high esteem, where, according to legend, ships began to be built almost from the moment the British Isles were settled.

Little Francis often visited the ship where his father served as the ship's chaplain in the first years of his life. When he was no more than ten years old, his father appointed his son as a cabin boy on a merchant ship.

Obviously, the boy was hardworking and persistent in mastering the art of navigation. In any case, he clearly liked the old captain, who had no family and bequeathed his ship to Francis after his death. This happened in 1561, as a result of which Drake became the captain and owner of a small ship at the age of sixteen.

What did the future privateer (as pirates supported by the governments of their countries are called) do at such a young age, possessing a ship and the skills to drive it? In answering this question, it should be noted that Drake lived at a time when Spain, owning large and rich territories in the New World, became the most powerful of the world's empires.

Every year, countless jewels literally and figuratively sailed from America, enriching the Spanish treasury. This, of course, could not but cause irritation and envy among other European monarchs. The laurels of Spain especially haunted England, the land of sailors...

The Spaniards brutally dealt with any Europeans who tried to land on the shores of their American possessions. And yet, some prudent English businessmen managed to find a loophole...
One of them, a certain John Hawkins, with the blessing of the same queen, Elizabeth I, offered the services of an intermediary in the semi-official trade in slaves from Africa between Portugal and Spain. With this mission in 1566, another English expedition visited the shores of the West Indies. And we remember this because one of its participants was young Francis Drake.

Apparently, Drake's first transatlantic voyage, despite his ordinary role in the expedition, clearly benefited him. After all, here he received his first baptism of fire. The capture of several Portuguese ships with slaves off the coast of Guinea, passage across the ocean to the shores of Colombia, veiled slave trade deals with local Spanish authorities...

The skills of such “work” came in handy for Drake very soon. Returning home in 1567, he stayed in his homeland for only six weeks - and got ready for a new voyage. It’s not difficult to guess that we are back on the shores of America.

On October 2, 1567, a flotilla of six ships, led by Hawkins, left England. This time one of the small sailing ships was commanded by Francis Drake. The 22-year-old captain takes an active part in battles at sea and on land in order to obtain slaves. After some setbacks, in the end, the British manage to capture about half a thousand people.

Ships arrive in the Caribbean with a cargo of “black goods”. Here, on numerous islands, combining the skills of diplomat and warrior, Hawkins conducts several profitable trade deals.

Having almost completed his plan, he was about to return home, but then a terrible storm broke out, which lasted for several days. Before they have time to recover from it, the English ships are hit by new hurricane blows of wind and waves. As a result, Hawkins is forced to stay in one of the ports for repairs and recuperation.

And this must happen - it was at this time that a Spanish squadron consisting of 13 ships arrived here. Outwardly maintaining decency, the Spaniards and the British held diplomatic negotiations for several days and exchanged friendly letters. Carefully hiding their true intentions, they try to outsmart each other...

This time the Spaniards have the upper hand. Having pulled troops to the shore, contrary to all the assurances of their officials, they attack English ships...

A fierce battle took place, as a result of which only one ship, the Drake, returned relatively intact to England.

There were 65 people on it. A few days later, however, another ship appeared - Hawkins. But only 15 sailors remained alive on it. These were all those who survived from the 500 expedition people...

Drake's biographers claim that throughout his entire life he was never able to forgive the Spaniards for the treachery they showed then.

But were the British really so innocent? Most likely, there was a situation in which one thief deceived another thief.

And yet, if only the Spaniards knew what the devil they had awakened!

Powerful and irritable, with a furious temper, greedy, vindictive Drake really remembered what happened to him and began to carefully prepare for retribution...

This was not the petty revenge of an offended youth. It was a question of a well-thought-out strategy of maritime terror in relation to all Spanish ships - with the possible transfer of hostilities to the territory of Spanish possessions in the New World. In essence, the young captain sent a challenge to the most powerful monarch in the world at that time.

Preparing to carry out his plans, Drake, without advertising, commits in 1569-1571. two more voyages to America. These were peculiar reconnaissance trips with the creation of secret food warehouses on the shores of Panama. Having thus carried out reconnaissance, in May 1572 Drake, on two ships, again set off across the Atlantic to the long-planned point.

He sails to Nombre de Dios, one of the ports on the Atlantic coast, called by the pirates “the treasury of the world.” Every year all the jewelry mined in Peruvian mines was delivered here for further shipment to Spain.

Having landed on shore, Drake launched an assault on the city, during which he was wounded. The captain, who had lost a lot of blood, was carried to the ship by the sailors, forgetting for a while about their main goal - the plunder of the city's wealth. It is obvious that even then Drake was popular among them, and they were ready to follow their 27-year-old leader to the ends of the earth.

After leaving the city and stopping on one of the islands, the British rested and healed their wounds. Having met runaway slaves there, Drake managed to attract them to his side. The slaves informed him that in a few months a caravan with gold was expected in Nombre de Dios.

In anticipation of this event, the captain undertakes voyages along the coast of America, capturing Spanish ships along the way. In one of the skirmishes, one of his eleven brothers dies, then another dies of illness. But neither his own injuries nor the death of loved ones can stop Drake.

Together with a group of sailors and runaway slaves, he makes a multi-day trek across the Isthmus of Panama, preparing an ambush for a caravan with gold. During this campaign, he and his companions were the first among the British to see the “Spanish Lake” - the Pacific Ocean.

After traveling for many days in the twilight of the tropical forest, excited by the wonderful sight, Drake vowed that he would “pass on this sea in a British ship.” He had no idea that a few years later he would actually do this...

But so far the captain is successfully carrying out a long-planned operation to capture a Spanish caravan and for the first time personally conquers rich booty. At the same time, he does not get lost in the most seemingly hopeless situations.

When, for example, the Spanish colonial authorities began to patrol the coast to prevent Drake from leaving with the loot, he ordered the construction of a wooden raft.

On it, he, along with several people, went to sea and, having managed to slip through the Spanish cordon, found his ships after six hours of sailing. At night they quietly approached the shore and took away the precious cargo.

The treasures Drake brought home in 1573 made him a wealthy man. Now he has ceased to depend on rich shipowners, and his confidence has increased.

Perhaps this was facilitated by his successes in public service - Drake distinguished himself in suppressing the Irish uprising.

He attracted attention in high circles. And when, in preparation for the war with Spain, England began to develop a plan for naval expeditions, Francis Drake was called for consultations.

Having expressed his opinion that a blow should be struck against the Spanish possessions in America, he soon received a secret audience with the queen.

Elizabeth fully supported Drake's plans. Moreover, it was then that Drake's first deal at the state level apparently took place.

The Queen, expressing a desire to take personal part in the planned event, secretly contributed a significant amount of money. It is clear that this was done not only for patriotic reasons. Her Majesty was counting on a considerable personal share of the future booty captured from the Spaniards by the pirate she blessed.

In mid-1577, having received the rank of rear admiral, 32-year-old Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth with a flotilla of five ships and more than 160 crew. Knowing the tasks assigned to Drake, our imagination today cannot help but draw images of majestic huge sailing ships.
"Golden Hind" - Drake's permanent flagship
Galleon (Spanish galeón, also galion, from French galion) is a large multi-deck sailing ship of the 16th-18th centuries with fairly strong artillery weapons, used as a military and commercial vessel.

But in fact, the length of the largest of the five ships, the flagship, which later received the name “Golden Hind,” was only 23 m with a width of less than 6 m! And on such and such a ship Drake was to spend, as it turned out, many months over the next three years.
Modern model of the galleon "Golden Hind" at Brixham

However, the admiral did not adhere to asceticism - even at sea. His cabin was decorated and furnished with great luxury. The privateer used dishes made of pure silver; While eating, musicians delighted his ears with their playing; a page stood behind Drake’s chair...

We know how the famous voyage took place thanks to the ship’s priest, who compiled a detailed description of it.

Having robbed several Spanish ships along the way, having traveled a long way from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere, in April 1578 the flotilla safely arrived on the shores of South America. Moving south along the eastern coast of Argentina, the British repeatedly met with the local indigenous people, the Patagonians.

They, as a witness to the events notes, “turned out to be good-natured people and showed as much compassionate sympathy for us as we had never encountered among Christians.”

This comparison is also interesting because soon an incident arose between Christians, that is, between members of the expedition, which ended with the execution of a noble and rich man, Thomas Doty. This was the decision of Admiral Drake, who, not without reason, suspected Doty of trying to disrupt the voyage.
In August, the flotilla entered the winding and difficult to navigate Strait of Magellan, the journey through which lasted two and a half weeks.

Finally, the vast expanses of water appeared, along which Drake had once dreamed of sailing on an English ship.

Note that one of the hypotheses about the origin of the name of the largest ocean on Earth is associated with the name of Magellan. Allegedly, it was precisely due to the fact that good weather favored the sailing of this Portuguese that the ocean was named accordingly - the Pacific. If this is true, then, it seems, if Drake had been here before Magellan, the ocean would have had a completely different name.

This is quite eloquently evidenced by the preserved memories of an eyewitness: “We had not even managed to go out into this sea... which turned out to be Mad for us, when such a frantic storm began that we had never experienced... The wind was so strong that it seemed that everything was blowing winds of the earth at the same time.

It also seemed as if all the clouds in the sky had gathered in one place to rain down on us. Our ship was either tossed like a toy on the crests of giant waves, or thrown with the same swiftness into the abyss of the sea.” The severe storm lasted 52 days with almost no respite and ended only at the end of October.

As a result, of the three ships that Drake had at his disposal at that time, one with its entire crew died, the other, thrown back into the Strait of Magellan by a storm, decided not to tempt fate any longer and, having got out into the Atlantic Ocean, returned to England. And what about the admiral himself?

It was Drake's ship that survived. Fate? It may very well be. But let's not forget that Drake was undoubtedly a sailor by vocation. He was very interested in books on shipping, with a particular passion for geographical maps. On each captured ship, the pirate's first prize was, first of all, maps and navigational instruments.

It is also interesting that he carefully studied Magellan’s book without parting with it. Perhaps all this played a role in the fact that the admiral’s ship did not suffer a tragic fate.

True, the ship was carried far south by the storm. But if this had not happened, Drake would not have made an important discovery. Realizing that people are exhausted and need rest, he stops for several days on one of the islands of Tierra del Fuego.
Tierra del Fuego (Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Spanish: Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego; literally “Great Island of Tierra del Fuego”) is an island off the southern tip of South America, from which it is separated by the Strait of Magellan, as part of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago.

This archipelago was discovered by Magellan. But it was the sailors of the English privateer who first noticed that “neither the mainland nor the island was visible in the southern direction, only the Atlantic Ocean and the South Sea met in... free space.”

So Drake unwittingly discovered that Tierra del Fuego is the last land at the southern tip of South America and that beyond it lies the open sea.

Already in the 19th century, after the discovery of Antarctica, the passage between it and Tierra del Fuego, connecting the two largest oceans on the planet - the Atlantic and the Pacific, was called the Drake Passage. Note that this is the widest (up to 1120 km) strait on Earth.

Unable to overcome the westerly winds prevailing in these latitudes, the admiral headed north. He hoped to connect with the missing ships of his squadron at a designated place on the western coast of Chile (in Valparaiso).

It was summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the ocean was calm, the sky was cloudless. But, as if in contrast to the tranquil nature, during one of the landings on the shore to replenish supplies of fresh water and food, a group of sailors led by the admiral was suddenly attacked by Indians.

Two Englishmen were killed and the rest were wounded. Drake also suffered, receiving an arrow in the face. The admiral explained this unprovoked hostility by saying that the Indians mistook them for Spaniards. It is interesting that in the absence of a doctor on the expedition (he died), Drake himself began treating numerous wounded. Obviously, he was to some extent knowledgeable in the art of medicine...

The navigator continued his journey north, trying not to come into conflict with the local tribes, since he prudently hoped to attract them to his side in the fight against the Spaniards.

His hopes came true. Soon it was the Indians who showed the British the way to the harbor of Valparaiso, where peace, tranquility reigned... and a complete lack of vigilance. After all, ships other than Spanish have never been seen here before.

Therefore, at first they took the pirate ship as their own and even saluted it with flags and drumbeats. One can imagine the shock of the Spaniards when they were subjected to a daring and daring raid in their own “home”! The British quickly took possession of a Spanish ship stationed in the harbor and then plundered the city.

Having finished with the usual business, Drake ordered the release of all captured Spanish sailors. Judging by the descriptions of his adventures, he made such broad gestures many times. Sometimes he even gave gifts from the loot to opponents he had pardoned.

Obviously, this man with a tough, furious character, as his contemporaries described him, still had his own code of honor.

Maybe because of people like Drake, the expression “gentlemen of fortune” appeared. For, undoubtedly, far from being an angel, he did not correspond to the image of a bloodthirsty murderer...

The first attack on the Spaniards in the Pacific Ocean brought considerable profits to Drake, and he continued with inspiration the mission destined for him. The English descriptions of how the “expropriation of the expropriators” took place are extremely interesting. One day, the British found a sleeping Spaniard on the shore, next to whom lay ingots of silver.

The witness writes: “We didn’t want to wake him up, but, against our will, we caused him this trouble, since we decided to free him from care, which, for goodness sake, would not have allowed him to fall asleep another time, and left him, taking his burden so that it does not bother him any more and he can continue his sleep peacefully.”

In another case, regarding a meeting with a Spaniard driving a small caravan of animals loaded with silver, the Englishman remarks: “We could not allow the Spanish gentleman to turn into a driver, and therefore, without a request from him, we ourselves offered our services ... but since he couldn’t show the way well... we parted with him...” What an exquisite style! How, it turns out, you can describe the most ordinary robbery in a florid way!..

Yes, Drake cannot be denied courage, which often turned into insolence... Having once visited one of the Spanish ports on the western coast of South America, the pirate managed, under the cover of darkness, to penetrate into the harbor where 30 enemy ships were moored.

Taking advantage of the fact that the teams were on the shore, Drake and his men “inspected” the ships.

At the same time, moving from ship to ship, he cut the anchor ropes, hoping that the ships shifted by the tide would cause confusion in the enemy camp and enable the “Golden Hind” to escape to a safe distance. This is what happened later...

Continuing his successful advance north, the English pirate admiral could not help but pay attention to the inaccuracy of the Spanish maps he had captured. Whenever Drake, guided by them, turned to the northwest, he lost sight of the coast. By making corrections to the maps, Drake “cut off” hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of non-existent territory.

His cousin John, on behalf of his boss, constantly made sketches of the shores of those harbors where the ship entered. As a result, it was after Drake’s voyage that South America took on more correct outlines on the maps, familiar to us today.

Meanwhile, rumors of "Devil Drake" spread throughout the coast. The Spaniards even tried to pursue the Doe, but it was elusive.

Continuing to search for his missing ships, the admiral visited all river mouths and bays. Finally coming to terms with his loss, he began to think about returning home. But there weren't many ways. Drake believed that the Spaniards would lie in wait for him at the Strait of Magellan (and so it was).

Most likely, the pirate thought, not without reason, and a meeting was prepared for him near the Moluccas Islands. We add that the Spanish authorities also sent warships to the Caribbean Sea.

This was done in case Drake, having abandoned his ship in the Pacific Ocean, decided to cross the Isthmus of Panama and tried to leave for England on any ship he had captured across the Atlantic.

So, since the roads to the south and west were, in all likelihood, closed, Drake chose the third, northern route, deciding to go around America where no one had ever gone by sea. The admiral informed the team about this.

At the same time, he made a completely patriotic speech, noting that such a decision was due not only to the desire to shorten the period of returning home, but also to the opportunity to bring glory to his country with new discoveries.

The further route of the “Golden Hind” ran along the coast of Central and then North America. At the same time, Drake acted according to his usual pattern, capturing and robbing ships he came across along the way.

The gloomy mood of the sailors was aggravated by the disgusting weather. Gradually it became very cold, it often rained and snowed. The gear was covered with a layer of ice, which made it extremely difficult to control the ship. Heavy winds blew in, and in calm weather thick fogs engulfed the ship; I had to stand in one place for a long time.

Let us add here the frequent inability to determine the location of the ship in bad weather. All this, of course, could not but give rise to doubts among the sailors about the chosen path. Only their leader, as always, remained calm and cheerful, encouraging the people.

But when it was reached, at latitude 48°, a place on the Pacific coast of North America where no European ship had been before, the fearless captain decided to stop moving north.

The idea of ​​circumnavigating North America from the north was abandoned, and the British prepared to sail west. But first, having descended to more southern latitudes, in June 1579 at 38° N. latitude. they went ashore to repair the ship and rest the crew.

Here another meeting with local Indians took place. They did not show hostile intentions; moreover, they looked at the newcomers with amazement, clearly mistaking them for gods. The “gods,” while distributing gifts, tried to show with gestures that they needed food and water.

The next few weeks spent here by the British not only did not dissuade the Indians, but, on the contrary, further strengthened their conviction in the divine origin of the guests. In the end, it all ended with a very solemn ceremony of the voluntary transfer of power of the Indian chief to the “chief god” named Francis Drake.

Taking advantage of the current situation, the admiral decided to annex the country he had discovered to the English possessions, calling it “New Albion.” This was attested to in the text carved on a copper plate. The plate was fixed on a high pole. Instead of a seal, Drake inserted a silver coin into the pillar with the image of the queen and her coat of arms.

At the end of July, having said goodbye to America, Drake set course for the Moluccas. But he arrived there more than three months later. Along the way, the British had minor skirmishes with the islanders. However, unlike Magellan, who intervened in an internecine tribal war and died in the Philippine Islands, Drake was undoubtedly much luckier.

When entering the Indian Ocean, the English travelers faced another serious test. First, south of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Drake wandered for a month in a labyrinth of small islands, reefs and shoals in search of a way out.

And when it seemed that the path had already been found, a terrible blow shook the Doe, which flew into an underwater rock. The situation was so serious that the entire team fell on their faces and a general prayer began.

What was Drake doing at this time? Did he, like his compatriots, decide to rely on the Lord? Nothing like this. The unperturbed admiral announced to the team that prayers would not help the matter, forced everyone to work - and finally managed to save the Golden Hind...

As if as a reward for courage, the entire journey of the British across the Indian Ocean took place with a fair wind and good weather. Having rounded the African Cape of Good Hope in mid-June, on September 26, 1580, Drake's ship approached his native shores.

Thus, two years and 10 months after sailing, the first English circumnavigation of the world ended. In addition, this was the first time in history that a captain who began a circumnavigation of the world was able to successfully complete it.

But the main success, from Drake’s point of view, was that, having caused significant damage to the Spanish crown, the owner of the English crown received enormous values. And he was not mistaken. Elizabeth could not help but be satisfied with the results of the “royal pirate’s” campaign, which turned out to be the most profitable of all the trips ever made. Of course, - 4700% profit!

This was a more than powerful argument for not giving Drake’s head to the Spanish king, as he furiously demanded. Moreover, the admiral became a national hero, applauded by all of England. People gathered in the streets every day to see him.

In his honor, poets composed poems... The pinnacle of honors was the solemn ceremony that took place on board the Golden Hind, when, to the sounds of trumpets and the beating of drums, Elizabeth, lowering her sword on the shoulder of the kneeling Francis Drake, elevated the privateer to knighthood.

This was a very large award, which only 300 people had in England and which many powerful people in the country did not receive...

Naturally, in addition to fame and titles, Drake became the owner of a huge fortune. Soon his life, at least outwardly, began to be strikingly different from before. He took care of his estates, acted as mayor of the city of Plymouth, from time to time made trips to London to the Queen’s court, and visited the English Parliament as a member of the House of Commons...

But such a pastime was obviously not entirely in the spirit of a sea wolf who was in his prime. Therefore, in Drake’s subsequent biography one can find another outstanding event - his active participation in the famous defeat of the Spanish fleet during the hostilities of 1588, or, as it was called, the “Invincible Armada.” This victory became the crown of his glory.
Author Philip Jacob Lutherburg (1740–1812). Title English: Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 8 August 1588 Date 1796. Technique oil, canvas. Dimensions 214.63 × 278.13 cm

Sir Francis' subsequent military expedition to Lisbon in 1589 ended in failure. And immediately he felt how fragile the queen's favor was.

Elizabeth, accustomed to rich booty by Drake, did not want to forgive the pirate even a single failure. The recent military achievements of Drake, who actually commanded the English fleet during the defeat of the Spanish Armada, were not counted.

And, even more so, the treasures brought several years ago by Drake worth no less than 600 thousand pounds sterling were forgotten (while the annual income of the English treasury was 300 thousand pounds). The stingy Elizabeth was clearly angry that she not only did not receive a profit once again, but was also forced to incur some of her own expenses...

It seems that happiness really left Drake then, because a few years later the next expedition to the shores of America for new treasures became his last. From the very beginning, everything in this voyage was unsuccessful.

Warned and ready to fight back, the Spaniards were constantly ahead of the British, and they continually suffered losses in people. In addition, tropical fever and other diseases literally wiped out the crews of the ships. The admiral also became seriously ill with dysentery. Every day he grew weaker, but his iron will was not broken.

On the night of January 28, 1596, sensing the end was approaching, Sir Francis rose from his bed and asked his servant to help him put on his armor so that he could die like a warrior. At dawn he was gone. Surprisingly, this happened near Nombre de Dios, the same port on the Atlantic coast where Drake once began his path to world fame.

The military honors given to the knight after death are noteworthy. He, like everyone who died at sea, was buried at sea according to a long-standing tradition.

Usually a wreath and flowers are thrown onto the water; at Drake’s burial site, as a tribute to his memory, several captured Spanish ships were sunk. Truly, it is difficult to measure this man by the moral standards of our time...
Monument to Sir Francis Drake in Plymouth, England - the city where he first set foot on his native soil in September 1580 after traveling around the world.

The most successful corsair in history often took desperate risks. And he almost always won. What was it? Sober calculation or miracles of exceptional luck?

By the middle of the 16th century, an unusual situation had developed in the Atlantic - in the Caribbean and off the coast of Europe. In just a few years, in these waters, which were previously dangerous only due to their storms, a new terrible danger appeared - pirates! And the English immediately began to play the first violin in this concert. Why them? England was late to the division of the American and Asian colonies. IN XVI century, the Spaniards and the Portuguese confidently settled there. This means that it was difficult for English men to become new conquistadors. Where should a young, brave, strong guy who wants to get rich quickly go? Well, of course, into pirates! And given the fact that piracy was almost officially encouraged by the British government, maritime robbery literally became the national idea of ​​Britain.

And the most outstanding pirates became national heroes. Sir became such a specific hero Francis Drake – one of the greatest pirates that English soil has ever produced.

The most in-demand profession in England

Of course, at birth Drake was not any sir at all. This is then the queen , satisfied with the very profitable (for the treasury) activities of the pirate, will grant him a knighthood. And about 1540 when in the family of a Devonshire farmer Edmund Drake A boy was born, who was named Francis; no one could have imagined that he would become a sir, a vice admiral and a threat to the Spanish crown.

However, one should not consider small English landowners (yeomen), from among whom the parents of the future pirate came, as representatives of the lowest classes. So, young Francis received a very good (for those times) education.

He could both read and write. And not only in English, but also in French. From his father, who in his declining years moved from “agricultural workers” to preachers, Drake inherited the art of persuasion - an indispensable quality for any leader (including the leader of sea robbers).

When Francis was still a teenager, his father apprenticed him to the skipper of a trading barge. It is unlikely that Drake Sr. dreamed of seeing his son as a robber. Rather, he wanted to provide the boy with guaranteed employment in adulthood. And in England the second half XVI centuries, the most popular professions turned out to be those that were somehow connected with the sea.

So Francis becomes a cabin boy on the ship. The ship is a merchant ship and sails only in coastal waters. This is not even a school, but a kindergarten for every English sailor. But you must definitely go through it in order to step higher. And the school specifically for Francis was already serving John Hawkins - famous sailor of the Elizabethan era. Hawkins was eight years older than Drake. And most importantly, he was a nobleman with connections. Therefore, Hawkins quickly became an influential leader, and the son of commoners, Drake, at first only worked for him.

What was Drake doing at Hawkins' place? Oh, then it was the most popular (just emerging, but promising great prospects) business - slave trade!

The Slave Trade: The Young Sailor's School

So, if coastal (coastal) navigation was Drake's kindergarten, then the slave trading expeditions of John Hawkins became his school.

A quick-witted sailor with a well-spoken tongue, Drake quickly attracted the attention of his owner. A promising young man receives a bark under his command "Judith". Very quickly, Drake becomes John Hawkins' right-hand man.

However, in 1568 The growing Hawkins-Drake business suffered an unexpected fiasco. During another visit to the New World with a party of slaves, at the Mexican fortress of San Juan de Ulua, Hawkins' squadron was attacked by the Spaniards, who had long been suspicious of the visits of English ships to their colonies. Madrid believed that trade with the Spanish colonies, including slaves, should be carried out by Spanish merchants, and not by foreigners.

Abandoning the flagship with all its valuables, Hawkins managed to escape from the Spaniards on the light ship Mignon. Drake also escaped from the ring of Spanish ships on his Judith. The remaining English ships sank or were captured.

Outraged slave traders Drake and Hawkins arrived in England, where, through official channels, they demanded compensation from the Spanish king for the losses incurred as a result of such a blatant “violation of international law.” The fact that before its defeat, Hawkins’s squadron, in addition to the slave trade, also managed to plunder some coastal Mexican settlements, the plaintiffs modestly passed over in silence.

King of Spain Philip II , of course, ignored this complaint. Then Drake decided that " You shouldn’t expect favors from Spain, taking them from her is our task" Thus, it was no longer a slave trader who was born, but the pirate Drake...

Drake's first pirate raid

Drake's first pirate raid in 1572 glorified his name throughout England. Having equipped several ships partly with his own and partly with government funds, he set off for the Caribbean Sea. There, after a series of mediocre successes, a major success awaited Francis: the “Silver Fleet” of the Spanish crown...

Every year in the spring, a flotilla of dozens of ships sailed from the coast of America to Spain. She was carrying whole mountains of silver, mined at the famous Bolivian silver mines in Potosi. Therefore, this flotilla was nicknamed the “Silver Fleet”.
Of course, for Drake and his small squadron there was no question of capturing the entire “Silver Fleet”, which consisted of several dozen cargo and military (security) ships with a large and trained crew. But the fact is that the “Silver Fleet” was formed in Havana (the starting point of the trip to Spain).
Spanish ships arrived at the main port of Cuba from all over South and Central America, carrying silver and other valuables mined or plundered in the controlled territories. From these mini-squadrons the mighty “Silver Fleet” was then formed, and there was no point in even thinking about attacking it in full force.

But Drake was just lucky to intercept such a Spanish mini-squadron transporting valuable cargo to Havana. The British production was colossal - 30 tons of silver. Drake returned to England as a rich man and a pirate famous throughout the country.

Pirate and Queen: Secret Additional Agreement

Drake's second foray was even more successful than the first. In November 1577 Drake went on an expedition to the Pacific coast of America. The squadron sailed with the full official support of the queen Elizabeth , which became convinced of the talents of the ambitious captain and the incredible profitability of such events for the treasury. However, formally the purpose of the trip was the discovery of new lands.

However, everyone understood that Drake was not going on a hike for educational purposes. A secret contract was attached to the official instructions, according to which the queen, at her own expense, equips Drake with a squadron of six ships, and in return he undertakes to hand over 50% of the valuables captured during the “voyage” to the royal treasury.

The results of the campaign exceeded all our wildest expectations. Drake walked along the Pacific coast with fire and sword, attacking Spanish cities and towns. But these were all trifles compared to the main prize - manila galleon. Every year, on the other side of the planet, a galleon set out from Manila (in the Spanish Philippines), which carried to the metropolis all the loot from these Asian islands for the whole year.

But the Spaniards were afraid to swim west across the Indian Ocean, rounding the Cape of Good Hope. They feared (and quite rightly) Asian, Arab, African and, of course, European sea robbers, who were found in abundance in the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Therefore, the Spaniards chose a different path. Head east, straight across the Pacific Ocean to the port of Acapulco in Spanish Mexico. There, the valuables of the Manila galleon were unloaded and transported overland to the opposite (Atlantic) coast, where they were again loaded onto ships and sent to Spain itself. This path was quite labor-intensive, but shorter and, most importantly, safer...

Yes, it was safer that way. They had already become accustomed to English pirates in the Caribbean and had military squadrons against them. But they have not yet been seen in the Pacific Ocean. And no serious protection was provided.

And so, having rounded South America through the Strait of Magellan, the Drake pirates broke into the operational (Pacific) space...

Defeated Leviathan

in spring 1579, approaching the harbor of the Mexican port of Acapulco (on the Pacific coast of Mexico), Drake saw the silhouette of a huge ship in the roadstead. It was the same Manila galleon!

This ship could not be confused with any other. The fact is that Spanish entrepreneurs, dissatisfied with competition with suppliers of inexpensive Asian products (primarily textiles), convinced the king to issue a special decree. It was decided that only one cargo ship per year could be sent from the Philippines to Spain. So Castilian weavers wanted to limit the influx of cheap Asian fabrics.

But Spanish traders and merchants in the Philippines found a way out. They began to build this one and only legally permitted vessel of such a size that it could accommodate all the necessary goods at once. For its era it was truly a giant ship.

The sailing fleet had never seen such a hulk before. Some of the Manila monsters had a displacement of 2000 tons (for comparison: the largest ship in Drake's squadron did not even reach 300 tons). And Drake saw this leviathan in the harbor of Acapulco, where the galleon, apparently, had just arrived with its cargo.

Drake didn't hesitate. He had the element of surprise and a desperate team of thugs on his side. The Spaniards were taken by surprise; most of the team was on the shore. The resistance of the small guard was quickly broken. Countless treasures (and not only Chinese silk, but also spices, porcelain, and precious stones were brought from the Philippines) fell into the hands of pirates.

It should be noted that the Manila galleons at the time of Drake did not yet have cannons, so they could not give artillery repulse to the daring invaders. The Spaniards were used to calmly sailing across the Pacific Ocean, where there were no serious pirates. Why then guns?

However, after Drake's raid, and also after 1587 another British gentleman of luck, Thomas Cavendish , captured the Manila galleon "Saint Anne", the Spaniards have revised their maritime safety regulations. The Manila galleons were now equipped with cannons, and the military crew on the galleons was significantly increased. After these innovations, attack became a very problematic task.

But Drake was lucky. He was the first, which is why he hit such a fat jackpot.

"Golden Hind" brings two state budgets

When in September 1580, after a three-year absence, Drake's only surviving ship is his famous flagship "Golden Doe"- entered Plymouth Harbor, treasures worth £600,000 rested in the holds of the ship. This was twice the annual budget of the entire English kingdom!

Drake was greeted as a national hero. The Queen was delighted. In one fell swoop, dear Sir Francis (he became a sir because he was knighted immediately upon his return) brought her a fantastic gift. According to a secret additional agreement, the queen had the right to half of all the spoils, that is, in this case, 300,000 pounds sterling.

Drake's next, third, raid on the Spanish colonies was also effective. IN 1586 the pirate managed to obtain from Cartagena, one of the largest cities in Spanish America, an unheard-of ransom of 107,000 gold pesos at that time. True, in order to achieve this impressive result, Drake first had to burn about a quarter of the city as a warning (which, by the way, pleased Queen Elizabeth, who was then thirsty for “Spanish blood”).

Then there was a daring raid on the Spanish coast itself (on Cadiz in 1587) in order, as the pirate captain himself jokingly put it, “to set the beard of the King of Spain on fire.”

Along the way, near the Azores, Drake captured the carrack "San Filipe", coming from India with a large cargo of gold, spices and silk (the booty was 114,000 pounds; the queen, as before, received her share).

And in 1588 Sir Francis Drake took an active part in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. In England he turned into a national hero, and for the Spanish king he became the embodiment of universal evil.

Drake's Last Case

Drake made his last pirate expedition to the West Indies (America) in 1595-1596 in company with John Hawkins, a man to whom he owed much of his enchanting career.

Having gotten involved in the slave trade, John Hawkins also became a pirate. Although here he had to give up the palm to his former protégé (Drake), nevertheless, the Spaniards were in awe of his name. When starting yet another military action against hated England, the Spanish king was interested in the first thing: Where are Drake and Hawkins now, what are they doing, what are they doing? That is, the long absence of these gentlemen gives at least some hope for success.

But by the middle 1590s Hawkins felt guilty before the queen. On his previous expedition, he brought significantly less gold than he himself expected, and much less than the queen expected. For this, the 60-year-old sea wolf was given a real beating in the palace.

Wanting to justify himself, Hawkins wrote a letter of repentance to the queen, in the biblical spirit: they say, man proposes, but God disposes.

The pious queen this time (as every other time when it came to pounds sterling) did not heed the religious arguments of her ward. In her hearts, she said to those close to her:

“This fool went to sea as a warrior and returned as a priest!”

Hawkins realized that the Queen could not be won over by God-fearing rhetoric. Red Bess (Red Beth - Elizabeth's nickname) you need to give what she wants most, namely gold. For help, he turned to his old companion, Drake. By the way, the queen also cooled somewhat towards Francis. And all for the same reason: no new chests of gold have been received from him for a long time.

Two old friends decided to improve their reputation in the eyes of the royal court and set off on another expedition to the shores of Spanish America. Alas, this voyage was the last for both of them.

Hawkins died in November 1595 off the coast of Puerto Rico. And two months later, 28 January 1596, near Puer to Bello(now Portobelo in Panama) Francis Drake also died of dysentery. The famous pirate was buried in the ocean in a lead coffin.

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In 1540, a son, Francis, was born to the zealous Protestant Edmund Drake. After 9 years, a peasant uprising began; Edmund and his family, because of his public position, had to immediately flee Plymouth, and Francis Drake acquired a new home - a ship on which his father became a priest. During his stay on the ship, he learned to write and read, but did not master this craft perfectly.

At the age of 10, Francis got a job as a cabin boy on a merchant ship. The captain really liked the boy and after his death bequeathed his ship to him. And at the age of 17, young Drake received his first real ship.

In mid-1567, he proposed to the queen to begin an action to colonize the empire, the first step of which was to take Mexico from the Spaniards. Elizabeth gave the go-ahead and six ships under command Iron Pirate(Drake received this nickname) headed to America. But near the Mexican coast the squadron was attacked by the prevailing forces of Spain, and the first attempt at colonization ended in failure.

After 3 years, restless and purposeful Elizabethan pirate Sir Francis Drake decides to lead another attack on Spanish possessions in America. As part of the campaign, he attacks any Spanish ships, robs and burns settlements, and by 1573 returns back to England. Using the loot, he improves several of his ships and prepares for the next campaigns.

In mid-December 1577, a new voyage took place, as a result of which Drake became the second man, after Magellan, to circumnavigate the entire globe on his ship, the Golden Hind. On September 26, 1580, the ship returned to Plymouth with a heap of looted treasure. For this he was awarded a knighthood by the Queen herself.

In 1588, under the command of Howard and Francis Drake, an English squadron destroyed the so-called Invincible Armada, which the Spanish king sent to teach the British a lesson. The won battle allowed England to quickly take a leading position in the world, which cannot be said about Spain - its position became more complicated every year.

The Iron Pirate died at the age of 56 on January 28, 1596 from dysentery. The strait south of Tierra del Fuego, which he discovered during his circumnavigation of the world, is named in his honor.

Francis Drake - navigator, discoverer and favorite corsair of the English Queen. His exploits and travels forced many to strive into the vast expanses of the ocean. However, only a few managed to achieve the level of wealth and fame that Francis Drake possessed. Francis Drake Biography The future navigator was born in Middle England, into the family of a wealthy farmer. Drake Francis was the eldest child in a large family. As the eldest son, he was destined for his father's work, but young Francis's heart belonged to the sea. Already at the age of 12, he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship of one of his many relatives. His diligent and quick learning of marine sciences set him apart from his peers. The owner liked young Drake Francis so much that when he died, he left the ship as an inheritance to the former cabin boy. So at the age of 18, Drake becomes the captain of his own ship.

First voyages At first, like all captains of merchant ships, Drake Francis carried various commercial cargoes to the British kingdom. In 1560, Drake's uncle, John Hawkins, drew attention to the catastrophic labor shortage on New World plantations. The idea of ​​involving American aborigines in forced labor was not successful - the Indians did not want to work, were not afraid of torture and death, and their relatives had the unpleasant habit of taking revenge on white people for the kidnapped and tortured redskins. Another thing is slaves. They could be imported from the Dark Continent, bought for trinkets, sold or exchanged. For us living in the 21st century, these words sound blasphemous. But for a 16th century Englishman it was just a business - just like any other. pirate Francis Drake

Trade in live goods

The laws of the New World allowed trading only those slaves that were supplied by the Trading House of Seville. But the demand for slaves significantly exceeded the capabilities of this commercial organization, and the colonists suffered heavy losses. Owners of tea, coffee, cotton and tobacco plantations were willing to pay good money for cheap labor. Hawkins decided to take a chance. He shared his idea with several merchants, and they gave him money to start work. Already the first flight to the New World with live goods more than recouped the funds invested in the enterprise. Although it was believed that there was nothing wrong with Hawkins' actions, the old sailor resorted to cannon and rifles when any governor did not agree with his methods of work. Taxes from the enterprise were regularly paid into the treasury of England. Several voyages from Africa to the New World made Hawkins and his patrons very rich. Hawkins-Drake Enterprise

On the third voyage, Hawkins took his nephew Francis Drake and, as usual, headed to the shores of Africa for live goods. By this time, Drake Francis was an experienced captain, sailing in the Bay of Biscay and crossing the Atlantic with the experienced smuggler John Lovel. The joint expedition ended tragically - the corsairs' ships were caught in a storm, the squadron lost its course, and the flagship suffered more than the rest. John Hawkins decided to repair and headed to the port of San Juan de Ulua, located in Honduras. Francis Drake followed him. What he discovered was the extremely unfriendly reception that this town gave to two sailors. The port's cannons clearly warned that approaching was very dangerous, and negotiations with the local authorities were unsuccessful. At this time, the sails of the Spanish coastal squadron appeared on the horizon. The smugglers had to engage in an unequal battle. Francis Drake's ship "Swan" was less damaged during the storm, and the corsair managed to escape from his pursuers, leaving his companion to the mercy of fate. Francis Drake 1577 1580

On December 13, 1577, Francis Drake set out on his famous expedition. For her he will receive a knighthood. And later he will become famous as a participant in the defeat of the Invincible Armada. Here are ten more interesting facts about "Her Majesty Elizabeth's Pirate"

The name of the corsair underwent curious metamorphoses

In the Spanish colonies he was called El Draque - “The Dragon”. And in Latin his name was written as Franciscus Draco - Francisco the Dragon. A worthy name for a pirate and a knight. The name Drake in obsolete English meant the Dragon, but in modern English it is translated as... drake.

Francis became captain at age 18

He was the eldest son in a family of twelve children. It’s no wonder that already at the age of 12 the boy had to work - he became a cabin boy on the merchant ship of his distant relative. At the same time, he fell in love with the owner of the ship so much that he bequeathed his ship to Francis. At the age of 18, the young man became a full-fledged captain. After some time, he began to sail in the squadron of John Hawkins, another of his distant relatives, engaged in the slave trade and delivering from Africa to the Spanish colonies.

Francis Drake became a pirate out of revenge

During the next slave trading expedition, the Spaniards attacked the English and sank almost all their ships - only two ships survived - Drake and Hawkins. The British demanded that the Spanish king pay them for the lost ships. Hearing the refusal, Drake declared that he himself would take everything from the King of Spain. Drake did not forget his promise, and, after some time, he went to the Spanish possessions in the West Indies. There he captured the city, several ships and - most importantly - robbed the Spanish "Silver Caravan", which was carrying about 30 tons of silver. A year later, Drake returned to his homeland as a rich man and a famous captain throughout England.

For his pirate exploits, the queen granted Drake... a knighthood

In 1577, Queen Elizabeth herself sent Drake on an expedition to the coast of America. Officially, the navigator had to discover new lands, unofficially - to loot as much gold as possible. Drake did both. Attacking Spanish ports, he sailed along the coast of South America and then explored the coastline much further north, as far as modern Vancouver. Having landed near San Francisco (according to another version - in modern Oregon), he declared this coast an English possession, “New Albion”. From this trip he brought back 600,000 pounds sterling - an amount twice as large as England's annual income. For these services to the kingdom, Elizabeth I awarded him a knighthood.

Drake's Galleon "Golden Hind"

Francis Drake introduced the tradition of giving military honor

When Queen Elizabeth bestowed a knighthood on the English corsair, she herself came to Drake's ship to knight the hero. As a sign of his reverence for the queen, Drake covered his eyes with his hand: this gesture symbolized that he was blinded by the beauty and radiance of Elizabeth. Since then, the tradition of saluting in front of high-ranking persons has taken root, although the gesture itself has changed a little.

Drake was careful about the impression he made

In his opinion, external brilliance strengthens his authority in the eyes of the team and everyone around him. Therefore, he ordered his cabin to be carefully equipped and decorated, and ordered several elegant camisoles from the best tailors. Drake had a black slave and a page - his cousin John. The ship had already hired the usual trumpeter and drummer for such voyages, but Drake did not stop there and took three more musicians on board the ship. Here he intended not only to delight his own ears, but also to encourage the team with music.

Drake was a noble pirate

He was proud that he had not shed the blood of a single Spaniard in vain - not counting those who died in fair battle. There was even a case when a Spanish ship mistook Drake's ships for their compatriots' ships - the appearance of enemies in the Spanish harbor was so incredible. The Spaniards allowed Drake's boat to come close to them, and then 18 Englishmen, led by Drake, took the Spanish ships without firing a single shot. Drake developed a cunning strategy against the pursuit: he ordered the masts of captured ships to be cut down and sent them to float at the will of the waves.

Drake popularized potatoes in Europe

In 1580, he brought tubers from his famous expedition. And although Columbus already brought potatoes from his voyages, the strange vegetable gained real popularity thanks to Drake. At first, its flowers were worn in hair, and the potatoes served more of a decorative role. And then the Europeans tasted the tubers of the plant - and millions of poor farmers were saved from hunger and “bitter poverty.” This is exactly what is written on the pedestal of the monument to Drake, who spread potatoes to Europe, “the precious gift of God.” The monument stands in the city of Offenburg - a stone statue of the great pirate holds a potato flower in his hand.

Francis Drake - the first navigator to complete a trip around the world

For him, the 1577 expedition was successful in all respects. Drake not only brought back wealth and “blessed” potatoes, but also immortalized himself as a special circumnavigator. Yes, before Drake, Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the world, but his ship was brought home by other people - the navigator himself died in the Philippines. Francis Drake brought his ship home himself, thus becoming the first navigator to complete a round-the-world expedition. And among the British he was the first to dare such a feat.

Drake's raids helped conceal theft from Spanish officials

Francis Drake's expeditions, of course, brought a lot of losses to the Spanish treasury. But in general his atrocities are considered exaggerated. Because the Spanish officials themselves stole some things from the treasury - and it was convenient to blame the loss of money on the famous corsair.