Francis Drake

~1540–1596 · English (Tavistock, Devon) · Elizabethan Era

Known for: First Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, pirate king, and the terror of the Spanish Empire who helped defeat the Armada

Drake was a brilliant sailor, a ruthless pirate, and a national hero in England—a criminal in Spain, where they called him 'El Draque.' He raided Spanish ports and treasure ships across the Pacific and Atlantic, returning with enormous plunder. His circumnavigation was nominally exploratory but was really history's most profitable raiding expedition.

Before the Spanish Armada battle, he allegedly insisted on finishing his game of bowls before engaging the enemy. He was bold, supremely confident, and charismatic with his crew. He died of dysentery off the coast of Panama and was buried at sea in a lead coffin.

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