The Golden Hind and the dread pirate Sir Francis Drake The Golden Hind The Ship that Sailed Around the World I've always loved pirate stories and I sort of grew up reading about the derring-do exploits of Sir Francis Drake and Sir Richard Grenville, of Frobisher and Sir Walter Raleigh. So it's clear that no trip to Devon would be complete without visiting the replica of Francis Drake's ship, The Golden Hind, which is moored in Brixham harbour. The Golden Hind is more than just a pirate ship, of course. It's a ship with a history of her very own - and a mysterious history at that. Between 1577 and 1580 Sir Francis Drake's ship The Golden Hind sailed right around the world - the first time in recorded history that a ship had done so. The Golden Hind replica in Brixham Harbour can be toured throughout spring and summer each year and gives a fascinating opportunity to imagine what it might have been like to travel on an Elizabethan ship.

The Golden Hind began her known life as The Pelican - even though nobody really knows when, where and by whom she was built - and in 1577 she sailed from Plymouth, just down the Devon coast, to South America and around Cape Horn. Her captain was Sir Francis Drake: sailor, adventurer, businessman and - to be honest - pirate. As well as taking his ship on a voyage of discovery to the 'New World' of the Americas, Drake objective was to capture as many Spanish ships as possible during his travels. Spain was a major European power in those days; tremendously wealthy from the gold found in the Americas. And Catholic Spain had invaded the Protestant Netherlands, so with the balance of power leaning precariously, England's Queen Elizabeth declared war on Spain. Officially, the queen knew nothing of piracy, of course. But Elizabeth greatly approved of Drake's activities - not only did they keep the Spanish on their toes, but they brought literally tons of gold, spices and other valuable commodities to England, much of which ended up in the royal treasury. This in turn financed further expeditions and, ultimately, helped to defend England when the Spanish Armada attacked in 1588.

From Cape Horn, Drake sailed up the east coast of South America and across the Pacific to the Philippines. Then The Golden Hind went on to Indonesia, gathering treasure as she went. From there she sailed across the Indian Ocean and around Africa, finally calling at Sierra Leone before arriving back at Plymouth three years after she left. Standing on the deack of the Golden Hind in Brixham Harbour, it seems a miracle that Drake and most of his crew could survive such a long and dangerous journey in such a very small, very primitive wooden ship. The Golden Hind is only about 120 feet long and 20 feet wide (36.5 x 6 metres). Four other ships had set out from Plymouth with Drake, but all four had either sunk or been damaged and cannibalised to outfit the Hind - a statistic that makes her success even more striking. On his return, Drake was knighted by the Queen on the deck of his ship (an event that has inspired many patriotic paintings and prints). Apparently, Drake then treated his Queen to a banquet on the same deck, which seems totally unlikely when you see the size of the ship. There's barely space to turn around, let alone set tables and chairs ...

Later, Drake's ship was moored at Deptford as a permanent reminder of his achievement. The replica at Brixham, then, continues a four centuries old tradition of valuing and exhibiting great English ships. She has been there since 1963 and she is well worth a visit. The ship is moored beside the Quay - where there are shops, hotels, excellent fish restaurants, chippies and pubs - and she swims among the fishing boats and dinghies like a whale among minnows. Events linked to her include educational days, pirate re-enactments and sea shanty festivals. And if you go arrive early and have the place to yourself for a while, you can imagine yourself living the life of a pirate... Where to Stay in Brixham As in the rest of Devon, visitors are very well catered for in Brixham. Couples and families looking for holiday accommodation are literally spoilt for choice between camp and caravan sites, lavishly equipped holiday apartments and loving restored cottages. Golden Hind first English ship to sail around the world Gallery Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake was a brilliant navigator, an excellent soldier, an accomplished politician and best remembered as an extraordinary explorer.

In his most famous ship, the Golden Hind, be became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe in an epic expedition of plunder and discovery over four hundred years ago. Drake was born in Tavistock, near Plymouth in 1540. His father was a Protestant farmer and he was one of twelve sons. When Drake was nine, the family relocated from Devon to Medway in Kent for two reasons, firstly for his father to avoid prosecution for the stealing of a horse (a serious offence in the Tudor period) and secondly to avoid the influx of the Catholic faith into the West Country and the inevitable conflicts with the family's strong Protestantism. Drake became an apprentice on a small cargo vessel plying its way between the North Sea ports, and was eventually bequeathed the boat when its owner died. After a couple of years, Drake moved back to Plymouth where at the age of 23 he sailed on his first voyage to the Caribbean with his cousin Sir John Hawkins. On their first voyage to the Caribbean, they were both tricked by the Spanish when both nationalities were anchored at close quarters in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua.

They narrowly escaped capture and death when the Spanish went back on their word to allow them protected harbour and attacked them. Many of their English crew and two of Drake's brothers were slaughtered and he thereafter harboured a deep and lifelong dislike of the Spanish. Between 1577-1580 Drake sailed around the world on his epic voyage, bringing back a ship full of gold, silver, jewels and other treasures. See The Circumnavigation click HERE . Known as 'El Draco' or 'The Dragon' by the Spanish, he was feared and reviled by them. After the circumnavigation, with his newfound wealth, Drake bought dozens or properties in and around Plymouth including Buckland Abbey, a stately home, from Sir Richard Grenville, another Elizabethan admiral, and one of Drake’s arch rivals. Shortly after, Drake was elected as mayor of Plymouth, and then an MP, representing his Devon constituency in London. Drake married twice, firstly to Mary for twelve years prior to the circumnavigation, and secondly, on his return to the well-to-do Lady Elizabeth Sydenham.

Seven years after the circumnavigation in 1587, Drake was also hailed a hero when he was appointed Vice Admiral of the fleet to defend England from the Spanish Armada. Prior to the Armada beginning Drake led a bold 'fire storm' raid against the Spanish ships anchored at port in Cadiz, destroying many prior to the eventual unsuccessful raid by the Spanish a year later. One of his Drake’s most significant civic acts was to oversee the construction of a granite lined leat, or watercourse, which brought fresh water from Dartmoor down to Plymouth. In Drake’s lifetime, however, the water was used mostly to power mills (owned by Drake), and by the time of his death only a few households were able to make use of the water. However, the leat continued to supply fresh water the 30 miles to Plymouth successfully, to the general public for over 300 years after it’s construction, and parts of it can still be seen today on Dartmoor. In 1595 Drake came out of 'retirement' to attempt to take Panama from the Spanish, an area of the world that by now he knew well. He was taken ill in the Caribbean and died of yellow fever and dysentry.

He was buried at sea, in a lead coffin, in his suit of armour, just off the Panama coast. His body has never been recovered. He was 56 years old. Queen Elizabeth granted Drake a family crest with the Latin motto ‘Sic Parvis Magna’ which translates as ‘Great things from Small Beginnings’, a reference to his humble start in life. Drake personally designed the imagery, which features God's hand pulling his ship around the globe. For more information see also: Buckland Abbey - Drake's Plymouth residence In Drake's Wake - Drake around the world a unique resource Torre Abbey Torquay - Spanish barn which held prisoners from the Spanish Armada ship The Rosario - First to sail around the world Home » vehicles » First to sail around the world First to sail around the world The Age of Discovery was led by the the great sea adventurers in their search for a route to spice markets of the Far East when the eastern Mediterranean were blocked by powerful rivals. When Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to reach India in 1498, the Portuguese concentrated their efforts to the south and east.

The Spanish, who agreed to divide the world in two with the Portuguese in the Treaty of Tordesillas on 7 June 1494, sailed west. They were not aware of the American continents and no one knew there was a Pacific Ocean. The New World Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), an Italian who had moved to Spain, theorized that since the earth was a sphere, a ship could reach the Far East from the opposite direction. He convinced the monarchs to sponsor his search, setting sail in August 1492 with a fleet of three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and the flagship Santa Maria. After 10 weeks, he sighted an island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. Thinking he had found islands near Japan, he sailed on until he reached Cuba (which he thought was China) and Haiti. He encountered dark-skinned peoples whom he called “Indians” because he assumed he had been sailing in the Indian Ocean.

Columbus made 3 more voyages to the New World which he thought was the East, in 1493, 1497 and 1502, exploring Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and Trinidad. He never reached North America, and until he died, thought he had reached Asia. Replica of the Santa Maria. Photo via Library of Congress North America already discovered Columbus did not know but Viking ships reached North America almost 500 year before he had set sail. Sailing from Iceland in mid-990, Biarni Heriolfsson was blown off course and located an unknown land. He did not explore or name it. In 1002 Leifr Eiriksson backtracked Biarni’s course and reached the coast of present-day Canada. Eiriksson then sailed south and discovered an island he called Vinland (present-day Newfoundland) where he established a colony and traded for 3 years with the native population known as Skraelings. The Skraelings eventually forced them to leave, but the Vikings continued to sail to Canada for timber.

“New Found Land” In 1497, King Henry VII granted John Cabot (1450-1498) a charter to explore. On 2 May Cabot and a crew of 18 left Bristol, England in a small ship called The Matthew. Cabot sailed farther north than Columbus did, out of the way of the Spanish territories. On 24 June the crew sighted land. Cabot was convinced he had found an island off the coast of Asia and named it “new found land.” It was the first documented landing in Newfoundland since the Viking voyages. Cabot returned to England on 6 August 1497, and although he brought no spices or treasure back with him, he was the first to map out the North American coast. Replica of Cabot’s The Matthew. Naming “America” Amerigo Vespucci The Portuguese-Spanish dividing line ran through the Atlantic with Spain gaining lands to the west, including the Americas. Brazil was granted to Portugal, who gained eastern Africa and India. But without accurate measurements, the question on the exact line persisted.

In 1501, King Manuel I of Portugal dispatched fleets to Brazil, one of the officers being the Italian Amerigo Vespucci. He was among the first explorers to report that South America was a continent, not an island, calling it the “New World”. An excellent mapmaker, Vespucci sold copies of his maps to German cartographer Martin Waldseemuller, who, when reproducing it in 1507, gave Vespucci credit by writing his first name on the South American continent. Thus the southern continent became known as “America”. The first circumnavigation The first circumnavigation of the globe was led by Ferdinand Magellan, who was born in Oporto, Portugal in 1480. In 1505, Magellan enlisted in the navy where he learned seamanship and naval warfare under Portuguese viceroys in India. In 1509, he took part in the Battle of Die, which gave Portugal supremacy over the Indian Ocean. For 7 years he traded from Cochin, China and Malacca. Like Columbus before him, Magellan believed he would reach the Far East by sailing west.

Snubbed by the Portuguese king, Magellan convinced the Spanish king, Charles I that at least some of the Spice Islands lay in the Spanish half of the undiscovered world. In September 1519 Magellan set sail with 280 men on 5 ships (San Antonio, Santiago, Trinidad, Victoria, and Concepcion) on a voyage fraught with hardship and mutiny. An Italian nobleman on the ship, Antonio Pigafetta, kept a diary of the voyage. They crossed the equator on 20 November 1519 and sighted Brazil on 6 December. Magellan thought it unwise to go near the Portuguese territory since he was sailing under the Spanish flag and anchored near present-day Rio de Janiero on 13th December. They were greeted by Guarani Indians who believed the white men to be gods and showered them with goods. After stocking up, they sailed south, reaching Patagonia (Argentina) in March 1520. The Santiago was sent to explore further south and was lost in a gale. In August, Magellan decided it was time to move further south to look for a passage through to the east. By October they sighted a strait.

During the passage, the captain of San Antonia turned his ship back toward Spain, taking most of the fleet’s provisions. Into the vast Pacific The remaining 3 ships emerged from the strait to the Pacific by end-November. Magellan thought the Spice Islands were a short voyage away but they sailed for 96 days without sighting land. Conditions aboard the ships were abominable. The crew survived on sawdust, leather strips, and rats. Finally, in January 1521, they stopped off at an island to feast. In March, they reached Guam. The Armada de Maluco reached the Philippines (which Magellan named San Lazaro) on 15 March 1521. He anchored at Suluan on 16 March and went to Homonhon on 17 March. On 28 March 1521 Magellan and his fleet made landfall at Mazaua. After befriending an island king, Magellan foolishly got involved in a tribal war and was killed in battle on 27 April 1521. Sebastian del Cano took command of the ships and 115 survivors.

Because there were not enough men to crew 3 ships, he burned the Concepcion. They sailed to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in November, loading valuable spices. To guarantee that at least one ship would make it back to Spain, the Trinidad went east across the Pacific, while the Victoria continued west. The Trinidad was seized by the Portuguese and most of her crew were killed. The Victoria managed to elude the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean and rounded the Cape of Good Hope. On 6 September 1522, almost three years from the day it began its historic journey, the Victoria and 18 crew members (Pigafetta among them) arrived in Spain. They were the first to circumnavigate the globe. When the Victoria’s spices were auctioned, the income was high enough to cover all the expenses of the voyage and even produce profit. Nao Victoria replica, built 1992. Img Wikipedia Victoria Vicente de Jesus contributed to this article as follows: “On March 28, 1521 Magellan and his fleet made landfall at Mazaua, a mystery island that is the object of a controversy parallel to the Columbus first landfall question.

My studies show Mazaua is in 9 degrees N. A team of geologists, geomorphologist and archaeologist was hired in year 2000 to search for the isle and have discovered a most improbable thing: an isle that has been fused with mainland Mindanao at Butuan City. We hope to excavate and find authentic remnants of Magellan’s visit. If indeed this was Mazaua, there’s no question there will be material proof of Magellan’s having been to this isle.” Image shows the replica of the flagship Trinidad, the ship in which Ferdinand Magellan led the first circumnavigation of the world. The correct Portuguese name of Ferdinand Magellan is Fernao do Magalhaes. The family coat of arms of Magalhaes are Argent, three fesses chequy Gules and Or. Fernao wasn’t the head of the main branch but the family line continues to this day. The second circumnavigation The second circumnavigation of the globe was accomplished by the pirate-turned-explorer Englishman Francis Drake (1540-1596).

Seeing Spain amassing a new vast empire, Queen Elizabeth I secretly sent Drake to the west, with the added intent to harass the Spanish. On 13 December 1577 Drake sailed from Plymouth, England with 6 ships under his command. In September 1578 five of the ships turned back at the Strait of Magellan while Drake sailed on in the Golden Hind. By June 1579 he had reached the coast of present-day California and sailed as far north as the present-day United States-Canadian border. He then turned southwest and crossed the Pacific Ocean in 2 months. He voyaged through the Indies, across the Indian Ocean, and around the Cape of Good Hope. With the Golden Hind laden with gold and spices, he sailed into Plymouth on 26 September 1580, the first captain to circumnavigate the globe. Captain Cook Another famous circumnavigation was that of James Cook. He sailed from England on 25 August 1768 aboard the Endeavour with 94 crewmen and scientists. On 11 April 1769, they reached Tahiti. On government orders, they sailed south, reaching New Zealand on 6 October.

By April 1770, Cook explored and documented Australia. The Endeavour then made its way to Java, sailing on past the Cape of Good Hope. On 13 July 1771 Cook sailed into Dover. Following the historic 3-year journey, he was appointed Naval Commander by King George III. First solo circumnavigation Joshua Slocum, who was born in Nova Scotia in 1844, became an American citizen and Captain Slocum at age 25. On 24 April 1895, at 51-year old, Slocum sailed out of Boston in his 11m (37ft) sloop Spray, a decrepit oyster dredger that he had rebuilt himself. Slocum crossed the Atlantic toward the Suez Canal. In Gibraltar, he was warned of pirates in the Mediterranean. So, he started back across the Atlantic, and headed down the Brazilian coast, through the hellish Strait of Magellan. He faced deadly currents, rocky coasts and heavy seas as he sailed around Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, and across the Atlantic.

On 27 June 1898, more than 3 years and 74000km (46,000 miles) later, Joshua Slocum entered Newport, Rhode Island, as the first man to sail around the world solo. Joshua Slocum’s Spray. Img Wikipedia Spray Later, planning a voyage up the Amazon, Slocum set sail from Vineyard Haven on November 14, 1909, but he was lost with his ship. First around with only one stop The honor of being the first to sail around the world alone with only one stop went to Francis Chichester (1902-1972). In 1966, the 64-year old Chichester sailed his 16m (53ft) ketch Gypsy Moth IV from England. The steering mechanism broke 3 700km (2,300 miles ) from Australia. Soon after leaving Sydney, the Gipsy capsized but righted itself. Around the Cape Horn, Chichester faced 15m (50ft) high waves. But he was not a man to step back from a challenge.

In 1960, he was the winner of the first single-hand transatlantic race. Chichester also made the world’s first solo long distance flight in a seaplane (England to Australia). On 28 May 1967, after 226 days at sea, he was welcomed back by a half-million people at Plymouth, England. First solo non-stop circumnavigation From Wikipedia : “On 14 June 1968 Robin Knox-Johnston left Falmouth, UK in his 32-foot (9.8-meter) boat Suhaili, one of the smallest boats to enter the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Despite losing his self-steering gear off Australia, he rounded Cape Horn on 17 January 1969, 20 days before his closest competitor Bernard Moitessier, who subsequently abandoned the race and sailed on to Tahiti.

The other seven competitors dropped out at various stages, leaving Knox-Johnston to win the race and become officially the first man to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and single-handed on 22 April 1969, the day he returned to Falmouth.” Robin Knox-Johnston, Suhaili, first solo circumnavigation. Around alone Today, sailing single-handedly non-stop around the world grabs the imagination more than ever. Chay Blyth, nicknamed “the man of steel” became one of few when he sailed against the winds around the world from east to west aboard the ketch British Steel in 1971, completing the voyage in 302 days. Two years later Frenchman Alain Colas aboard his trimaran Manureva circumnavigated around the 3 great capes, taking only 129 days to complete the voyage. The first woman to sail solo around the world was Krystyna Chojnowska- Liskiewicz, starting the journey in the Canary Islands on February 28, 1976 and completing it there 401 days later, on April 2, 1978.

In 1979, 29-year-old Naomi James braved the seas for 272 days to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe via Cape Horn, the classic “Clipper Route.” The first woman to circumnavigate the world single-handed non-stop was Kay Cottee , completing the 189-day feat on June, 5 1998. On 21 May 2008, Adrian Flanagan became the first person to complete a single-handed, vertical circumnavigation, covering the 31 000 miles in 405 days 18 hours 50 minutes. Australian Jon Sanders circumnavigated the globe 9 times single-handedly, the ninth time in 2015 at age 75. He also achieved a remarkable non-stop triple circumnavigation between May 1986 and March 1988, covering 131,535km (71,023 nautical miles) – the longest distance ever sailed continuously by any vessel. His other records, according to his Wikipedia page, includes: First solo circumnavigation trip east to west mostly sailing through tropics (1970).

The first single-handed sailor to remain continuously at sea twice around the world (1981 – 1982). First circumnavigation of Antarctica, circling the continent twice in 1981 – 1982. First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice on one voyage. First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice. Longest distance continuously sailed by any yacht: 48,510 miles (78,070 km). Longest period alone at sea during a continuous voyage: 419 days: 22 hours: 10 minutes. The circumnavigation contests Circumnavigation had become the rage, as with the Whitbread race, now known as the Volvo Ocean Race . In 1982, British company BOC Gasses launched the BOC Challenge single-handed race around the world, with stops: “One person, One boat, Around the world.” It was renamed AroundAlone in 1998 but continued as the Velux 5 Oceans in 2006. The race is managed by Clipper Events, who also handle the Clipper Race .

In 1989, two times winner of the BOC Challenge, Frenchman Philippe Jeantot, launched the idea of a single-handed non-stop race around the world. The Vendee Globe is extreme, the “official supplier of legends.” The finish line literally is a world away. The Barcelona World Race , since 2007, is a non-stop around the world yacht race along the Clipper route for a crew of two. Factoids In 120AD, Egyptian mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus) invents a number of projections whereby an area on the curved surface of the Earth can be represented on a flat surface. His geography is introduced in Europe in 1406 and with the invention of the printing press in 1450 his plans are published and widely accepted. Shipping company Cunard Laconia introduced the first around-the-world cruise on the Laconia in 1922. More about cruise liners .

The quest to become the first to circumnavigate the earth in a hot air balloon SIr Francis Drake's Ship "The Golden Hinde" London July 2016 - YouTube SIr Francis Drake's Ship "The Golden Hinde" London July 2016 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 4, 2016 The Golden Hinde- the Ship Sir Francis Drake Sailed Around the World In- London, Thames River, July 2016 Sir Francis Drake (c.1540-1596) was a famous English sailor, explorer, pirate, and slave trader in Elizabethan England. He was the 2nd person to sail around the world (after Ferdinand Magellan) from 1577 to 1580. He was the 1st captain to complete the entire voyage- the Portuguese-Spanish sea captain Magellan (c.1480-1521) died before his ships completed the voyage.

The galleon ship that Drake used to sail around the world was the Golden Hinde (also spelled Golden Hind). This ship was originally called the Pelican, but Drake renamed it in 1578, in the middle of his voyage. The ship was renamed in honour of Drake's patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest was a golden "hind", or female deer. An exact replica of the Pelican/Golden Hind is permanently docked on the south bank of the Thames River in London, between the Southwark Bridge and the London Bridge. The ship is surprisingly small, especially considering the fact that it originally had a crew of more than 80 men. Besides sailing around the world, Drake was known for his role as a naval commander and a pirate or privateer under Queen Elizabeth I. He helped to command the English ships that defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, and he attacked many Spanish ships and settlements around the world. For example, he captured the Spanish town of Panama at one point, and captured several Spanish treasure ships during his career.

Drake was at the Rathlin Island Massacre in Ireland in 1575, where English colonists killed 600 Scots and Irish men, women, and children after they surrendered. He accompanied some of the earliest English slave trading expeditions to West Africa with his relative Sir John Hawkins. During his voyage around the world, he executed his co-commander Thomas Doughty in 1578. Many saw Doughty's execution as unjust. Drake died from dysentery off the coast of Panama in 1595, after a failed attack on the Spanish Caribbean colony of Puerto Rico.

Tags: London, Thames River, Sir Francis Drake, Elizabethan Era, Queen Elizabeth I, pirate, privateer, explorer, navigator, Golden Hind, Golden Hinde, Pelican, circumnavigation of the globe, Magellan, England, Spain, Portugal, France, Europe, Age of Exploration, Age of Expansion, slave trade, Atlantic Slave Trade, transatlantic slave trade, Africa, West Africa, Caribbean, Asia, West Indies, Panama, Puerto Rico, Spanish Main, treasure ship, galleon, buccaneers, Spanish Armada, Rathlin Island Massacre, Ireland, Sir John Hawkins, Thomas Doughty, dysentery, Sir Christopher Hatton, Southwark, Southwark Bridge, London Bridge Category Explorers for Kids: Sir Francis Drake Born: 1540 or 1544 in Tavistock, England Died: January 27, 1596 in Portobelo, Panama Best known for: First Englishman to sail around the world and defeating the Spanish Armada Biography: Where did Francis Drake grow up? Francis Drake was born sometime between 1540 and 1544 in Tavistock, England.

His father was a minister for the navy and Francis grew up near the sea. He went to work for a sea captain at a young age and found his home living and working on a ship. Someday he would make his fortune and fame at sea. First Expedition Drake's first expedition was with John Hawkins. He captained the ship Judith, one of six ships that made up the fleet. Hawkins first led the fleet to Africa where they captured people to sell into slavery. Then they sailed across the Atlantic to the New World. They sold the slaves at a Spanish port, but they were betrayed. Spanish warships attacked the fleet and destroyed many of the ships. Drake and the Judith were able to escape, but he never forgave the Spanish. Privateer or Pirate? After returning from the New World, Drake wanted revenge on the Spanish . He took up the life of a privateer. As a privateer he would attack the enemy ships of Britain, mostly the Spanish, and take their cargo. To the Spanish, he was considered a pirate. To the English, he was a hero. Over the next several years Drake attacked Spanish towns and ships taking much of their gold and silver. He became a rich man.

Queen Elizabeth I noted his success and gave him a fleet of ships to take to South America and plunder the Spanish. Around the World Drake and his fleet of five ships left England on November 15, 1577. He captained the largest ship, the Pelican, which he would later rename the Golden Hind. They had many adventures along the way. Many of the sailors died from disease. Drake even had one man beheaded for leading a mutiny. The fleet traveled across the Atlantic and down the coast of South America. After passing through the Strait of Magellan, they entered the Pacific Ocean and went north along the coast of Peru, ransacking towns along the way. They also captured a Spanish ship named the Cacafuego. The ship was full of treasure. Drake would arrive home very rich! Eventually, Drake's fleet was down to a single ship, the Golden Hind. After three years of sailing, on September 26, 1580, the ship arrived back home in England. Drake's expedition was only the second in history to sail around the world. He also brought back lots of treasure for the queen.

The queen was proud of Francis, she knighted him and he was now known as Sir Francis Drake. The Spanish Armada By 1588 King Philip II of Spain finally had enough of Queen Elizabeth I and her English privateers like Drake. He assembled a huge fleet of Spanish warships called the Spanish Armada and sent them to crush the British and take over England. The Spanish Armada was thought to be invincible (by unknown) Queen Elizabeth had made Sir Francis Drake vice admiral of the English navy. They waited for the Spanish Armada to arrive. Many thought they had little chance. Drake had an idea, however. In the middle of the night they lit several empty English ships on fire. They sent them into the middle of the Spanish fleet. The captains of the fleet panicked and scattered. Then the English pounced. A little while later, a huge storm hit the fleet. Many of the Spanish ships were sunk or broke up on the rocks of England's shore. The English defeated the Spanish and now were the most powerful navy in the world. Death Drake continued to attack Spanish cities and treasure ships. He died of dysentery while on an expedition to the New World on January 27, 1596.

Interesting Facts about Sir Francis Drake He married twice. His first wife was Mary Newman who died 12 years after their marriage in 1569. His second wife was Elizabeth Sydenham. His wives rarely saw him as he spent much of his life at sea. He didn't have any children. The Spanish nicknamed Drake "El Draque", which means "The Dragon". The King of Spain put a bounty on Drake's head of 20,000 ducats. That's around $7 million in today's money! He was a member of the British Parliament for a time. He purchased a large mansion in Devon, England called Buckland Abby. Today it is open for tourists to visit. Activities Take a ten question quiz about this page. More Explorers: Sir Francis Drake | Explore Royal Museums Greenwich Sir Francis Drake Share Sir Francis Drake (1542–96) was a celebrated Tudor seafarer, famous for circumnavigating the world on the Golden Hind and fighting the Spanish Armada. What was Drake’s early life like? Francis Drake was born in Tavistock, Devon, in 1542 and first went to sea aged 12.

For most of Drake's life, Queen Elizabeth I ruled the country. It was a time when England was growing in population, power and wealth. New markets and colonies were needed so that English produce could be traded. England was also keen to gain from the huge profits to be made from the New World of the Americas and from the Eastern spice trade. What did Drake do at sea? While Drake is considered a hero in England, he is remembered as a pirate in Spain. He famously plundered Spanish ships that were sailing back from their colonies in South America. If the attacks were successful, Drake took the treasure for himself and for his queen. He also raided Spanish and Portuguese ports in the ‘New World’ and the Atlantic. When did he circumnavigate the world? The circumnavigation took three years, from 1577 to 1580. Originally, the voyage was probably planned as a raid on Spanish ships and ports. Five ships, manned by 164 seamen, left Plymouth with Drake himself sailing in the Pelican. After reaching America, Drake was worried that his ships might get separated from each other, so he gave orders for two of them to be destroyed. Then the Marigold was lost, and the Elizabeth returned home.

By October 1578 just 58 were men left, all on the Pelican, which Drake renamed the Golden Hind. What did Drake discover? Drake's voyage discovered that Tierra del Fuego, the land south of the Magellan Strait, was not part of a southern continent as had been believed, but a group of islands. This meant that ships could sail between the Atlantic and Pacific around the bottom of South America (later known as the Cape Horn route). Drake also sailed further north along the coast of the Americas than any other European had before. On the way, he landed in what is now California, naming it Nova Albion (New England). Drake returned from his voyage with plundered Spanish silver, some gold, and spices bought in the East. What was Drake’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth I? Queen Elizabeth dined on board the Golden Hind at Deptford on the River Thames, when Drake returned from his circumnavigation. She also knighted him, much to the offence of the King of Spain, whose ships he had raided. What was Drake’s role in the battles against the Spanish Armada? One of Drakes most famous attacks was on Cadiz and Corunna in 1587.

He himself called this the ‘singeing of the King of Spain's beard’. In a daring raid between 20 and 30 ships were sunk or captured. The attack delayed the Armada and the Spanish were short of some important supplies for their fleet. Drake was also involved in battle against the Spanish Armada in 1588, most notably the capture of the Spanish flagship Rosario. What is Sir Francis Drake’s legacy? Drake died at sea off the coast of Panama, in Nomber de Dios Bay. He was around 54 years old. He is remembered as one of the naval heroes of Elizabethan England. His circumnavigation of the world led to an increased knowledge of its geography and he was one of the greatest early European navigators. Experience more BBC - History - Sir Francis Drake z Sir Francis Drake © Drake was an Elizabethan sailor and navigator, and the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. Francis Drake was born in Tavistock, Devon in around 1540 and went to sea at an early age.

In 1567, Drake made one of the first English slaving voyages as part of a fleet led by his cousin John Hawkins, bringing African slaves to work in the 'New World'. All but two ships of the expedition were lost when attacked by a Spanish squadron. The Spanish became a lifelong enemy for Drake and they in turn considered him a pirate. In 1570 and 1571, Drake made two profitable trading voyages to the West Indies. In 1572, he commanded two vessels in a marauding expedition against Spanish ports in the Caribbean. He saw the Pacific Ocean and captured the port of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus of Panama. He returned to England with a cargo of Spanish treasure and a reputation as a brilliant privateer. In 1577, Drake was secretly commissioned by Elizabeth I to set off on an expedition against the Spanish colonies on the American Pacific coast. He sailed with five ships, but by the time he reached the Pacific Ocean in October 1578 only one was left, Drake's flagship the Pelican, renamed the Golden Hind. To reach the Pacific, Drake became the first Englishman to navigate the Straits of Magellan.

He travelled up the west coast of South America, plundering Spanish ports. He continued north, hoping to find a route across to the Atlantic, and sailed further up the west coast of America than any European. Unable to find a passage, he turned south and then in July 1579, west across the Pacific. His travels took him to the Moluccas, Celebes, Java and then round the Cape of Good Hope. He arrived back in England in September 1580 with a rich cargo of spices and Spanish treasure and the distinction of being the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. Seven months later, Elizabeth knighted him aboard the Golden Hind, to the annoyance of the king of Spain. In 1585, Drake sailed to the West Indies and the coast of Florida where he sacked and plundered Spanish cities. On his return voyage, he picked up the unsuccessful colonists of Roanoke Island off the coast of the Carolinas, which was the first English colony in the New World. In 1587, war with Spain was imminent and Drake entered the port of Cadiz and destroyed 30 of the ships the Spanish were assembling against the British.

In 1588, he was a vice admiral in the fleet that defeated the Armada. Drake's last expedition, with John Hawkins, was to the West Indies. The Spanish were prepared for him this time, and the venture was a disaster. Drake died on 28 January 1596 of dysentery off the coast of Portobelo, Panama. Hawkins died at the same time, and their bodies were buried at sea. Sir Francis Drake Biography for Kids « Click above to see Drake route map Sir Francis Drake Printable Biography Birth of a Pirate Sir Francis Drake was born sometime around 1540 as the son of a Puritan farmer. Drake taught himself navigation as the navigator of a small merchant vessel early in his career. He also served as an officer aboard a west African slave vessel. In 1567, Drake and his cousin, John Hawkins were attacked by a Spanish ship in the Gulf of Mexico. The Spaniards took all of their sea vessels – though they allowed Drake and Hawkins to escape with their lives. At the time the Spaniards had no idea that failing to kill Drake would prove so costly to the entire Spanish empire.

From that point on, Drake developed a hatred for Catholic Spaniards and devised plans to seek revenge. Plundering Spanish Treasure Ships In 1572, Queen Elizabeth commissioned Drake to work as a privateer in attacking Spanish ports and shipping. Drake left England for the Caribbean Sea with two ships and 73 sailors. After an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Spaniards in present-day Nicaragua, Drake formulated new plans to attack a Spanish vessel carrying hoards of gold brought back from Mexico. After successfully heisting the gold, he then sailed back to England and brought the spoils back to Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth promptly appointed Drake as the leader of an expedition to sail around (circumnavigate) the world. As part of the circumnavigation, Drake made further plans to plunder Spanish interests. Circumnavigation On December 17, 1577, Drake left England with three ships and two supply ships and started his circumnavigation. The voyage got off to a poor start. Terrible weather prompted some of the crew to stage a mutiny (to take over the ship). The mutiny was unsuccessful, and when Drake reached the west coast of South America, he had the leader of the mutiny, Thomas Doughty beheaded.

After the mutiny, Drake’s ship, now named The Golden Hind, sailed for Valparaiso, Chile. The ship encountered Spanish sea vessels carrying gold. The Spanish ships could not identify The Golden Hind as a pirate ship because of rainy weather, and because the Golden Hind had been ravaged by bad weather. As a result, Drake plundered the Spanish vessel and proceeded to plunder the Spanish port at Callo. Drake also learned of the location of a huge Spanish galleon named Cacofuego that was sailing toward Panama. Drake made plans to attack Cacofuego. Attack on Cacofuego On March 3, 1579, The Golden Hind demolished Cacofuego with cannon fire off the coast of Panama. Drake confiscated an unbelievable amount of precious metals and jewels from Cacofuego – 80 pounds of gold, two tons of silver, pearls and precious stones. Afterwards, Drake sailed to California to repair his ship. He claimed the area, thought to be near San Francisco, for the English crown. Drake’s return trip to England took over a year.

Not only did he become the first explorer to make the journey around the world, but upon his return, despite the demands of the Spanish crown to have him beheaded, Queen Elizabeth made him a knight. After the circumnavigation, Drake was made commander of a fleet of English ships that continued to plunder Spanish sea vessels and steal their gold. When Spain declared war on England in 1585, Francis Drake led a thunderous assault at the Spanish port of Cadiz and scored another major victory when the Spanish Armada attempted to invade the English Channel. Legacy Many believe Francis Drake was the main reason the English defeated the vaunted Spanish Armada. He died in 1596 from dysentery off of the coast of Panama.

Question: Who sailed around the world on the Golden Hind?
Answer: Sir Francis Drake