Francis Drake. Francis Drake

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DRAKE, FRANCIS(Drake, Francis) (c. 1540–1596), English navigator, pirate. Born near Tavistock in Devonshire between 1540 and 1545, his father, a former farmer, became a preacher in Chatham, south of London. Drake probably first sailed on coasting ships that entered the Thames. The Drake family was related to the wealthy Hawkins family of Plymouth. Therefore, after a little-known first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, Drake received a place as captain of a ship in John Hawkins's squadron, which was engaged in the slave trade and delivered them from Africa to the Spanish colonies in the West Indies. The voyage of 1566–1567 ended unsuccessfully as the Spanish launched a treacherous attack on English shipping at the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa in the port of Veracruz on the east coast of Mexico. Revenge for this attack became one of the motives for the subsequent pirate activities of the Navy Paymaster J. Hawkins and Captain F. Drake.

Travel around the world.

For several years, Drake carried out pirate raids in the Caribbean, which Spain considered its territory, captured Nombre de Dios in central Panama, and robbed caravans transporting silver loads on mules from Peru to Panama. His activities attracted the attention of Elizabeth I and a group of courtiers, including the Treasurer of State, Lord Burghley, and the Home Secretary, Francis Walsingham. Funds were raised for the expedition, which lasted from 1577 to 1580. Initially, a campaign was planned to search for the supposed Southern mainland, but it resulted - perhaps at the Queen's behest (even though England and Spain were not yet at war) - into the most successful pirate raid in history, generating a return of £47 for every pound invested.

Drake sailed as captain of the 100-ton ship Pelican (later renamed the Golden Hind). . In addition, there were four other smaller ships, which, however, never completed the voyage. After quelling a mutiny on a ship off the coast of Patagonia, Argentina, when one of his officers, Thomas Doughty, was punished, Drake entered the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Magellan. Then his flotilla was carried south to approximately 57° S, and as a result, Drake discovered the strait between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica that now bears his name (although he himself probably never saw Cape Horn). On his way north, he plundered ships and harbors off the coasts of Chile and Peru and seemed to intend to return through the supposed Northwest Passage. Somewhere at the latitude of Vancouver (no ship's logs survive) due to bad weather Drake was forced to turn south and anchor somewhat north of modern San Francisco. The site, which he named New Albion, was established in 1936 thanks to the discovery of a copper plate with the date June 17, 1579, approximately 50 km northwest of Golden Gate (now Drake Bay). The plate bears an inscription declaring this territory the possession of Queen Elizabeth. Drake then crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached the Moluccas Islands, after which he returned to England.

Drake sailed around the world, demonstrating his mastery of navigation. The Queen granted him a knighthood as the first captain to commit circumnavigation(Magellan's claim has been disputed since he died during a voyage in 1521). The account of Drake's sea voyages, compiled by the ship's chaplain Francis Fletcher and published by Haklut, is still very popular. Having received his share of the spoils, Drake purchased Buckland Abbey near Plymouth, which now houses the Francis Drake Museum.

War with Spain.

In 1585, Drake was appointed commander-in-chief of the English fleet heading to the West Indies, which meant the beginning of open war with Spain. His skill in the tactics of combined sea and land operations allowed him to capture successively Santo Domingo (on the island of Haiti), Cartagena (on the Caribbean coast of Colombia) and St. Augustine (in Florida). Before returning to his homeland in 1586, he took with him the colonists (at their request) from the Roanoke River valley (Virginia). Thus, the first colony in America, founded by Walter Raleigh, which was not just a settlement, but also a strategic base for pirate raids in the Caribbean, ceased to exist.

Meanwhile, in Spain the preparation of the Invincible Armada for an attack on England was successfully completed, so in 1587 Drake was sent to Cadiz on the southern Atlantic coast of Spain. Boldness combined with superior power allowed Drake to destroy the ships in this port. Everyone expected Drake to command the fleet at Plymouth to defend England from the attack of the Spanish Armada in 1588. However, the Queen felt that due to Drake's low birth and independent nature, Drake could not be appointed commander-in-chief. Although Drake himself was personally involved in preparing and equipping the fleet, he dutifully yielded leadership to Lord Howard of Effingham and remained his chief adviser on tactical matters throughout the campaign.

Thanks to skillful maneuvering, the English fleet broke through to the sea and turned back the Armada. When the week-long pursuit of the Armada in the English Channel began, Drake was appointed fleet commander on the Revenge (a ship displacing 450 tons with 50 guns on board), but he rejected this offer and captured the damaged Spanish ship Rosario. and brought him to Dartmouth. The next day, Drake played a decisive role in the defeat of the Spanish fleet at Gravelines (northeast of Calais).

Drake's expedition against Spain and the siege of the city of La Coruña on its northwestern coast, undertaken in 1588 to destroy the remnants of the Armada, turned out to be a complete failure, mainly due to miscalculations in the logistics of the campaign. Drake fell into disgrace, although he remained active in local affairs as mayor of Plymouth and member of parliament for that city. He also founded a shelter for wounded sailors in Chatham. In 1595 he was again called into the navy to lead an expedition to the West Indies along with J. Hawkins. The expedition ended in failure, Hawkins died off the coast of Puerto Rico, and Drake himself died of fever on January 28, 1596 off the coast of Portobelo.

Added: 05/17/2011

At the beginning of the journey

Francis Drake was born in 1540 (1543 according to other sources) on a farm near Tavistock in Devonshire (Tavistock, Devonshire). He was the eldest of 12 children in the family of a poor rural priest, Edmund Drake. Apparently, Edmund Drake was somehow connected with the sea - most likely, he served as a ship's chaplain.

Already at the age of 9-10 years, Francis Drake became a cabin boy on a merchant ship making voyages to continental Europe. IN at a young age Drake proved himself so well that already in 1561 he inherited his first ship, the 50-ton Judith (Judith), from the old captain.

In 1561-1567, Drake, as the captain-owner of the ship, carried out trading activities, including the slave trade (at that time, the business itself was completely legal). In 1567, he took part in John Hawkins' expedition to the West Indies. The enterprise ended in disaster. In the harbor of San Juan de Uloa (modern Mexico near Veracruz), where the British went to recover from strong storm, they were locked up and defeated by the Spanish squadron. Of the five English ships, only Drake's Judith returned to England.

(However, Hawkins also survived - he will still play his role in Drake’s fate).

It should be noted here that this Hawkins expedition itself was not a pirate expedition in the current sense of the word. The English brought slaves to the West Indies to sell. But since New World The Spaniards considered it their patrimony; they could not like such activities.

One way or another, the defeat in San Juan de Uloa became a landmark event for Francis Drake. He becomes an implacable enemy of the Spaniards.

Royal corsair.

In the late 60s and early 70s of the 16th century, Drake, on two small ships - Pasha and Swan, hunts for Spanish caravans and robs Spanish ships in the Caribbean Sea (and at the same time collects information about the Spaniards and gains experience)

On July 4, 1569, Drake married Mary Newman. This marriage was childless. Mary Newman died 12 years later.

In 1572, Drake undertakes the first land operations of capture and plunder. settlements on the Isthmus of Panama from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast (and at the same time land caravans). These enterprises did not bring much income to Drake, but his name became widely known.

In 1572, Francis Drake received a license for private activities from Queen Elizabeth.

In 1573, in cooperation with the French pirate Guillaume Le Testu, Drake raided a Spanish silver caravan. During the raid, the pirates lost more than thirty people, including Drake's brothers, John and Joseph. But the production was very significant. This allowed Drake, upon returning home, to purchase an estate and become a shipowner of three ships.

Iron Pirate.

On the advice of John Hawkins, Francis Drake entered the royal service, participated in the pacification of the Irish uprising of 1575, acquired the necessary acquaintances and connections, and then Drake was recommended to Secretary of State Francis Walsingham and introduced to the queen. He had the opportunity to present to Elizabeth I his plan for an expedition to the west coast of America and received support.

Of course, the participation of the Queen of England, as well as others " powerful of the world The sponsors of Drake's expedition were carefully hidden.

On December 13, 1577, Francis Drake, at the head of a squadron of 5 ships on the flagship Pelican, set out from Plymouth on his most famous voyage. By this time, he was already surrounded by the glory of the “iron pirate”, an experienced navigator and an excellent naval tactician.

It is not known for certain what the main goals were set for Drake’s expedition by the court of Elizabeth I - England was at peace with Spain, and the state’s participation in Drake’s enterprise was not advertised.

But the results of this voyage are well known.

On September 26, 1580, the Golden Hind, having completed its voyage around the world, dropped anchor in Plymouth. In addition to purely material production (and this is almost 2 annual budgets of England), there were other equally important historical and political results this swim. Queen Elizabeth I knighted Francis Drake on April 4, 1581, aboard the Golden Hind.

According to the historian G. M. Trevelyan, "It was the most important knighthood ever bestowed by an English sovereign, for it was a direct challenge to Spain and a call to the people of England to turn to the sea and seek their strength there."

Sir Francis Drake bought an estate in Buckland (Buckland Abbey, Devon) - a knighthood required him to have his own castle, was elected mayor of Plymouth, appointed inspector of the Royal Naval Commission, and in 1584 became a member of the House of Commons of the British Parliament.

In February 1585, Drake married 20-year-old Elizabeth Sydenham, who came from a wealthy and noble family. However, this marriage was childless.

Admiral of the Royal Navy

In 1585 - 1586 Drake commanded a large force of 21 ships. Under his command were 2,300 soldiers and sailors. Drake's vice-admiral was the famous captain Sir Martin Frobisher. The campaign in the West Indies, the plunder of Cartagena and San Augustin in Cuba brought England more than 300 thousand pounds. Art. and about 240 guns.

Another significant campaign was carried out by Drake in April 1587. At the head of a squadron of 13 ships, he suddenly attacked Spanish Cadiz, where the famous Invincible Armada was being formed. Drake's flotilla sank and burned 30 of the 60 Spanish ships, including a 40-gun, 1,000-ton Spanish galleon, and another large Spanish galleon was boarded in the inner harbor of Cadiz. At the end of this campaign, the castle of Sagrish was destroyed, about 50 small caravels and other small ships were sunk and captured, and the carrack San Felipe, returning from the East Indies with a rich cargo, was captured.

By all accounts, Drake's campaign delayed the attack of the Invincible Armada on England by at least a year, which undoubtedly allowed the latter to better prepare for the Spanish invasion.

Of course, Sir Francis Drake was a direct and active participant in the defeat of the Invincible Armada (132 ships!) in 1588. On his ship Revenge, he took part in the battles of Plymouth, Portland, the Isle of Wight, near Calais and Gravelines.

The outstanding role of Francis Drake in the confrontation with Spain was noted even by the opponents and enemies of England. Pope Sixtus V wrote: “Have you heard how Drake and his fleet forced battle on the Armada? With what courage! Do you think he showed any fear? He is a great captain!”

Apparently, after this, Sir Francis Drake's luck turned away. His subsequent campaigns and enterprises were either unsuccessful or simply failed.

Sir Francis Drake made his last voyage with Hawkins to the West Indies. However, the Spaniards, prepared and having learned a lot in recent years, managed to repel the British. This voyage was not particularly successful. Moreover, the British squadron suffered from tropical fever and dysentery.

In November 1595, John Hawkins died on the roadstead of San Juan (Puerto Rico island) after a serious illness. And on January 28, 1596, in Nombre de Dios (where he was wounded in the leg in 1572), Francis Drake himself died of dysentery.

The chronicler writes that, sensing the approach of death, the “iron pirate” put on armor to accept death as befits a warrior and knight.

Under the salvos of the ship's guns, the lead coffin with the body of Sir Francis Drake sank to the bottom of the sea.

The most successful corsair in history often took desperate risks. And he almost always won. What was that? Sober calculation or miracles of exceptional luck?

By the middle of the 16th century, an unusual situation had developed in the Atlantic - in the Caribbean and off the coast of Europe. In just a few years, in these waters, which were previously dangerous only due to their storms, a new terrible danger appeared - pirates! And the English immediately began to play the first violin in this concert. Why them? England was late to the division of the American and Asian colonies. IN XVI century, the Spaniards and the Portuguese confidently settled there. So, become new conquistadors English men it was difficult. Where should a young, brave, strong guy who wants to get rich quickly go? Well, of course, into pirates! And given the fact that piracy was almost officially encouraged by the British government, then sea ​​robbery became literally national idea Britain.

And the most outstanding pirates became national heroes. Sir became such a specific hero Francis Drake – one of the greatest pirates that English soil has ever produced.

The most in-demand profession in England

Of course, at birth Drake was not any sir at all. This is then the queen , satisfied with the very profitable (for the treasury) activities of the pirate, will grant him a knighthood. And about 1540 when in the family of a Devonshire farmer Edmund Drake A boy was born, who was named Francis; no one could have imagined that he would become a sir, a vice admiral and a threat to the Spanish crown.

However, one should not consider the small English landowners (yeomen), from among whom the parents of the future pirate came, as representatives of the lowest classes. So, young Francis received a very good (for those times) education.

He could both read and write. And not only in English, but also in French. From his father, who in his declining years moved from “agricultural workers” to preachers, Drake inherited the art of persuasion - an indispensable quality for any leader (including the leader of sea robbers).

When Francis was still a teenager, his father apprenticed him to the skipper of a trading barge. It is unlikely that Drake Sr. dreamed of seeing his son as a robber. Rather, he wanted to provide the boy with guaranteed employment in adulthood. And in England the second half XVI century, the most popular professions turned out to be those that were somehow connected with the sea.

So Francis becomes a cabin boy on the ship. The ship is a trading ship and sails only in coastal waters. It's not even a school yet, but kindergarten for every English sailor. But you must definitely go through it in order to step higher. And the school specifically for Francis was already serving John Hawkins - famous sailor of the Elizabethan era. Hawkins was eight years older than Drake. And most importantly, he was a nobleman with connections. Therefore, Hawkins quickly became an influential leader, and the son of commoners, Drake, at first only worked for him.

What was Drake doing at Hawkins' place? Oh, then it was the most popular (just emerging, but promising great prospects) business - slave trade!

The Slave Trade: The Young Sailor's School

So, if coastal (coastal) navigation was Drake's kindergarten, then the slave trading expeditions of John Hawkins became his school.

A quick-witted sailor with a well-spoken tongue, Drake quickly attracted the attention of his owner. A promising young man receives a bark under his command "Judith". Very quickly Drake becomes right hand John Hawkins.

However, in 1568 The growing Hawkins-Drake business suffered an unexpected fiasco. During another visit to the New World with a party of slaves, at the Mexican fortress of San Juan de Ulua, Hawkins' squadron was attacked by the Spaniards, who had long been suspicious of the visits of English ships to their colonies. Madrid believed that trade with the Spanish colonies, including slaves, should be carried out by Spanish merchants, and not by foreigners.

Abandoning the flagship with all its valuables, Hawkins managed to escape from the Spaniards on the light ship Mignon. Drake also escaped from the ring of Spanish ships on his Judith. The remaining English ships sank or were captured.

Outraged slave traders Drake and Hawkins arrived in England, where, through official channels, they demanded compensation from the Spanish king for the losses incurred as a result of such a blatant “violation of international law.” The fact that before its defeat, Hawkins’s squadron, in addition to the slave trade, also managed to plunder some coastal Mexican settlements, the plaintiffs modestly passed over in silence.

King of Spain Philip II , of course, ignored this complaint. Then Drake decided that " You shouldn’t expect favors from Spain, taking them from her is our task" Thus, it was no longer a slave trader who was born, but the pirate Drake...

Drake's first pirate raid

Drake's first pirate raid in 1572 glorified his name throughout England. Having equipped several ships partly with his own and partly with government funds, he set off for the Caribbean Sea. There, after a series of mediocre successes, a major success awaited Francis: the “Silver Fleet” of the Spanish crown...

Every year in the spring, a flotilla of dozens of ships sailed from the coast of America to Spain. She was carrying whole mountains of silver, mined at the famous Bolivian silver mines in Potosi. Therefore, this flotilla was nicknamed the “Silver Fleet”.
Of course, for Drake and his small squadron there was no question of capturing the entire “Silver Fleet”, which consisted of several dozen cargo and military (security) ships with a large and trained crew. But the fact is that the “Silver Fleet” was formed in Havana (the starting point of the trip to Spain).
Spanish ships arrived at the main port of Cuba from all over South and Central America, carrying silver and other valuables mined or plundered in the controlled territories. From these mini-squadrons the mighty “Silver Fleet” was later formed, the attack on which was discussed in in full force there was nothing to think about.

But Drake was just lucky to intercept such a Spanish mini-squadron transporting valuable cargo to Havana. The British production was colossal - 30 tons of silver. Drake returned to England as a rich man and a pirate famous throughout the country.

Pirate and Queen: Secret Additional Agreement

Drake's second foray was even more successful than the first. In November 1577 Drake went on an expedition to the Pacific coast of America. The squadron sailed with the full official support of the queen Elizabeth , which was convinced of the talents of the ambitious captain and the incredible profitability of such events for the treasury. However, formally the purpose of the trip was the discovery of new lands.

However, everyone understood that Drake was not going on a hike with educational purposes. A secret contract was attached to the official instructions, according to which the queen, at her own expense, equips Drake with a squadron of six ships, and in return he undertakes to hand over 50% of the valuables captured during the “voyage” to the royal treasury.

The results of the campaign exceeded all our wildest expectations. Drake walked along the Pacific coast with fire and sword, attacking spanish cities and villages. But these were all trifles compared to the main prize - manila galleon. Every year, on the other side of the planet, a galleon set out from Manila (in the Spanish Philippines), which carried to the metropolis all the loot from these Asian islands for the whole year.

But go west through Indian Ocean, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, the Spaniards were afraid. They feared (and quite rightly) Asian, Arab, African and, of course, European sea robbers, who were found in abundance in the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Therefore, the Spaniards chose a different path. Head east, straight across the Pacific Ocean to the port of Acapulco in Spanish Mexico. There, the valuables of the Manila galleon were unloaded and transported overland to the opposite (Atlantic) coast, where they were again loaded onto ships and sent to Spain itself. This path was quite labor-intensive, but shorter and, most importantly, safer...

Yes, it was safer that way. They had already become accustomed to English pirates in the Caribbean and had military squadrons against them. But they have not yet been seen in the Pacific Ocean. And no serious protection was provided.

And so, having rounded South America through the Strait of Magellan, the Drake pirates broke into the operational (Pacific) space...

Defeated Leviathan

in spring 1579, approaching the harbor of the Mexican port of Acapulco (on the Pacific coast of Mexico), Drake saw the silhouette of a huge ship in the roadstead. It was the same Manila galleon!

This ship could not be confused with any other. The fact is that Spanish entrepreneurs, dissatisfied with competition with suppliers of inexpensive Asian products (primarily textiles), convinced the king to issue a special decree. It was decided that only one cargo ship per year could be sent from the Philippines to Spain. So Castilian weavers wanted to limit the influx of cheap Asian fabrics.

But Spanish traders and merchants in the Philippines found a way out. They began to build this one and only legal vessel of such a size that it could accommodate everything at once. necessary goods. For its era it was truly a giant ship.

The sailing fleet had never seen such a hulk before. Some of the Manila monsters had a displacement of 2000 tons (for comparison: the largest ship in Drake's squadron did not even reach 300 tons). And Drake saw this leviathan in the harbor of Acapulco, where the galleon, apparently, had just arrived with its cargo.

Drake didn't hesitate. He had the element of surprise and a desperate team of thugs on his side. The Spaniards were taken by surprise; most of the team was on the shore. Resistance small security was quickly broken. Countless treasures (and not only Chinese silk, but also spices, porcelain, and precious stones were brought from the Philippines) fell into the hands of pirates.

It should be noted that the Manila galleons at the time of Drake did not yet have cannons, so they could not give artillery repulse to the daring invaders. The Spaniards were used to calmly sailing across the Pacific Ocean, where there were no serious pirates. Why then guns?

However, after Drake's raid, and also after 1587 another British gentleman of luck, Thomas Cavendish , captured the Manila galleon "Saint Anne", the Spaniards have revised their maritime safety regulations. The Manila galleons were now equipped with cannons, and the military crew on the galleons was significantly increased. After these innovations, attack became a very problematic task.

But Drake was lucky. He was the first, which is why he hit such a fat jackpot.

"Golden Hind" brings two state budgets

When in September 1580, after a three-year absence, Drake's only surviving ship is his famous flagship "Golden Doe"- entered Plymouth Harbor, treasures worth £600,000 rested in the holds of the ship. This was twice the annual budget of the entire English kingdom!

Drake was greeted as a national hero. The Queen was delighted. In one fell swoop, dear Sir Francis (he became a sir because he was knighted immediately upon his return) brought her a fantastic gift. According to a secret additional agreement, the queen had the right to half of all the spoils, that is, in this case, 300,000 pounds sterling.

Drake's next, third raid on the Spanish colonies was also effective. IN 1586 the pirate managed to obtain from Cartagena, one of the largest cities in Spanish America, an unheard-of ransom of 107,000 gold pesos at that time. True, in order to achieve this impressive result, Drake first had to burn about a quarter of the city as a warning (which, by the way, pleased Queen Elizabeth, who was then thirsty for “Spanish blood”).

Then there was a daring raid on the Spanish coast itself (on Cadiz in 1587) in order, as the pirate captain himself jokingly put it, “to set the beard of the King of Spain on fire.”

Along the way, near the Azores, Drake captured the carrack "San Filipe", coming from India with a large cargo of gold, spices and silk (the booty was 114,000 pounds; the queen, as before, received her share).

And in 1588 Sir Francis Drake accepted active participation in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. In England it became national hero, and for the Spanish king he became the embodiment of universal evil.

Drake's Last Case

Drake made his last pirate expedition to the West Indies (America) in 1595-1596 in company with John Hawkins, a man to whom he owed much of his enchanting career.

Having gotten involved in the slave trade, John Hawkins also became a pirate. Although here he had to give up the palm to his former protégé(To Drake), nevertheless, the Spaniards were in awe of his name. Initiating another military action against the hated England, spanish king The first thing I was interested in was: Where are Drake and Hawkins now, what are they doing, what are they doing? That is, the long absence of these gentlemen gives at least some hope for success.

But by the middle 1590s Hawkins felt guilty before the queen. On his previous expedition, he brought significantly less gold than he himself expected, and much less than the queen expected. For this, the 60-year-old to the sea wolf a real beating was arranged in the palace.

Wanting to justify himself, Hawkins wrote a letter of repentance to the queen, in the biblical spirit: they say, man proposes, but God disposes.

The pious queen this time (as every other time when it came to pounds sterling) did not heed the religious arguments of her ward. In her hearts, she said to those close to her:

“This fool went to sea as a warrior and returned as a priest!”

Hawkins realized that the Queen could not be won over by God-fearing rhetoric. Red Bess (Red Beth - Elizabeth's nickname) you need to give what she wants most, namely gold. For help, he turned to his old companion, Drake. By the way, the queen also cooled somewhat towards Francis. And all for the same reason: no new chests of gold have been received from him for a long time.

Two old friends decided to improve their reputation in the eyes of the royal court and set off on another expedition to the shores of Spanish America. Alas, this voyage was the last for both of them.

Hawkins died in November 1595 off the coast of Puerto Rico. And two months later, 28 January 1596, near Puer to Bello(now Portobelo in Panama) Francis Drake also died of dysentery. The famous pirate was buried in the ocean in a lead coffin.

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Francis Drake - navigator, discoverer and favorite corsair of the English Queen

Francis Drake - navigator, discoverer and favorite corsair of the English Queen. His exploits and travels forced many to strive into the vast expanses of the ocean. However, only a few managed to achieve the level of wealth and fame that Francis Drake possessed. Francis Drake Biography The future navigator was born in Middle England, into the family of a wealthy farmer. Drake Francis was the eldest child in a large family. As the eldest son, he was destined for his father's work, but young Francis's heart belonged to the sea. Already at the age of 12, he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship of one of his many relatives. Diligent and quick learning marine sciences set him apart from his peers. The owner liked young Drake Francis so much that when he died, he left the ship as an inheritance to the former cabin boy. So at the age of 18, Drake becomes the captain of his own ship.

First voyages At first, like all captains of merchant ships, Drake Francis carried various commercial cargoes to the British kingdom. In 1560, Drake's uncle, John Hawkins, drew attention to the catastrophic labor shortage on New World plantations. The idea of ​​involving American aborigines in forced labor was not successful - the Indians did not want to work, were not afraid of torture and death, and their relatives had the unpleasant habit of taking revenge on white people for the kidnapped and tortured redskins. Another thing is slaves. They could be imported from the Dark Continent, bought for trinkets, sold or exchanged. For us living in the 21st century, these words sound blasphemous. But for a 16th century Englishman it was just a business - just like any other. pirate Francis Drake

Trade in live goods

The laws of the New World allowed trading only those slaves that were supplied by the Trading House of Seville. But the demand for slaves significantly exceeded the capabilities of this commercial organization, and the colonists suffered great 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 idea 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 recouped the funds invested in the enterprise. Although it was believed that there was nothing wrong with Hawkins' actions, the old sailor resorted to cannon and rifles when any governor did not agree with his methods of work. Taxes from the enterprise were regularly paid into the treasury of England. Several voyages from Africa to the New World made Hawkins and his patrons very rich. Hawkins-Drake Enterprise

On the third voyage, Hawkins took his nephew Francis Drake and, as usual, headed to the shores of Africa for live goods. By this time, Drake Francis was an experienced captain, sailing in the Bay of Biscay and crossing the Atlantic with the experienced smuggler John Lovel. The joint expedition ended tragically - the ships of the corsairs were caught in a storm, the squadron lost its course, and the flagship suffered more than the rest. John Hawkins decided to repair and headed to the port of San Juan de Ulua, located in Honduras. Francis Drake followed him. What he discovered was the extremely unfriendly reception that this town gave to two sailors. The port's cannons clearly warned that approaching was very dangerous, and negotiations with the local authorities were unsuccessful. At this time, the sails of the Spanish coastal squadron appeared on the horizon. The smugglers had to engage in an unequal battle. Francis Drake's ship "Swan" was less damaged during the storm, and the corsair managed to escape from his pursuers, leaving his companion to the mercy of fate. Francis Drake 1577 1580

On December 13, 1577, Francis Drake set out on his famous expedition. For her he will receive a knighthood. And later he will become famous as a participant in the defeat of the Invincible Armada. Here's ten more interesting facts about "Her Majesty Elizabeth's pirate"

The name of the corsair underwent curious metamorphoses

In the Spanish colonies he was called El Draque - “The Dragon”. And in Latin his name was written as Franciscus Draco - Francisco the Dragon. A worthy name for a pirate and a knight. The name Drake in obsolete English meant the Dragon, but in modern English it is translated as... drake.

Francis became captain at age 18

He was the eldest son in a family of twelve children. It is no wonder that already at the age of 12 the boy had to work - he became a cabin boy on the merchant ship of his distant relative. At the same time, he fell in love with the owner of the ship so much that he bequeathed his ship to Francis. At the age of 18, the young man became a full-fledged captain. After some time, he began to sail in the squadron of John Hawkins, another of his distant relatives, engaged in the slave trade and delivering from Africa to the Spanish colonies.

Francis Drake became a pirate out of revenge

During the next slave trading expedition, the Spanish attacked the English and sank almost all of their ships - only two ships survived - Drake and Hawkins. The British demanded that the Spanish king pay them for the lost ships. Hearing the refusal, Drake declared that he himself would take everything from the King of Spain. Drake did not forget his promise, and, after some time, he went to the Spanish possessions in the West Indies. There he captured the city, several ships and - most importantly - robbed the Spanish "Silver Caravan", which was carrying about 30 tons of silver. A year later, Drake returned to his homeland as a rich man and a famous captain throughout England.

For his pirate exploits, the queen granted Drake... a knighthood

In 1577, Queen Elizabeth herself sent Drake on an expedition to the coast of America. Officially, the navigator had to discover new lands, unofficially - to loot as much gold as possible. Drake did both. Attacking Spanish ports, he sailed along the coast of South America and then explored the coastline much further north, as far as modern Vancouver. Having landed near San Francisco (according to another version - in modern Oregon), he declared this coast an English possession, “New Albion”. From this trip he brought back 600,000 pounds sterling - an amount twice as large as England's annual income. For these services to the kingdom, Elizabeth I awarded him a knighthood.

Drake's Galleon "Golden Hind"

Francis Drake introduced the tradition of giving military honor

When Queen Elizabeth bestowed a knighthood on the English corsair, she herself came to Drake's ship to knight the hero. As a sign of his reverence for the queen, Drake covered his eyes with his hand: this gesture symbolized that he was blinded by the beauty and radiance of Elizabeth. Since then, the tradition of saluting in front of high-ranking persons has taken root, although the gesture itself has changed a little.

Drake was careful about the impression he made

In his opinion, external brilliance strengthens his authority in the eyes of the team and everyone around him. Therefore, he ordered his cabin to be carefully equipped and decorated, and ordered several elegant camisoles from the best tailors. Drake had a black slave and a page - his cousin John. The ship had already hired the usual trumpeter and drummer for such voyages, but Drake did not stop there and took three more musicians on board the ship. Here he intended not only to delight his own ears, but also to encourage the team with music.

Drake was a noble pirate

He was proud that he had not shed the blood of a single Spaniard in vain - not counting those who died in fair battle. There was even a case when a Spanish ship mistook Drake's ships for their compatriots' ships - the appearance of enemies in the Spanish harbor was so incredible. The Spaniards allowed Drake's boat to come close to them, and then 18 Englishmen, led by Drake, took the Spanish ships without firing a single shot. Drake developed a cunning strategy against the pursuit: he ordered the masts of captured ships to be cut down and sent them to float at the will of the waves.

Drake popularized potatoes in Europe

In 1580, he brought tubers from his famous expedition. And although Columbus already brought potatoes from his voyages, the strange vegetable gained real popularity thanks to Drake. At first, its flowers were worn in hair, and the potatoes served more of a decorative role. And then the Europeans tasted the tubers of the plant - and millions of poor farmers were saved from hunger and “bitter poverty.” This is exactly what is written on the pedestal of the monument to Drake, who spread potatoes to Europe, “the precious gift of God.” The monument stands in the city of Offenburg - a stone statue of the great pirate holds a potato flower in his hand.

Francis Drake - the first navigator to complete a trip around the world

For him, the 1577 expedition was successful in all respects. Drake not only brought back wealth and “blessed” potatoes, but also immortalized himself as a special circumnavigator. Yes, before Drake, Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the world, but his ship was brought home by other people - the navigator himself died in the Philippines. Francis Drake brought his ship home himself, thus becoming the first navigator to complete a round-the-world expedition. And among the British he was the first to dare such a feat.

Drake's raids helped conceal theft from Spanish officials

Francis Drake's expeditions, of course, brought a lot of losses to the Spanish treasury. But in general his atrocities are considered exaggerated. Because the Spanish officials themselves stole some things from the treasury - and it was convenient to blame the loss of money on the famous corsair.

Drake, Francis
Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

Sir Francis Drake (circa 1540 - January 28, 1596) - English navigator and corsair of the times of Elizabeth I. The first Englishman to circumnavigate the world (in 1577-1580) defeated the Spanish fleet (Invincible Armada) in the Battle of Gravelines 1588 Owned the Buckland Abbey estate in Yelverton.

Biography

Childhood and youth
Francis Drake was born at Crowndale, near Tayvistoke, in Devonshire, the son of a farmer (father Edmund Drake), who later became a priest. In total, there were twelve children in the Drake family, Francis was the eldest. In 1549 the Drake family moved to Kent. At the age of 13 he became a sailor, was an assistant captain, and at the age of 16 he took command of a ship - a small barque. The first voyages were in the North Sea.

Adult life
In 1567 he set sail to Guinea and the West Indies, commanding a ship on the slave trading expedition of his relative John Hawkins. During this expedition, the British ships were attacked by the Spaniards, and most of them were sunk. According to various sources, from one (Drake's ship) to three ships survived.

In 1572, he went on his own expedition to the Spanish possessions in the West Indies, captured the city of Nombre de Diaz on the Isthmus of Panama, captured ships in the harbor of Cartagena, and burned Portobello. During this raid, Drake crossed the Isthmus of Panama several times overland and captured the Spanish "Silver Caravan" (about 30 tons of silver). On August 9, 1573, Drake returned to Plymouth famous.

On November 15, 1577, Drake was sent by Queen Elizabeth on an expedition to the Pacific coast of America. The official purpose of the trip was to discover new lands, in particular Australia. In fact, Drake was supposed to loot as much Spanish gold as possible and return to England with this cargo. Francis set out on this journey on the 100-ton flagship Pelican, which was accompanied by four other ships. Without entering the Strait of Magellan, Drake was the first to go around Tierra del Fuego, thereby revealing that it is not part of the southern continent (although Drake's primacy is disputed).

After the flagship “Pelican” was the only one of all the ships that “made its way” to the Pacific Ocean, it was renamed the “Golden Hind”. Drake sailed along the Pacific coast, attacking Spanish ports such as Valparaiso, and explored the coast well north of the Spanish colonies, to approximately modern Vancouver. On June 17, 1579, Drake allegedly landed in the San Francisco area (according to another hypothesis, in modern Oregon) and declared this coast an English possession (“New Albion”).

After replenishing provisions and repairs, Drake crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached the Moluccas. Having circumnavigated Africa, Drake returned to England on September 26, 1580, bringing treasures worth 600,000 pounds. For this expedition Drake was awarded a knighthood. In 1588, he was one of the English admirals who defeated the Spanish "Invincible Armada". After this, Drake suggested that Elizabeth I of England attack Lisbon. The English, led by Drake, would have captured Lisbon, but he had no siege weapons. After this he lost the queen's favor. Died of dysentery, at dawn, January 28, 1596.

Drake and the World Map
Drake is also famous in geography. The strait between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica is named after him.