If you try to describe this person in a nutshell, you get a fascinating story. He became very young on the bridge of the ship, then he turned out to be a rather successful sea pirate. Then fate directed him to conquer the endless expanses of the ocean and he sailed around the world. Having defeated the completely invincible Spanish flotilla, he became an admiral. Such a legacy was left behind by the legendary Francis Drake, an English navigator with an extremely dubious reputation.
Carier start
A little boy who was born in the family of an English farmer in Devonshire County in 1540, since childhood, he dreamed of fame and dangerous sea voyages. As soon as he turned 13, he, against the wishes of his parents, hired a cabin boy on a sailing boat. Very soon, having shown himself from the best side, Francis Drake gets the post of mate. By the age of 18, having raised a small capital, he buys a small launch, intending to earn money on the transportation of goods, but this does not bring him large incomes. In those days, only the slave trade and piracy brought huge profits.
In 1567, Francis Drake, as the commander of a sailing ship that was part of a distant relative's flotilla, set off on a journey to the shores of Africa for slaves. The next point on his map was the West Indies, where mariners fueled the capture of wealthy Spanish ships. It was there that young Francis Drake gained a wealth of experience in robbing and attacking merchant ships. Upon his return to England, fame spread about him as a capable and successful captain.
Discoverer of new lands
Already in November 1577, under the command of Francis Drake, an expedition of five ships set out from Plymouth towards the shores of America. The main purpose of the trip was not only piracy, but also the conquest of new territories for England. According to historians, Queen Elizabeth personally blessed this campaign and presented gifts to the team.
After passing the Strait of Magellan, the flotilla, led by Drake's ship Pelican, moved south. The captain, without realizing it, made an important discovery. During the voyage, it turned out that Tierra del Fuego is a large island, behind which lies the open ocean, and not part of the mainland. Now this strait between South America and Antarctica bears his name.
A little later, Drake's flotilla sailed along the coast of America, swimming much farther than the Spaniards. At the beginning of summer, the ships moored to the shore to replenish food and water supplies. So the neighborhoods of the modern city of San Francisco were opened and immediately declared the property of the English queen.
Confession
After returning from this campaign, Francis Drake awaited unfading glory and knighthood. In addition, he was appointed mayor of Plymouth and was entrusted with the head of the inspection commission under the Queen, which was engaged in regular inspections of the ships of the British Navy. A little later, Francis Drake became an honorary member of the House of Commons.
