Francis Drake is a navigator, discoverer and beloved corsair of the Queen of England. His exploits and travels made many strive for the vast expanses of the ocean. However, only a few managed to achieve the level of wealth and fame that Francis Drake possessed.
Biography
The future navigator was born in Central England, in the family of a wealthy farmer. Drake Francis was the oldest child in a large family. As the eldest son he was told the work of his father, but the heart of young Francis belonged to the sea. At the age of 12, he became a young boy on the merchant ship of one of his many relatives. Diligent and fast training in marine sciences distinguished him from his peers. The owner liked the young Drake Francis so much that when he died, he left the ship to the former Jung as a legacy. So in his 18 years, Drake becomes the captain of his own ship.
First swim
At first, like all captains of merchant ships, Drake Francis transported various commercial cargoes to the British Kingdom. In 1560, Drake's uncle, John Hawkins, drew attention to the catastrophic shortage of workers on New World plantations. The idea of involving American Aborigines in forced labor was unsuccessful - the Indians did not want to work, were not afraid of torture and death, and their relatives had an unpleasant habit of taking revenge on white people for kidnapped and tortured redskins.
Slaves are another matter. They could be imported from the Black Continent, bought for trinkets, sold or exchanged. For us, living in the 21st century, these words sound blasphemous. But for an Englishman of the 16th century, it was just a business - the same as any other.
Trade in live goods
The laws of the New World allowed to trade only those slaves that were supplied by the Trading House of Seville. But the demand for slaves far 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 plan with several trading enterprises, and they gave him money to start work. Already the first flight to the New World with live goods more than paid for the funds invested in the enterprise. Although it was believed that Hawkins’s actions were not reprehensible, the old sailor resorted to guns and guns when a governor did not agree with his methods of work. Corporate taxes were regularly paid to the treasury of England. Several flights from Africa to the New World made Hawkins and his patrons very wealthy.
Hawkins-Drake Enterprise
In the third voyage, Hawkins took his nephew Francis Drake and, as usual, went to the shores of Africa for live goods. By this time, Drake Francis was an experienced captain, sailed in the Bay of Biscay and crossed the Atlantic with experienced smuggler John Lovel. The joint expedition ended tragically - a storm caught the ships of the corsairs, the squadron lost its course, and the flagship suffered more than others. John Hawkins decided to be repaired and headed for the port of San Juan de Ulua, located in Honduras. Following him went Francis Drake. What he discovered was the extremely unfriendly reception that this little town had to two sailors. The port’s cannons unequivocally warned that it was very dangerous to approach, and negotiations with local authorities were unsuccessful. At this time, the sails of the Spanish coastal squadron appeared on the horizon. Smugglers had to engage in an unequal battle. Francis Drake's “Swan” ship was less damaged during the storm, and the corsair managed to escape from the pursuers, leaving the companion to their fate.
Having reached the English coast, Drake told everyone that his uncle died in an unequal battle. But after a few weeks, the corsair was waiting for an unpleasant meeting: as it turned out, Hawkins managed to survive, and he was able to escape from the Honduran trap with several sailors who survived. It is not known what the uncle and nephew were talking about, but after a few years they organized a new expedition and began to raid the New World again.
Pirate Francis Drake
After this incident, Drake vowed to avenge the Spanish crown for an unsuccessful Honduran raid. He constantly pursued the Spanish courts, causing considerable damage to the crown. The fact that the Spaniards were concerned about the constant attacks of Drake is evidenced by the fact that a reward of 20 thousand ducats was assigned to the head of the English pirate. His first retaliation expedition left Portsmouth docks in 1572. On two ships - “Swan” and “Pasha” - headed for the New World and managed to capture the Colombian port of Nombre de Dios. Here he managed to rob several Spanish ships and capture rich booty. Then Drake crossed the Isthmus of Panama to see the Pacific Ocean.
Probably, the view of the endless space prompted the pirate to create certain plans, which he was able to implement several years later.
War with ireland
At this time, war broke out in the homeland of the brave captain. Ireland made another attempt to gain its independence. Drake agrees to serve the Earl of Essex and takes part in naval battles against the Irish. In his squadron were three government frigates, with the help of which he attacked the coastal Irish villages and sank enemy ships. For service in the government fleet, Drake Francis was introduced to the queen as the best of the captains.
Direction - South America
It is not known whether the impudent captain presented his plans to Queen Elizabeth at the first meeting or whether this happened during one of the subsequent meetings. Drake emphasized that the hegemony of Spain in the New World must be destroyed, and the coast of the South American continent is ideal for this purpose. He was going to destroy the Spanish colonies located in this part of the world and lay down huge booty at the feet of Elizabeth. The Queen of England found Drake's offer very interesting and even gave him five government ships.
World Expedition
In December 1577, Francis Drake (1577-1580) began his three-year expedition. His ships headed for South America. After the battle near Rio de la Plata, he went further south and circled Patagonia in two ships. After several skirmishes with the natives, he managed to reach the Strait of Magellan, which was opened in 1520. During the storm, he lost sight of his second ship, which, in the end, returned to the English shores on its own. And the flagship "Golden Doe" continued its journey around the world.
Other shores
On the Pacific shores of South America, Drake thoroughly looted the rich ports of Peru and Chile, seizing merchant ships and loaded with prey. His greatest success was the capture of the magnificent Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Concepcion, the best ship of the Spanish squadron. The ship captured by Drake transported a rich load of gold and silver bullion, which was estimated at 150,000 pounds - fabulous money at that time. Realizing that the angry Spaniards would be waiting for him on regular routes, Drake decided to go around the Pacific Ocean and return home on a new road. Replenishing its reserves in 1579, he moved west.
During the voyage, Drake mapped islands and coastlines, established relations with the natives, thereby laying the foundations for England's trade with Asian countries.
Meeting in England
Almost three years of swimming came to an end. In September 1580, Drake arrived in Plymouth. He brought to the port not only his ship, but also the captured Spanish ship, renamed the Cacafuego. The queen very warmly received Drake, because his pirate sorties significantly replenished her treasury. Queen Elizabeth solemnly boarded the Golden Doe and knighted Captain Drake. So the pirate received the title of Sir Francis Drake, and, according to contemporaries, he won the Queen's personal favor and was her favorite.
The corsair’s career did not end after such a triumph. 1585 found him in the Caribbean, where he commanded a fleet of 25 ships of Her Majesty. He captures the rich city of San Domingo and brings tobacco and potatoes to the English coast. Captain Drake's career ended in 1595 after an unsuccessful attempt to capture Las Palmas. In that battle, Drake’s uncle, John Hawkins, died, and the captain, ill with malaria, went home. But, unfortunately, the disease progressed, and the famous pirate died in Portobello. His death was a happy day in Spain, where the news of Drake's death was met with a bell ringing.
It is difficult to overestimate the contribution that Sir Francis Drake made to history. What he discovered can be found on any map of the world. Among his many images of coastlines and small islands, a large strait flaunts between South America and Antarctica. This strait on all maps of the world bears the name of Francis Drake - the famous pirate and corsair of Her Majesty.