Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake

Vice Admiral Sir Francis Drake (around 1540 – January 28, 1596) was an English sailor and explorer. Beginning around 1563, he and his cousin, Sir John Hawkins became the first Englishman to sell slaves from Africa in the New World. In Panama in 1573, he captured a fortune in silver and gold that the Spanish had seized from the Native Americans, and became the first Englishman to see the Pacific. He was also the first Englishman to sail all the way around the world. Because of this, he was made a knight by the Queen Elizabeth I. Later, he was second in command of the English fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died in his armor.

Sir Francis Drake's ship was called 'The Golden Hind'.

Sir Francis Drake was the second man to sail around the whole world with two of his ships intact.

The Spanish gunners from El Morro Castle shot a cannonball through the cabin of Drake's flagship, and he survived; but a few weeks later, in January 1596, he died of dysentery when he was about 55, while anchored off the coast of Portobelo, Panama, where some Spanish treasure ships had sought shelter. Following his death, the English fleet withdrew..