What did Sir Francis Drake discover on his voyage?
Drake became the first Englishman to navigate the Straits of Magellan, a sea route at the southern tip of South America linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He discovered that Tierra del Fuego, the land south of the Magellan Strait, was not another continent as Europeans believed, but instead a group of islands.
What land did Sir Francis Drake find in California?
On 17 June, Drake and his crew found a protected cove when they landed on the Pacific coast of what is now Northern California. While ashore, he claimed the area for Queen Elizabeth I as Nova Albion or New Albion.
What colony did Sir Francis Drake rescue from the British?
As he continued his voyage home, he also rescued the English military colony that was established on Roanoke Island in 1585 at what is now Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.
Where was Sir Francis Drake's final fleet found?
^ Henderson, Barney; Swaine, Jon (24 October 2011). "Sir Francis Drake's final fleet 'discovered off the coast of Panama ' ". The Daily Telegraph.
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What places did Francis Drake discover?
He sailed to the West Indies and the coast of Florida and mercilessly plundered Spanish ports there, taking Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands, Cartagena in Colombia, St. Augustine in Florida and San Domingo (now Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic).
When did Francis Drake land?
Few sea voyages are as famous as that of the Golden Hind, privateer Francis Drake's around-the-world voyage that ended with his arrival into England's Plymouth harbor in 1580.
What territory did Drake claim for England?
New AlbionIn June 1579 Sir Francis Drake sailed along the Oregon coast and possibly reached the coast of present-day Washington. He named the sighted land New Albion and claimed it for Queen Elizabeth I of England. This was the first of many strong claims the British made for possession of the Pacific Northwest.
What treasure did Sir Francis Drake find?
The Spanish ship's treasure included eighty pounds of gold, thirteen chests of coins and jewels, and more than twenty-five tons of silver, the equivalent of millions of dollars today. On the west coast of North America, Drake explored further north than Spain's claim at Point Loma (near today's San Diego, California).
Where did Drake land in America?
Through the spring of 1586, Drake raided and plundered many Spanish colonies in the Caribbean before heading north along the Atlantic coast of North America. In June of 1586, Drake arrived at Roanoke Island in what is now North Carolina.
Who first discovered San Francisco Bay?
Captain Juan Gaspar de PortoláOn November 4, 1769, Captain Juan Gaspar de Portolá and members of his overland exploration expedition climbed to the top of Sweeney Ridge and looked out upon the great bay. The discovery ultimately led to the establishment of San Francisco, one of the nation's most vibrant cities.
Did Sir Francis Drake find California?
Sir Francis Drake's visit to California is a mystery. Historians have never been able to determine just where he landed on the California coast, and some argue that he did not visit California at all. His name, however, is still linked to the earliest exploration here.
Who is the first person to sail around the world?
MagellanOne of the most noted of Portuguese-born explorers was Fernão de Magalhães (anglicized as "Magellan"), who instigated and organized the first circumnavigation of the globe from 1519 to 1522.
How much is Francis Drake's treasure worth?
The total value of the treasure is estimated to be the equivalent of around £480 million in todays terms. Drake Viewing Treasure Taken From a Spanish Ship. Engraving by Friedrich van Hulsen, 1626 of the capture of the Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, AKA Cacafuego, the Spanish treasure-ship, by Sir Francis Drake.
Did they find Drake's coffin?
After his death, Drake was dressed in his armor, sealed inside a lead coffin and given a traditional burial at sea some 14 miles off the coast of Portobelo. His remains have since been lost in the Caribbean, but that hasn't stopped scores of divers, archaeologists and treasure hunters from seeking them out.
How much treasure did Sir Francis Drake steal?
Near Lima, Drake captured a Spanish ship with 25,000 pesos of Peruvian gold, amounting in value to 37,000 ducats of Spanish money (about £7m by modern standards).
When was Sir Francis Drake's first voyage?
On July 23, 1579, the Golden Hind began her voyage across the Pacific; on October 16, Drake sighted land in the Philippines, and on Nov....The Library of Congress >> ResearchersHome >> Digitized Rare Books >> Drake BiographyFind in Rare Book Reading Room Researchers Web Pages All Library of Congress Pages3 more rows
What is Sir Francis Drake most famous for?
Sir Francis Drake is best known for circumnavigating Earth (1577–80), preying on Spanish ships along the way. Later he was credited for his defense of England by raiding Spain's harbour at Cádiz in 1587 and (according to many sources) by disrupting the Spanish Armada in the English Channel with fire ships in 1588.
What was Drake’s early life like?
Francis Drake was born in Tavistock, Devon, around 1542. The eldest of 12 sons, he first went to sea as an apprentice aged 12. During the period in which he lived, there was a rise in England’s population and a desire to explore the world for trade routes and colonies, and to benefit from the huge profits being made from the Americas and the Eastern spice trade.
When did Francis Drake circumnavigate the world?
Drake voyaged around the world between 1577 to 1580. The original purpose of the trip was to raid Spanish ships and ports.
What was Francis Drake’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth I?
Drake was one of Queen Elizabeth’s most renowned sailors, making a name for himself as an enemy of the Spanish and obtaining much wealth for the Queen in the process.
What was Francis Drake’s role in the Spanish Armada?
The Spanish Armada led by King Philip II of Spain attempted to invade England in 1588, to avenge the death of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587.
How many ships did Drake capture?
Between 20 and 30 Spanish ships were sunk or captured during the raid. Drake was also involved in many battles against the Spanish Armada in 1588, most notably the capture of the Spanish flagship Rosario.
What was Drake's ship called?
Drake himself sailed on the Pelican, which he renamed mid-voyage to the Golden Hind in honour of his patron Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest featured a female red deer (a 'golden hind').
What did Tierra del Fuego mean?
This meant that ships could sail between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans around the bottom of South America (later known as the Cape Horn route).
Why did Drake bury his treasure?
Further north in Chile a tale says that because Drake feared falling prisoner to the Spanish he buried his treasure near Arica , these being one of many Chilean stories about entierros ("burrowings").
What was Drake's first major enterprise?
In 1572, Drake embarked on his first major independent enterprise. He planned an attack on the Isthmus of Panama, known to the Spanish as Tierra Firme and the English as the Spanish Main. This was the point at which the silver and gold treasure of Peru had to be landed and sent overland to the Caribbean Sea, where galleons from Spain would pick it up at the town of Nombre de Dios. Drake left Plymouth on 24 May 1572, with a crew of 73 men in two small vessels, the Pascha (70 tons) and the Swan (25 tons), to capture Nombre de Dios.
How many barrels did Drake make?
Drake estimated that he captured around 1600–1700 tons of barrel staves, enough to make 25,000 to 30,000 barrels (4,800 m 3) for containing provisions.
What did Drake die of?
As a vice admiral, he was second-in-command of the English fleet in the victorious battle against the Spanish Armada in 1588. After unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico, he died of dysentery in January 1596.
How much gold did Drake find?
Aboard Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, Drake found 36 kilograms (80 lb) of gold, a golden crucifix, jewels, 13 chests full of royals of plate and 26 thousand kilograms (26 long tons) of silver.
Why was the Drake family named after Francis Russell?
Because of religious persecution during the Prayer Book Rebellion in 1549 , the Drake family fled from Devon to Kent. There Drake's father obtained an appointment to minister the men in the King's Navy.
What is Drake's most famous expedition?
Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580. This included his incursion into the Pacific Ocean, until then an area of exclusive Spanish interest, and his claim to New Albion for England, an area in what is now the U.S. state of California.
How many crewmen were on the Drake expedition?
But just where Drake, about 80 crewmen, and one pregnant African woman named Maria stepped ashore has been a matter of acrimonious dispute for nearly a century-and-a-half. Most of the expedition’s details were immediately classified by the queen, who worried that the news of Drake’s claim would instigate open war with Spain. What was published in subsequent decades was often incomplete and ambiguous. As a result, professional and amateur scholars poring over contemporary maps, letters and other documents have proposed candidate harbors from Mexico to Alaska.
Why did the Golden Hind land on the West Coast?
After their Spanish raids, as described in written reports by Drake and other crew members, the Golden Hind landed along the west coast of North America for several weeks to caulk his leaky ship and claim the land for Elizabeth I , the first formal claim by an Englishman to a piece of the Americas. To commemorate that act, Drake posted a “a Plate of Brasse” as a “monument of our being there,” according to an account by one of the crew.
What is the story of Thunder Go North?
Thunder Go North unravels the mysteries surrounding Drake’s famous voyage and summer sojourn in this bay.
What was the Golden Hind?
Few sea voyages are as famous as that of the Golden Hind, privateer Francis Drake’s around-the-world voyage that ended with his arrival into England’s Plymouth harbor in 1580. Along with being a remarkable feat of seamanship, the world’s second circumnavigation, among other achievements, was the first to map large portions ...
Where was the Drake prank found?
They concluded that the object was fabricated by a group of prominent San Franciscans, including one Clamper, and was “found” north of San Francisco as a prank to amuse Bolton, who had previously asked the public to keep an eye out for what Drake had left behind.
Who is the Drake Navigators Guild?
Members of the Drake Navigators Guild, a nonprofit group championing the Drakes Bay theory, soundly reject Darby’s assertion about Bolton. “The idea of a conspiracy doesn’t work,” says Michael Von der Porten, a financial planner and second-generation member of the guild whose father was part of the 2003 team that studied the hoax. He also dismisses her conclusions about a landing north of Drakes Bay. “This is yet another fringe theory, a total farce.”
Where was Francis Drake's encampment?
The Hondius map of 1589 inset depicts Drake's encampment at New Albion, Portus Novas Albionis. ( Wikicommons) Few sea voyages are as famous as that of the Golden Hind, privateer Francis Drake’s around-the-world voyage ...
What was Drake's role in the Spanish invasion of England?
When the Spanish Armada did launch in 1588, Drake, serving as vice admiral in command of the nimble English fleet of warships, was instrumental in the destruction of the mighty Spanish Armada off the coast of England, helping to pave the way for England to become a global superpower and helping Drake secure a reputation as one of the finest sailors in history .
What was the Golden Hind filled with?
His ship, the Golden Hind (which had originally been named the Pelican ), was soon filled with gold and silver, chests of rare porcelains from China, spices, and silks.
How many ships did Drake have?
Drake commanded a fleet of about 25 ships and 2,300 men. His most important targets during this expedition were Santo Domingo (in present day Dominican Republic) and Cartagena (in present-day Colombia); from both of those towns he wrung fat ransoms.
What happened to Francis Drake?
A couple weeks later, Sir Francis Drake died aboard ship of dysentery on January 28, 1596, and was buried at sea near Portobelo on the Caribbean coast of Panamá.
What was Francis Drake known for?
Quick Facts. During his time, Sir Francis Drake was known in England as an expert sailor, adventurer, privateer, navigator, and war hero. The Spanish, however, viewed him as an illegal trader of enslaved people and a ruthless pirate. Francis Drake came of age during a time of empire building for England, which trailed the earlier explorations ...
What was Drake's most famous voyage?
While "The Voyage of Circumnavigation," is one of Drake's most famous maritime exploits, after serving as Mayor of Plymouth and a Member of Parliament in the early 1580s, he returned to sea in 1585 to raid Spanish settlements in the Caribbean. Drake commanded a fleet of about 25 ships and 2,300 men. His most important targets during this expedition were Santo Domingo (in present day Dominican Republic) and Cartagena (in present-day Colombia); from both of those towns he wrung fat ransoms.
What was Drake's last successful venture?
However, the defeat of the Spanish Armada was among the last of Drake's successful ventures. An expedition to attack Spain failed in 1589. Six years later, he returned to the Caribbean, where he would suffer two significant defeats.
Was Drakes intention to find a place to set up a British colony?
When asked if the English were attempting to set up Colonies on the Pacific Coast Butler replied that Sir Richard Grenville had applied to set up at Rio de la Plata, but did not proceed. Butler said the “Francis Drake had often spoken to him saying that if the Queen would grant him a license he would pass through the Strait [Magellan] and found a colony on the west side in some good land” (Wagner 1926:5-6 – from Nutall 1914. Butler’s deposition, 5, Oxenham’s 8).
What is part 2 of the Drake Expedition?
Part II, in this series, will deal with the question of First Nations (Native Americans) and the Drake expedition. Part III, will look at the question of potential physical evidence from the Drake expedition to the Northwest Coast.
When did Madox mention Drake?
Madox mentions on April 30, 1582 that “after supper Captayne Drake made a discourse on his voyage and also his extemytyes on his voyage” (Donno 1974:309). On October 13, Madox mentions: “In Ships Land which is the back Syde of Labradore and as M. Haul [Christopher Hall] Supposeth nye thereunto Sir Frances Drake graved and bremd his ship the [r] at 48 degrees to the north”. (Donno 1974:208-209).
What did Henry Wagner say about Drake?
Henry Wagner was an excellent scholar of his day. At the time of his writing he did not have all of the information that is available today. His comments on this subject of Drake’s voyage were interpreted by his view that Drake was to establish trade in the Moluccas and not to look for a Northwest Passage. Wagner stated that trade in the Moluccas “might have been either the sole or chief object of his expedition”. Wagner did not believe that colonization was on the agenda and considered the Anonymous Narrative statement about the Strait to be “ambiguous”. He indicated that “All that can be conceded is that Drake, and certainly Fenton [reference to Edward Fenton’s voyage of 1582-83], had instructions to plant a factory somewhere, if a good opportunity offered” (Wagner 1926:15-21).
What degree was the ship at the bay?
John Drake (Wagner, 1926:138) said the ship repaired at a bay in 48 degrees. Wagner suggests this statement was a conspiracy to claim to 48 degrees for political reasons (p. 140). It would seem more likely to me that Drake would have claimed a location further south so the Spanish did not discovered the location they had found further north. In a second deposition John Drake stated that it was in 44 degrees – possibly 600 miles from the coast. One interpretation here is that the ship, after moving rapidly north to 44 degrees in a storm, was forced by Northwest winds to head Northeast to come near the shore at 48 degrees? This fits best with the statement below.
When did Francis Drake sail into the South Sea?
The Famous Voyage of Sir Francis Drake into the South sea, and there hence about the whole Globe of the earth in the yeere of our Lord, 1577.
Where did Francis Drake go on his voyage?
There are many hundreds of books and articles published on Francis Drake but few of them deal in any detail with the northern most part of his voyage on the Pacific coast of North America. Of those that do the sources they use are few.
What did Raleigh decide about the settlement of the Chesapeake Bay?
He ordered the colonists ashore on Roanoke Island. Raleigh decided that the Chesapeake Bay area was a better site for settlement. The colonists soon learned that Indians had murdered the 15 men and were uneasy at the prospect of remaining on Roanoke Island. But Fernandes left them no choice.
Why was Raleigh named Virginia?
The new land was named “Virginia” in honor of the Virgin Queen, and the next year, Raleigh sent a party of 100 soldiers, miners and scientists to Roanoke Island. Under the direction of Ralph Lane, the garrison was doomed from the beginning.
How many pioneers were there on Roanoke Island?
The 117 pioneers of Roanoke Island had vanished into the great wilderness.
What was Fernandes' role in the war?
Fernandes, however, was by trade a privateer in the escalating war between Spain and England. By the time the caravan arrived at Roanoke Island in July, 1587, to check on the 15 men left behind a year earlier, he had grown impatient with White and anxious to resume the hunt for Spanish shipping.
Where did White find the colony?
White found no such sign, and he had every hope that he would locate the colony and his family at Croatoan, the home of Chief Manteo’s people south of Roanoke on present-day Hatteras Island. Before he could make further exploration, however, a great hurricane arose, damaging his ships and forcing him back to England.
Who were the first Europeans to set eyes on the island of Roanoke?
Roanoke Voyages. England’s expeditions to the New World between 1584 and 1590, including the Lost Colony. Roanoke Voyages. In 1584, explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe were the first known Europeans to set eyes on the island. They had been sent to the area by Sir Walter Raleigh with the mission of scouting the broad sounds ...
Who was the governor of Raleigh?
Raleigh was angry with Lane but not deterred from his mission. He recruited 117 men, women and children for a more permanent settlement, and appointed John White governor of the new “Cittie of Raleigh”. Among the colonists were White’s pregnant daughter, Eleanor Dare, his son-in-law Ananias Dare, and the Indian chief Manteo, who had become an ally during his stay in Britain.
Early Life
Slave Trade
- In 1567, Drake and his cousin John Hawkins sailed to Africa in order to join the fledgling slave trade. When they sailed to New Spain to sell their captives to settlers there (which was against Spanish law), they were trapped by a Spanish attack in the Mexican port of San Juan de Ulua. Many of their crewmates were killed in the incident, though Drake and Hawkins escaped, and Dr…
Privateer For The British Crown
- After leading two successful expeditions to the West Indies, Drake came to the attention of Queen Elizabeth I, who granted him a privateer’s commission, effectively giving him the right to plunder Spanish ports in the Caribbean. Drake did just that in 1572, capturing the port of Nombre de Dios (a drop-off point for silver and gold brought from Peru) and crossing the Isthmus of Panama, wh…
The Spanish Armada
- In 1585, with hostilities heating up again between England and Spain, the queen gave Drake command of a fleet of 25 ships. He sailed to the West Indies and the coast of Floridaand mercilessly plundered Spanish ports there, taking Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands, Cartagena in Colombia, St. Augustine in Florida and San Domingo (now Santo Domingo, capital of the Domi…
Final Years
- After a failed 1589 expedition to Portugal, Drake returned home to England for several years, until Queen Elizabeth enlisted him for one more voyage, against Spanish possessions in the West Indies in early 1596. The expedition proved to be a dismal failure: Spain fended off the English attacks, and Drake came down with fever and dysentery. He died in late January 1596 at age 55 …
Sources
- Sir Francis Drake. National Park Service. Sir Francis Drake (c.1540 - c.1596). BBC. Sir Francis Drake Facts. Royal Museums Greenwich. Roanoke Voyages. The Lost Colony.
Overview
Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540 – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 (the first English circumnavigation, the second carried out in a single expedition, and third circumnavigation overall). This included his incursion into the Pacific Ocean, u…
Cultural impact
In Valparaíso, Chile, folklore associates a cave known as Cueva del Pirata (lit. "Cave of the Pirate") with Francis Drake. A legend says that when Drake sacked the port he became disappointed over the scant plunder. Drake proceeded to enter the churches in fury to sack them and urinate on the goblets. However he still found the plunder to be not worth enough to take it on board his galleon, hi…
Birth and early years
Francis Drake was born in Tavistock, Devon, England. Although his birth date is not formally recorded, it is known that he was born while the Six Articles of 1539 were in force. His birth date is estimated from contemporary sources such as: "Drake was two and twenty when he obtained the command of the Judith" (1566). This would date his birth to 1544. A date of c. 1540 is suggested from …
Marriage and family
Francis Drake married Mary Newman at St. Budeaux church, Plymouth, in July 1569. She died 12 years later, in 1581. In 1585, Drake married Elizabeth Sydenham—born circa 1562, the only child of Sir George Sydenham, of Combe Sydenham, who was the High Sheriff of Somerset. After Drake's death, the widow Elizabeth eventually married Sir William Courtenay of Powderham.
Early career at sea
Scholars think it is likely Francis Drake was illegitimate , and that is probably why he was placed at an early age into the household of William Hawkins of Plymouth. Drake began his seagoing training as an apprentice on Hawkin's boats. By 18, he was a bursar, and in the 1550s, Drake's father found the young man a position with the owner and master of a small barque, one of the small traders plying between the Medway River and the Dutch coast. Drake likely engaged in co…
Rathlin Island massacre
Drake was present at the 1575 Rathlin Island massacre in Ireland. Acting on the instructions of Sir Henry Sidney and the Earl of Essex, Sir John Norreys and Drake laid siege to Rathlin Castle. Despite their surrender, Norreys' troops killed all the 200 defenders and more than 400 civilian men, women and children of Clan MacDonnell. Meanwhile, Drake was given the task of preventing any Gaelic Irish or Scottish reinforcements reaching the island. Therefore, the remaining leader …
Circumnavigation (1577–1580)
With the success of the Panama isthmus raid, in 1577 Elizabeth I of England sent Drake to start an expedition against the Spanish along the Pacific coast of the Americas. Drake acted on the plan authored by Sir Richard Grenville, who had received royal patent for it in 1574. Just a year later the patent was rescinded after protests from Philip of Spain.
Purchase of Buckland Abbey
In 1580, Drake purchased Buckland Abbey, a large manor house near Yelverton in Devon, via intermediaries from Sir Richard Greynvile. He lived there for fifteen years, until his final voyage, and it remained in his family for several generations. Buckland Abbey is now in the care of the National Trust and a number of mementos of his life are displayed there.