Francis Drake

Military Commander

– 1596

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Who was Francis Drake?

Sir Francis Drake, vice admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world, from 1577 to 1580.

Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died of dysentery in January 1596 after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico.

His exploits were legendary, making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards to whom he was known as El Draque. King Philip II was said to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats, about £4 million by modern standards, for his life.

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Also known as
  • Sir Francis Drake
  • El Draque
  • Draco
Parents
Spouses
Nationality
  • Kingdom of England
  • England
Profession
Lived in
  • Buckland Abbey
    (1589 - 1594)
Died
Jan 27, 1596
Portobelo, Colón

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Francis Drake." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/francis_drake>.

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