Swimming of the Royal Corsair e dteake. Drake Francis, Famous English Pirate: Biography, Basic Opening

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Drake, Francis(Drake, Francis) (approx. 1540-1596), English navigator, pirate. Born near Tavistok in Devonshire between 1540 and 1545. His father, in the past, the farmer became a preacher in Chathe, south of London. Probably, Drake walked at the beginning of the coaster vessels who went to the Thames. The Drake family was associated with relatives with a rich family of Gaukins from Plymouth. Therefore, after a little-known first swimming through the Atlantic Ocean, Drake received the place of captain of the vessel in John Gaucins squadron, which was engaged in trafficking in slaves and delivered them from Africa to Spanish colonies in West Indies. The trip 1566-1567 was unsuccessful because the Spaniards made a treacherous attack on English ships at the San Juan de Ulua fortress in Porto Veracruz on the East Coast of Mexico. Revenge for this attack became one of the motifs of the subsequent pirated activity of the treasurer of the Navy J. Gaucins and Captain F. Rada.

Trip around the world.

For several years, Drake performed pirated raids in the Caribbean, which Spain considered its territory, seized the Nombre de Dwos in the Central Panama, robbed the caravans who were transporting cargo of silver from Peru in Panama on Moulah. His activity attracted the attention of Elizabeth I and the courts of the courtiers, including the State Treasurer of Lord Berli and the Minister of the Interior of Francis Wallsingem. Funds were collected for the expedition, which continued from 1577 to 1580. It was originally planned to search for the alleged Southern continentBut it resulted in - perhaps, at the direction of the queen (although England and Spain have not yet been in a state of war) - in the most successful pirate raid in history, which brought income at 47 pounds of sterling on each nested pound.

Drake sailed as a captain of the ship "Pelican" (subsequently renamed Golden Lan) with a displacement of 100 tons . In addition, there were four more smaller vessels, which, however, have not completed travel. Having suppressed a rebellion on the ship off the coast of Patagonia in Argentina, when one of his officers was punished, Thomas Dauti, Drake went out to the Pacific Ocean through Magellan Strait. Then his flotilla was treated to the south to about 57 ° Yu.Sh., and as a result, the Drake opened between the fiery land and Antarctic Strait, which nowes his name (although it is likely, he himself never seen Cape Mountain). On the way to north, he robbed the court and harbor off the coast of Chile and Peru and, it seems to be returned through the alleged northwestern passage. Somewhere on the latitude of Vancouver (no ship magazines have survived) due to bad weather Drake was forced to turn south and become anchored several north of modern San Francisco. The parking lot called by him by New Albion was established in 1936 due to the find of the copper plate from the date of June 17, 1579 by about 50 km north-west of the Golden Gate Strait (now Drake Bay). The inscription is knocked out on the record, announced this territory of the ownership of Queen Elizabeth. Then the Drake crossed the Pacific Ocean and reached Molukkskiy Ogro, after which he returned to England.

Drake made swimming around the world, demonstrating shipping skills. The queen complained to him the title of knight as the first captain who committed around the world (the claims of Magellan were challenged because he died during a swim in 1521). The narration of marine travel Drake, compiled by the Francis Fletcher's ship priest and published by Haclut, is still very popular. Having received its share of production, Drake acquired Abbey Buckland near Plymouth, where the Francis Drake Museum is now located.

War with Spain.

In 1585, Drake was appointed commander-in-chief English fleet, heading for West India, which meant began open war With Spain. His skill in the tactics of combined marine and terrestrial operations made it possible to capture consistently Santo Domingo (on O. Gaiti), Cartagena (on the Caribbean coast of Colombia) and St. Augustine (in Florida). Before returning to his homeland in 1586, he took the colonists with him (at their request) from the Valley of R. Rowl (Virginia). Thus ceased to exist in America, a colony, based on Walter role, which was not just a settlement, but also a strategic base for pirated raids in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, in Spain, the preparation of invincible Armada was successfully completed for attacking England, so in 1587, Drake was sent to Cadiz on the southern Atlantic coast of Spain. The audacity in combination with superior power allowed drake to destroy the trial in this port. Everyone expected that the Drake will command the fleet in Plymouth to protect England from the attack of Spanish Armada in 1588. However, the Queen considered that due to low origin and independent character, Drake cannot be appointed commander in chief. Although the Dreyk himself personally participated in the preparation and equipment of the fleet, he submived by the leadership of Lord Haaard from Effingham and throughout the company remained his main tactical adviser.

Thanks to the skillful maneuvering, the English fleet broke into the sea and turned reversed Armada. When the weekly chase for Armada in La Manne began, Drake was appointed to the commander of the fleet on the "revenge" (ship with displacement of 450 tons with 50 guns on board), but he rejected this proposal, captured the damaged Spanish ship "Rosario" and led him to Dartmouth. The next day, Drake played a decisive role with the defeat of the Spanish fleet in Gravlin (northeastern Kale).

The expedition of Drake against Spain and the siege of the city of La Coruna on its north-west coast, undertaken in 1588 to destroy the remnants of Armada, turned into a complete failure, mainly due to miscalculations in the logistics of the campaign. Drake fell into opal, although he continued to actively participate in local affairs as the mayor of Plymouth and the parliament deputy from this city. In addition, he founded in Chathene shelter for wounded sailors. In 1595, he was again called in the Navy to lead an expedition to West India with J. Gaukins. The expedition ended in failure, Gaucins died off the coast of Puerto Rico, and Drake himself died of fever January 28, 1596 off the coast of Portobella.

Francis Drake (Francis Drake) was born in 1540 in the town of Tavistok, the County of Devonshire, in the family of the poor Rustic priest Edmund Drake. In some sources, it is argued that in his youth his father was a sailor. Francis's grandfather was a farmer, owned 180 acres of land. Francis's mother was from the genus Milway, but I could not find her name. In total, there were twelve children in the Drake family, Francis was senior.

Francis early left the parent house (presumably in 1550), enrolling the Jung to a small merchant ship, where he quickly mastered the art of judge. Hardworking, persistent and calculating, he liked the old captain, who did not have a family and who loved Francis as a native son and bequeathed his ship Francis. As a shopping captain, Drake took several long journeys to the Biscai Bay and Guinea, where he was profitably engaged in slave trade, delivering blacks to Haiti.

In 1567, Drake commanded the ship in the squadron known in those days of John Hokkins, who robbed the blessing of the Queen Elizabeth I coast of Mexico. The British are not lucky. When, after the terrible storm, they defended themselves in San Juan, they attacked the Spanish squadron. Only one ship out of six escaped from the Western and after difficult swimming got to the Motherland. It was a Drake ship ...

In 1569, he married a girl named Mary Newman, which I could not recognize anything. It is only known that the marriage turned out to be childless. Mary died twelve years later.

Soon after that, Drake made two exploration swimming across the ocean, and in 1572 he organized an independent expedition and made a very successful raid on Panaman's shelters.

Soon among far from good-natured pirates and slave traders, a young drake began to stand out as the most cruel and most fortunate. According to the testimony of contemporaries, "it was a domineering and irritable man with a mad character," greedy, vengeful and extremely superstitious. At the same time, many historians claim that not only for the sake of gold and honors, he took risky swimming that he was attracted by the opportunity to visit where none of the British was not yet. In any case, geographers and sailors of the era of the great geographical discoveries are obliged to precisely this person to many important clarifications of the world map.

After Drake distinguished himself in the suppression of the Irish uprising, he was represented by Queen Elizabeth and outlined his raid plan and emptying the Western shores of South America. Together with the title of counter-admiral Drake received five ships with a crew from one hundred sixty selected sailors. The queen put one condition: to stay in secret the names of all those noble gentlemen who, like she, gave money to the expedition gear.

Drake managed to hide the true goals of the expedition from Spanish spies, spreading the rumor that he was heading to Alexandria. As a result of this disinformation, the Spanish ambassador in London Don Bernandino Mendoza did not take measures to block the pirate path to the West Hemisphere.

On December 13, 1577, flotilla - the flagship ship "Pelican" (Pelican) with a displacement of 100 tons, "Elizabeth" (80 tons), "sea gold" (30 tons), "Swan" (50 tons) and gallery "Christopher" - left Plymouth .

During the Queen of Elizabeth, the official rules of the court of courts did not exist, and therefore the dimensions of the Drake ship do not coincide in different sources. By comparing the information R. Hockel leads the following data: the length between the shapes is 20.2 meters, the largest width is 5.6 meters, the depth of the trim is 3.03 meters, the height of the side: on the face - 4.8 meters, in the stern part - 9.22 meters, in the nose - 6.47 meters; The sediment is 2.2 meters, the height of the grotty mast 19.95 meters. Armament - 18 guns, of which seven guns on each board and two on the tank and stern. On the shape of the Pelican case, it was a transitional type from the drain to the galleon and was well adapted for a long marine sailing.

Drake cabin was finished and furnished with a large luxury. The dishes that he used was from pure silver. During the eating, his hearing was delaited to their play musicians, and behind the Drake chair stood Page. The queen sent him as a gift incense, sweets, embroidered sea hat and a green silk scarf with an embroidered golden words: "Let always keep you and directs you."

In the second half of January, the ships reached Mogadar, the port city in Morocco. Taking the hostages, the pirates exchanged them on the caravan of all sorts of goods. Then followed by a throw across the Atlantic Ocean. Reputing along the path of Spanish harbor in the mouth of the La Plata, the flotilla on June 3, 1578 knew anchor in the San Julian Bay, in which Magellan dealt with the ruffers. Cancer something Rock made over this harbor, for and drake also had to suppress the rebellion of the rebellion as a result of which Captain Dauti was executed. By the way, then Pelican was renamed to Golden Hind.

On August 2, throwing two vessels who came to the complete dissent of the Flotilla ("Golden Lan", "Elizabeth" and "Marine Gold") joined Magellan Strait and passed it for 20 days. After leaving the strait, the ships fell into the cruel storm, stood them in different directions. The "Marine Gold" died, "Elizabeth" was abandoned back to Magellan Strait and, having passed him, he returned to England, and "Golden Lan", on which there was a drake, brought far to the south. At the same time, Drake made the unwitting discovery that the fiery ground is not a protrusion of the southern mainland, as it was thought at the time, and the archipelago, followed by the open sea. In honor of the discoverer, the shed between the fiery land and Antarctic was named the Drake.

As soon as the storm, Drake took the course to the north and broke in Harbor Valparaiso on December 5. Capturing a ship standing in the harbor, loaded with wines and ingots of gold in the amount of 37 thousand ducats, the pirates landed ashore and plundered the city, taking the cargo of golden sand worth 25 thousand pesos.

In addition, on the ship, they found secret Spanish cards, and now Drake moved forward not blindly. I must say that the Spaniards Drakes felt on the West Coast of America in the western coast of America in complete safety - after all, no English ship passed by a Magellan Strait, and therefore the Spanish ships in the area did not have security, and the city were not prepared for the Pirates. Walking along the shores of America, Drake captured and plundered many Spanish cities and settlements, including Calyao, Santo, Trujillo, Mantu. In Panaman waters, he overtakes the ship "Karafuego", which was taken by the goods of the fabulous value - gold and silver in the ingots and coins in the amount of 363 thousand pesos (about 1600 kg of gold). In the Mexican Harbor Acapulco Drake captured Galeon with a burden of spices and Chinese silk.

Then Drake, deceiving all the hopes of his enemies, did not turn back to the south, and crossed the Pacific Ocean and went to the Mariana Islands. Renovating the ship in the Kealtals area, he took the course to Cape of good hope and on September 26, 1580, threw anchor in Plymouth, having completed the world after Magellan around the world.

It was the most profitable from all the journeys that ever committed, it gave an income of 4,500% of profits, about 500 thousand pounds of sterling! To imagine the grandeur of this amount, it is enough to bring two numbers for comparison: martialctions By defeating the Spanish "invincible Armada" in 1588, England was "total" in 160 thousand pounds, and the annual income of the English treasury at the time was 300 thousand pounds. Queen Elizabeth visited the drill ship and right on the deck made it in the knights, which was a big award - in England there were only 300 people who had this title!

The Spanish King Philip II demanded the punishment of the Pirate of Drake, compensation for damage and apology. The Royal Council Elizabeth limited himself to a foggy answer that the Spanish King had no moral right to "prevent Indian British visits, and therefore the latter can make travel there, at risk that they will catch them there, but if they are returning without prejudice to themselves, His Majesty cannot ask her majesty to punish them ... "

In 1585, Drake married the secondary. This time it was a girl of rather rich and noble kind - Elizabeth Sidenhem. Chet moved in the recently purchased Drake Manor Buckland Abbei (Buckland Abbey). Today there is a great instance in honor of Drake. But, as in the first marriage, there were no children from Drake.

In 1585-1586, Sir Francis Drake commanded the Armed English fleet, directed against the Spanish colonies of West Indies, and the same as last time, returned with rich prey. For the first time, Drake commanded such a big compound: he was subordinate to 21 ship with 2300 soldiers and sailors.

It is thanks to the energetic actions of Drake was delayed to the sea "invincible Armada", which allowed England better to prepare for military actions. Not bad for one person! And it was like this: on April 19, 1587, Drake, commanding the squadron of 13 small ships, entered the Harbor of Cadiz, where they were preparing for the sail of Armada ships. From 60 ships that stood on the raid, he destroyed 30, and some of the remaining seized and carried with him, including a huge galeon with a displacement of 1200 tons.

In 1588, Sir Francis attached his heavy hand to the full defeat "invincible armada." Unfortunately, it was the zenith of his fame. The expedition to Lisbon in 1589 ended in failure and cost him the location and grace of the queen. He could not take the city, and from 16 thousand people alive only 6 thousand remained. In addition, the royal treasury suffered losses, and the queen was very bad to such questions. It seems that happiness left Drake, and the next expedition to the shores of America for new treasures had already cost him life.

Everything in this last swimming was unsuccessful: in places the landing it turned out that the Spaniards were warned and ready to dissuade, treasures were not, and the British carried constant losses in people not only in battles, but also from diseases. Admiral also sick with tropical fever. Feeling the approach of death, Drake rose from bed, with great difficulty dressed, asked his servant to help him get into armor to die as a warrior. At dawn on January 28, 1596 he did not. After a few hours, the squadron went to the Namba de Dios. The new commander Thomas Baskerville ordered to put the body of Sir Francis Drake in a lead coffin and with the Military Humans to lower in the sea.

Since Sir Francis Drake did not have children to inherit his title, he was transferred to the nephew, who also called Francis. Then it seemed curious fate, but later became the cause of many incidents and misunderstandings.

Francis Drake was born in 1540 in the town of Tavistok, Devonshire County, in the family of a poor village priest Edmund Drake. In some sources, it is argued that in his youth his father was a sailor. Francis's grandfather was a farmer, owned 180 acres of land. In total, there were twelve children in the Drake family, Francis was senior.

In 1569, he married a girl named Mary Newman. Marriage turned out to be childless. Mary died twelve years later.

Soon after that, Drake made two exploration swimming across the ocean, and in 1572 he organized an independent expedition and made a very successful raid on Panaman's shelters.

Flagship "Pelican"

Soon among far from good-natured pirates and slave traders, a young drake began to stand out as the most cruel and most fortunate. According to the testimony of contemporaries, "it was a domineering and irritable man with a mad character", greedy, vengeful and extremely superstitious. At the same time, many historians claim that not only for the sake of gold and honors, he took risky swimming that he was attracted by the opportunity to visit where none of the British was not yet. In any case, geographers and sailors of the era of the great geographical discoveries are obliged to precisely this person to many important clarifications of the world map.

On December 13, 1577, Flotilla - the flagship ship "Pelican" (Pelican), "Elizabeth", "Marine Gold", "Swan" and Galen "Christopher" - left Plymouth.

On August 2, throwing two vessels who came to the complete dissent of the Flotilla ("Golden Lan", "Elizabeth" and "Marine Gold") joined Magellan Strait and passed it for 20 days. After leaving the strait, the ships fell into the cruel storm, stood them in different directions. "Marine Gold" died, Elizabeth was abandoned back to Magellan Strait and, having passed him, he returned to England, and the "Golden Lan", on which there was a drake, brought far to the south. At the same time, Drake made the unwitting discovery that the fiery ground is not a protrusion of the southern mainland, as it was thought at the time, and the archipelago, followed by the open sea. In honor of the discoverer, the shed between the fiery land and Antarctic was named the Drake.

In addition, on the ship, they found secret Spanish cards, and now Drake moved forward not blindly. I must say that the Spaniards Drakes felt on the West Coast of America in the western coast of America in complete safety - after all, no English ship passed by a Magellan Strait, and therefore the Spanish ships in the area did not have security, and the city were not prepared for the Pirates. Walking along the shores of America, Drake captured and plundered many Spanish cities and settlements, including Calyao, Santo, Trujillo, Mantu. In Panaman waters, he will overtake the Karafuego ship, which was taken by the goods of the fabulous value - gold and silver in the ingots and coins in the amount of 363 thousand pesos (about 1600 kg of gold). In the Mexican Harbor Acapulco Drake captured Galeon with a burden of spices and Chinese silk.

World Travel Map Francis Drake

It was the most profitable from all the journeys that ever committed, it gave an income of 4,500% of profits, about 500 thousand pounds of sterling! To imagine the grandeur of this amount, it is enough to bring two digits for comparison: the fighting in the defeat of the Spanish "invincible Armada" in 1588 cost England "total" in 160 thousand pounds, and the annual income of the English treasury at the time was 300 thousand pounds. Queen Elizabeth visited the drill ship and right on the deck made it in the knights, which was a big award - in England there were only 300 people who had this title!

The Spanish King Philip II demanded the punishment of the Pirate of Drake, compensation for damage and apology. The Royal Council of Elizabeth limited himself to a foggy answer that the Spanish King had no moral right to "prevent visits to India by the British, and therefore the latter can make travel there, at risk that they will catch them there, but if they are returning without prejudice to themselves, His Majesty cannot ask her majesty to punish them ... "

It is thanks to the energetic actions of the Drake was delayed to the Sea of \u200b\u200b"Unbeatable Armada", which allowed England to better prepare for military actions with Spain. Not bad for one person! And it was as follows: on April 19, 1587, Drake, commanding the squadron of 13 small ships, entered the Harbor of Cadiz, where they were preparing for the departure of Armada ships. Of the 60 ships that stood on the raid, he destroyed 30, and some of the remaining seized and carried away with him, including huge galeon.

In 1588, Sir Francis attached his heavy hand to the complete defeat of the "invincible Armada". Unfortunately, it was the zenith of his fame. The expedition to Lisbon in 1589 ended in failure and cost him the location and grace of the queen. He could not take the city, and from 16 thousand people alive only 6 thousand remained. In addition, the royal treasury suffered losses, and the queen was very bad to such questions. It seems that happiness left Drake, and the next expedition to the shores of America for new treasures had already cost him life.

Sir Francis Drake (born on July 13, 1540 - Death January 28, 1596) - English navigator, Pirate, Vice Admiral (1588). The first Englishman who made around the world swimming (1577-1580). Active participant of the defeat of the Spanish Fleet (invincible Armada) (1588)

The history of the life of Francis Drake was overwhelmed by the most incredible adventures. It was he who was the first Englishman who traveled around the world. It happened in 1577-1580, when his "Golden Lan" passed three oceans and returned to England with full tricks of gold and jewels, Drake fought against the Spanish squads and stormed the coastal forts, forced Magellan Strait, engaged in robbees in South and North America . For his feats, he, formerly the most real pirate, was awarded the Knight's title. Queen Elizabeth laid his sword on him right on the deck of the ship. At the same time, the name Drake became famous in Spain, where he was cursed everything from Mala to Velik.

Pirate Francis Dreyk

Francis Drake - the name of this traveler's pirate is even called the strait on the southern tip of South America.

The XVI century was marked by the famous journey of the whole Pleiada of the famous English captains. Frobisher and Hawkins, Railey and Devis, Drake and many other brilliant seafarers furrowed waves of the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Polynesia. Alas, this period of time was simultaneously the era of the heyday of pirate fishery. Therefore, all the captains listed above became famous primarily as "Gentlemen of Good luck."

The most famous Englishman of the XVI century, no doubt, was Sir Francis Drake - a pirate and a slave trade, a round-the-world navigator and a talented fleet, who played a decisive role in the defeat of the Spanish "invincible Armada."

Being a close relative of the famous pirate and a living commodity merchant John Hawkins, Francis from 23 years old went on his ships to the shores of West Africa, returning from there with holds full of slaves.

Pirate and queen Elizabeth

Then Drake decided to independently do pirate craft. He began to attack Spanish vessels, transporting treasures. So, in the robbery works and concerns, 12 years have passed. During this time, Captain Drake has accumulated a considerable seating experience and some capital, which allowed him to offer the Queen and her approximate bold project of a pirated expedition to Spanish colonies on the Pacific Coast of America. Nobody expected the attacks of the British, and the mining could be largely more than in the order of the portions of the Caribbean ports in pirates.

The British Queen favorably reacted to the drake plans and even deigned to contribute to the financial support of the expedition in the amount of 1000 crowns. A more significant contribution was made by high-ranking royal officials: Essex Count, Walsing and Burley. However, the delicious lords were not going to remain in Vaklada and in reality did not calculate. Upon returning Drake, they received their share of production, and their profits were. 5,000% for invested capital. But all this will happen later. And we want to tell you about round-the-world captain-pirate ...

World Travel Travel (1577-1580)

Francis Ship Drake Golden Lan

1577, December - 5 ships of flotilla Drake came out of the Plymouth port and took the south course. Drake himself commanded the flagship ship "Pelican", late renamed it to the Golden Lan. The crew of the entire flotilla consisted of only 160 people. At the beginning of the African coast at the beginning, Drake captured and robbed more than a dozen of Spanish and Portuguese ships with a rich cargo. In addition, in his hands it came across a different prey - Portuguese pilot, who went to South America earlier.

1578, June - Flotilla Drake approached San Julian Bay, which is relatively near Magellanov Strait. This bay, the infamous Bunt, which occurred during the parking lot here is the expedition of Magellan, and this time justified his bad fame. At one of the courts, the rebellion broke out, spreading to the team. Everything was completed by the fact that Drake executed one of the captains - Dobi, accusing him in incitement to rebellion and betrayal. Leaving two strongly damaged ship in the bay, the fleeing flotilla moved on.

However, at the entrance to Magellan, the strongest storm hit the ships and for 50 days he drove them to the south. The outcome was the discovery of Drake, that the fiery land is an island, and not the protrusion of the South American mainland, as previously thought. A wide strait separating this island from Antarctica is now the name of Drake.

The storm struck the flotilla serious damage: one ship drowned, and another was forced to return to England due to damage. But Drake is not used to retreat. On the same remaining ship - "Golden Lani" - he headed north, to the coast of Chile. Then the strip of active and successful pirate adventures of Drake begins.

1578, December 5 - the British attacked the port of Valparaiso, as a result of which they captured the ship with a valuable cargo and rob the coast. 1579, February 5 - a raid on the port of Arik and new trophies. Then - an attack on the Peruvian city of Cagliao. From under the nose, Drake gone galleon with a load of gold and silver. Furious chase followed, and on March 1, the galleon managed to capture after a cannon-shelling. The precious bars are moving in the hold of the Golden Lani.

Pirate Drake completed the tasks set in front of him. His mining was huge. However, the return home has become impossible. The rumor about the arrogant attacks and robbery reached the Spanish authorities, and the Military ships of Spain Karaulili "Golden Lan" to get together with a pirate for all his atrocities.

Then Drake went north, attacked the Mexican Port of Guatulko, loosened him, at the same time replenished the reserve of the province. Then he sent the "Golden Lan" yet nord, hoping to find a strait connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic. Drake ship reached the 49th degree of northern latitude! So far to the north along the Pacific coast, no navigator was closer! But I could not find any signs of the Strait, and the English pirate was forced to turn to the south. And then he smiled at luck: the coast of Nicaragua the British seized the ship, which found maps of the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Islands. This suggested a pirate with the idea of \u200b\u200breturning to Europe through the quiet and Indian Oceans.

1579, July - "Golden Lan" took a course to the West. By making only 4 stops on the way (in the Philippines, Molukki Archipelago, the island of Java and in Sierra Leone), Drake in 1580 returned to England with Triumph. So, 60 years after the journey of Magellan, one more ship was able to get around the world. At the same time, Francis Drake became the first captain, which from the beginning to the end commanded the ship in the world swimming.

Knight's pirate title

World Travel Francis Drake - Route

But for those who met in Plymouth "Golden Lan", the mains was not the main thing. On the ship Drake was gold and jewels worth an amount equal to biennial income of the whole royal treasury! The queen ordered his captain to personally arrive in London with the most spectacular jewelry and honored his six-hour conversation. Soon Elizabeth complained Francis Drake Knight's title.

Becoming a nobleman, a robber and robber became a respected member of society. He bought himself a manor and married a rich heir. Drake was chosen by the mayor of Plymouth and a member of parliament. But the calm life was a sailor obviously not like. They organized two more pirated expeditions to the Caribbean Sea, and in the interval between them, he managed to take part in the war with Spain. Also, more than once, he went to the shores of America to rob the "Golden Fleet" of the Spaniards. Then the boldly robbed in Europe, right under the nose at the King of Spain Philip II. As the Drake himself said - "the beard sailed him."

Vice Admiral of the British Fleet (1588)

Sir Francis Draika appointed by Vice Admiral of the British Fleet, owns the main merit in the triumphal battle with the "invincible Armada" sent by Philip II against the British. Despite the double advantage in the number of ships and guns, the Spaniards lost 60 ships out of 130 and forcedly retreated.

Death of Sir Francis Drake

After going in 1596 to the shores of Panama, Sir Francis Drake fell ill with a yellow fever, and simply put the dysentery, and died on board his ship. As it should be in the sailors, his body, in accordance with the will of Drake himself, was placed in the lead coffin and lowered in the Caribbean Sea, which witnessed the first feats of the famous English "Gentleman of Good luck".

Died in the sea and the "Golden Lan". But not from the storm or enemy nuclei. Her wooden body has turned a tiny worm in Truch - Toroor.

After death

But relatively not so long ago, the reputation of the legendary English pirate received an unexpected blow. The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense did not finance the operation to extract its coffin from the bottom of the Caribbean. And the British royal mail refused to release a series of postage stamps dedicated to the 400th anniversary of his death.

What motivated the authorities their unwillingness to celebrate the countryman? The mailers explained their refusal by the fact that in 1973 the brands were already produced with the Profile of Sir Francis. The military referred to the high cost of the upcoming operation to extract the coffin. But most likely, the British do not want to insult the feelings of the Spaniards, whose ancestors suffered from the hands of Drake, as well as the Americans: after all, it was from Drake to conduct a slavery in the North American continent, where he regularly supplied "Black Gold".

And perhaps, the British remembered how the Latin American countries opposed the celebration of the 500-year anniversary of the discovery of America, with whose name many have the beginning of the cruel extermination of South American peoples.

Francis Drake sold soul

According to the Spanish legend, Sir Francis Drake sold the soul to the devil in exchange for good luck on the seas. Surprisingly, this legend immediately adopted the fellow driks of compatriots, while they talked about the dealer of Drake with undisguised delight, being in its overwhelming majority of truly believers. They said that Drake was able to bring the most severe storms into the Spanish "Armada" with the support of the Divonian witches with whom he allegedly was friends from early childhood and which he always helped him.

Even today, in more than four centuries, the British firmly believe that those long-standing "Dreykovsky" witches, guarding the passage to devonorport, and now you can still see the rainy dark night at the devil's cape. There is a belief that the devil was so pleased with the degree of Drake's exploits that, as a reward for all of them, he built a house in Buckland Ebi's favorite for three days. The Drake House is still to this day, and every curious can, personally, Looking apartments of the legendary Admiral Pirate, penetrate the charm of his personality.

Sir Francis Drake (English Francis Drake; about 1540 - January 28, 1596) - English navigator, Corsair, Vice Admiral (1588). The first Englishman who has made around the world swimming (in 1577-1580). An active participant in the defeat of the Spanish Fleet (invincible Armada) in the Ukrainian battle (1588), thanks to the skillful actions of Drake, the British managed to get an advantage over the superior firing power by the enemy.

It would seem that the matter of honor and the debt of any reigning personnel is to fight pirates and all sorts of other robbers.

It seems that it is also obvious that the pit of a pirate is to be in every way to fear the strengths of this world or, at least, avoid meetings with them.

But the story knows completely different examples.

One of them testifies to an amazing, at first glance it is even impossible and still an absolutely natural alliance of two people from the distant past.

She is no one else like her majesty English Queen. He is no doubt, the most real pirate, a short-lived sea robber.

But, nevertheless, she favored him and even gave a silk scarf with embroidered golden words: "Let always keep you and directs you." Handing him the sword on the eve of dangerous swimming, she said: "We believe that the one who strikes you ... will apply it to us."

Yes, and whether it could be different if her majesty, expressing modern tongue, "entered the share" with a famous pirate, became his "sponsor", demanding at the same time to keep her personal part in the "commercial" transaction ...

Author Marcus Gheeraerts The Elder (1520-1590). Name English: The Wanstead OR Welbeck Portrait of Elizabeth I Or The Peace Portrait Of Elizabeth I. Date between 1580 and 1585. Technique Oil on wood. Dimensions 45.7 × 38.1 cm

Walked the XVI century. Before the development of the norms of international law to combat piracy, several centuries remained, and the seizure of courts flourished for the purpose of profit. So it is so; But to increasing the monarchin of one of the largest European states to promote and finance robbing fishery is and then it was not easy ...

But Sir Francis Drake managed to do it. About twenty years, "Iron Pirate", as it was later called, robbed with the assistance of his powerful patron. He was dedicated to the knights, became a national hero ...

But the Drake is wondering not only and not so much. During the next robbing swimming, seeking to avoid a meeting with an enraged opponent, the pirate was forced to look for a new way to their homeland. This way, in almost three years long, was ... the second in the history of around the world swimming! ..

Drake was born in 1545 in the south of England, - in an island country, where the sailor's profession has long been in advance, where, according to legend, began to build ships almost from the time of the settlement of the British islands.

On a ship, where his father served as a ship's priest, a little Francis visited his life in the early years. When he was no more than ten years, his father identified the son of Junga to the merchant ship.

Obviously, the boy was hardworking and persistent in mastering the art of judge. In any case, he obviously liked the old captain who did not have a family and who joined his ship after the death of Francis. It happened in 1561, as a result, Drake became the captain and the owner of a small ship at sixteen.

What did the future caper do at such a young age (so called pirates supported by the governments of their countries), possessing the vessel and the skills of his driving? Responding to this question, it should be noted that Drake lived at the time when Spain, owning large and rich territories in the new world, became the most powerful of the empires of the world.

Every year, unpretentious jewels enriching the Spanish treasury sailed from America in the literal and figurative sense. This, of course, could not but cause irritation and envy in other European monarchs. The Lavra Spain did not give rest of England, the country of seating ...

Spaniards severely straightened with any Europeans who tried to land on the shores of their American possessions. And yet, some calculating English delints managed to find a loophole ...
One of them, a certain John Hawkins, with the blessing of all the same Queen - Elizabeth I - offered the services of the mediator in semi-official trading of slaves from Africa between Portugal and Spain. With this mission in 1566 the coast of West Indies and visited the next English expedition. And I remember this because one of its participants was young Francis Drake.

Apparently, the first transatlantic sailing of Drake, despite his ordinary role in the expedition, clearly went to him. After all, here he got the first fighting baptism. Capture near the shores of Guinea several Portuguese ships with slaves, the transition through the ocean to the shores of Colombia, veiled slave trade transactions with local Spanish authorities ...

The skills of such "work" came in handy Drakes very soon. Returning in 1567 to home, he stayed at home only six weeks - and gathered in a new swimming. It is not difficult to guess that again to the shores of America.

On October 2, 1567, the flotilla from the six courts, headed by Hawkins, left England. This time, one of the small sailboats commanded Francis Drake. The 22-year-old captain takes an active part in the battles on the sea and on land, in order to get slaves. After some failures, in the end, the British manage to capture about semi-man.

With the cargo of "Black Goods", ships come to the Caribbean Sea. Here, on numerous islands, combining the art of diplomat and warrior, Hawkins spends some profitable trade transactions.

Almost completing the conceived, he was going to return home, but then there was a terrible storm, which lasted a few days. Not having to come to his senses from him, the English ships fall under new hurricane winds of wind and waves. As a result, Hawkins are forced to stay in one of the ports for repair and restore forces.

And it is necessary to happen to such a thing - it is at this time a Spanish squadron comes here, consisting of 13 ships. Externally, observing the decency, several days of the Spaniards and the British conduct diplomatic negotiations, exchange their kind letters. Thoroughly hiding true intentions, they are trying to overcome each other ...

This time take the top of the Spaniards. By pulling the coast of troops, contrary to all the assurances of their officials, they attack the English ships ...

There was a fierce battle, as a result of which only one vessel returned to England to England - Drake.

It was 65 people. A few days later, however, another ship appeared - Hawkins. But only 15 sailors remained alive on it. It was all who survived from 500 people expedition ...

Biographers Drake argue that he was never able to forgive the Spaniards to the Spaniards on their own lives.

But was there really innocents and the British? Most likely, there was a situation in which one thief deceived another thief.

And yet, if the Spaniards knew what devil they woke up!

Owner and irritable, with mad character, greedy, vengeful drake really remembered what happened to him and became a thorough way to prepare for the rules ...

It was not a small revenge of the offended young man. It was about a well-thought-out strategy of the sea terror in relation to all Spanish ships - with the possible transfer of hostilities to the territory of Spanish possessions in the new world. In fact, the young captain sent a challenge to the mighty of the monarch of the world.

Preparing to accomplish the conceived, Drake, not posted, performs in 1569-1571. Two more swimming in America. That there were peculiar reconnaissance trips with the creation of secret food warehouses on the shores of Panama. Having thus intelligence, in May 1572, Drake on two ships goes back to the path through the Atlantic to the long-stated point.

It sails to the Nombre de Dios - one of the ports on the Atlantic coast, called the "Treasury of the World" pirates. Every year all the jewels mined on Peruvian miners were delivered for their further shipment to Spain.

Looking ashore, Drake took the storm in the city, during which was injured. The captain who lost a lot of blood, the sailors attributed to the ship, forgetting for a while about their main goal - the plundering of urban wealth. Obviously, then the Drake enjoyed popular among them, and they were ready to follow their 27-year-old leaders at least on the edge of the world.

Leaving the city and stopping at one of the islands, the British rested, he was healing the wounds. Having met the ones of runaway slaves, Drake managed to attract them to his side. Slaves reported to him that a few months later a caravan with gold is expected to be in the Namba de Dios.

In anticipation of this event, the captain takes swimming along the shores of America, capturing the Spanish ships along the way. One of his eleven brothers die in one of the skimps, then dies from the different disease. But neither own wounds, nor the death of loved ones can stop Drake.

Together with a group of sailors and runaway slaves, he performs a multi-day foot crossing over the Panama Isthmus, preparing an ambush for a caravan with gold. During this campaign, he with his companions first among the British saw the "Spanish Lake" - the Pacific Ocean.

After a multi-day path in the half-year of the rainforest, excited by a wonderful spectacle, Drake swore that "will be held on the British ship on this sea." He did not suspect that in a few years he really will bring it ...

But so far the captain successfully holds a long-conceived operation to seize the Spanish caravan and for the first time personally conquers rich prey. At the same time, it is not lost in the most seemingly hopeless situations.

When, for example, Spanish colonial authorities began to patrol the coast, so as not to let Drake with the stunned, he ordered to build a wooden raft.

On him, he with several people came out into the sea and, managed to slip the Spanish cordon, after six o'clock swimming found his ships. At night, they quietly approached the shore and took the precious cargo.

Treasures brought by Drake to their homeland in 1573, made it a wealthy person. Now he stopped depending on rich shipowners, and he has gained confidence.

Perhaps, his successes in the public service contributed to this, - Drake distinguished himself in the suppression of the Irish uprising.

It was noted at the highest circles. And when, preparing for war with Spain, in England began to develop a plan of maritime expeditions, Francis Drake was called for consultation.

Exposing his opinion that the blow should be applied on Spanish possessions in America, he soon received a secret audience from the queen.

Elizabeth fully supported the design of Drake. Moreover, it was then that obviously, the first degree of drake at the state level took place.

Queen, exploring the desire to take a personal part in the planned event, secretly made a significant amount of money. It is clear that this was done not only from patriotic motives. Her Majesty counted on a considerable personal share from future mining captured by the Spaniards blessed by her pirate.

In the middle of 1577, having received the title of counter-admiral, 32-year-old Francis Drake with flotilla from five ships and more than 160 people of the crew came out of Plymouth in the sea. Knowing the tasks set before Drake, our imagination cannot today do not draw images of majestic huge sailboats.
"Golden Lan" - permanent flagship Drake
Galeón (Galeón, also Galion, from fr. Galion) - a large multiphallast sailing ship of the XVI-XVIII centuries with sufficiently strong artillery weapons used as military and commercial.

But in fact, the length of the largest of five ships, the flagship, who later received the name "Golden Lan", was only 23 m with a width of less than 6 m! And on such a vessel, Drake had to hold, as it turned out, many months over the next three years.
Modern model of Golden Lan Galloon in Brixham

However, Admiral did not adhere to asceticism - even in the sea. His cabin was finished and furnished with a large luxury. Kaper used dishes from pure silver; During his eating, his hearing was delighted with their playing musicians, behind the Drake chair stood a page ...

About how the famous swimming occurred, we know thanks to the ship's priest, who made his detailed description.

Robing on the way several Spanish ships, having passed the long way from the North South Hemisphere, in April 1578, flotilla arrived safely to the shores of South America. Moving to the south along the east coast of Argentina, the British were repeatedly met with local indigenous inhabitants - Patagonians.

They, as notes the witness of the events, "turned out to be good-natured people and showed so much fracturing participation to us as we never met and among Christians."

This comparison is also interested in the fact that soon between Christians, that is,, between the participants of the expedition, the incident arose, which ended with the execution of a noble and rich man, Thomas Dobti. That was the decision of the Admiral Drake, which not without reason suspected Dobi in an attempt to disrupt swimming.
In August, the flotilla entered a winding and difficult for swimming for Magellan Strait, the path through which two and a half weeks continued.

Finally, unbarrible water expanses appeared, for which once dreamed of passing a Drake on the English ship.

Note that one of the hypotheses about the origin of the name of the largest ocean of the Earth is associated with the name of Magellan. Allegedly, it is due to the fact that good weather favored the swimming of this Portuguese, the ocean and was named accordingly - quiet. If this is true, then it seems, to visit the Drake here earlier than Magellan, the ocean would have a completely different name.

This is enough eloquently testify the preserved memories of the eyewitness: "We did not have time to go out into this sea ... For us, it turned out mad, how such a frantic storm began, which we have not yet experienced ... The wind was such a power that seemed to blow all Wind winds at the same time.

It also seemed that all the clouds in the sky were gathered in one place to enjoy the shower on us. Our ship has twisted as a toy, on the ridges of giant waves, then with the same swiftness threw into the marine abyss. " The cruel storm lasted 52 days almost without a respite and ended only at the end of October.

As a result, one of the three vehicles we had at the disposal at the disposal of the ships one with all the crew died, the other, the strata abandoned back into Magellan, decided to no longer feel fate and, choosing to the Atlantic Ocean, returned to England. And what about admiral himself?

It is the ship Drake survived. Fate? Very can be. But we will not forget that Drake, undoubtedly, was a sailor to vocation. He was very interested in navigating books, experiencing a special passion for geographical maps. At each captured vessel of the first prey of the pirate, first of all, maps and navigation devices were becoming.

It is also not interesting that he carefully studied the book of Magellan, not parting with her. Perhaps all this played the role that the admiral ship did not suffer a tragic fate.

True, the ship delivered a storm far to the south. But, do not happen, the Drake would not make an important discovery. Understanding that people are exhausted and need rest, he stops for several days on one of the islands of the fiery land.
Fire Earth (Isle Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Isla. Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego; Literally "Large Island of Fire Earth") - the island at the southern tip of South America, from which Magellan is separated by the Strait, in the archipelago of fire land.

This archipelago was also opened by Magellan. But it was precisely the sailors of the English caper for the first time that "in the southern direction there was no continent, no island, only the Atlantic Ocean and the South Sea met on ... free spacious."

So Drake involuntarily discovered that the fiery ground is the last land from the southern tip of South America and what the open sea extends behind it.

Already in the XIX century, after the opening of Antarctica, the passage between it and the fiery land, connecting the two largest oceans of the planet - the Atlantic and quiet, called the Strait of Drake. Note that this is the widest (up to 1120 km) strait on Earth.

Without the ability to overcome the Western winds dominant in these latitudes, Admiral took the course to the north. He hoped to connect with the missing ships of his squadron in an agreed place on the West Coast of Chile (in Valparaiso).

Standing summer southern hemisphere, the ocean was calm, the sky is cloudless. But, as if in opposing nature, during one of the landings ashore to replenish fresh water and products for a group of sailors, led by Admiral suddenly attacked Indians.

Two British were killed, the rest were injured. It also got a drone that received an arrow in the face. Such, not provoked by anything, the admiral hostility explained the fact that the Indians accepted them for the Spaniards. Interestingly, for the absence of a doctor in the expedition (he died), Drake himself took care of the treatment of numerous wounded. Obviously, he was in some extent knowledge of both medical art ...

The navigator continued his way north, trying not to enter into a conflict with local tribes, as prudently expected to attract them to his side in the fight against the Spaniards.

His hopes were justified. Soon, the Indians showed the British the road to the harbor Valparaiso, where the world reigned, calm ... and the complete lack of vigilance. After all, there have never been any other vessels, except Spanish.

Therefore, the pirate ship initially accepted for her and even salute to him flags and drum fraction. You can imagine the shock of the Spaniards, when they were in his own "house", they were subjected to a sucking and bold laid! The British quickly captured the Spanish vessel standing in the harbor, and then plundered the city.

Having finished with the usual business, Drake ordered to let go of all captured Spanish sailors. Similar extensive gestures, judging by the descriptions of his presence, he has done repeatedly. Sometimes he even gave out of the lessed pardoned opponents.

Obviously, this person has a steep, as contemporaries characterized, mad character, was still their credibility.

Maybe because of such as Drake, and the expression "Gentlemen of Good luck" appeared. For, undoubtedly, far from being an angel, he did not correspond to the image of the bloodthirsty sowing ...

The first attack on the Spaniards in the Pacific brought a drake of considerable baryrs, and he with inspiration continued his mission intended for him. English descriptions of how "expropriation of expropriators" occurred are extremely interesting. Once the British were found on the shore of the sleeping Spaniard, near which silver bars were lying.

The witness writes: "We didn't want to wake him in any way, but, against our will, we took him this trouble, as we decided to free it from care, which, which is good, another time and would not allow him to fall asleep, and left him, Taking it to wear it so that she does not bother him more and he could continue his sleep calmly. "

In another case, about the meeting with the Spaniard, which he suffered a small caravan of grooved silver animals, the Englishman notes: "We could not allow the Spanish gentleman to turn into a charter, and therefore, without a request from him, they themselves offered their services ... but since He could not show the way well ... We broke up with him ... " What an exquisite style! How, it turns out, Vitievato can describe the most common robbery! ..

Yes, Drakes will not refuse in courage, often swore ... Bhattered somehow in one of the Spanish ports on the West Bank of South America, the pirate managed under the cover of the night to penetrate the harbor, where there were 30 enemy ships.

Taking advantage of the fact that the teams were on the shore, Drake with their people "examined" the court.

At the same time, moving from the ship to the ship, he chopped the anchor ropes, counting on the fact that the trium-tide shuddy will be brought to the camp of the enemy and give the "Golden Lani" to go to a safe distance. So subsequently happened ...

Continuing successful promotion to the north, the English Admiral-Pirate could not not pay attention to the inaccuracy of the Spanish cards captured by him. Whenever Drake, guided by them, turned to the north-west, he lost his shore. Correcting in cards, Drake "cut" hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of non-existent territory.

His cousin John on behalf of his boss constantly made the sketches of the shores of those harbors where the ship came. As a result, it was after swimming Drake South America took on the maps more correct, the outlines acquaintances today.

Meanwhile, rumors about the "devil drake" spread throughout the coast. The Spaniards tried to even pursue Lan, but she was elusive.

Continuing to look for their missing ships, Admiral visited all the mouths of the rivers and bays. Finally, having resigned with the loss, he began to think about returning home. But the paths turned out not so much. Drake believed that Magellanov the Spirit had to tested his Spaniards (so it was).

Most likely, not without reason I thought pirate, and the Moluk Islands was prepared by a meeting. We add that the Spanish authorities sent warships also to the Caribbean Sea.

It was done in case the Drake, throwing his ship in the Pacific, will think about crossing the Panaman shelters and will try to go to England on any vessel who captured them across the Atlantic.

So, since the roads to South and the West were, in all likelihood, closed, Drake chose the third, the northern way, deciding to bypass America where no one else went by sea. Admiral reported this team.

At the same time, he uttered quite a patriotic speech, noting that such a decision was due not only to the desire to reduce the period of returning home, but also the ability to bring the glory to their country with new discoveries.

The further road "Golden Lani" flew along the shores of the central and then North America. At the same time, Drake acted according to its usual scheme, capturing and robbing ships across the road.

Unfortunate sentiment of seafarers aggravated the disgusting weather. Gradually became very cold, it was often rained with snow. Tackle was covered with a layer of ice, which extremely complicated the management of the ship. Skvalny winds were flown, and in quiet weather, dense fogs captured the ship into their arms; For a long time, I had to stand in one place.

Add here is often, with bad weather, there is no possibility to determine the location of the ship. All this, of course, could not not give rise to the sailors of doubts about the chosen path. Only their chapter, as always, retained the calm and the vigor of the Spirit, encouraging people.

But when it was achieved, on a latitude of 48 °, the place of the Pacific coast of North America, where there was no European ship before that, - a fearless captain decided to stop promotion to the north.

The idea to beat North America from the north was thrown away, and the British prepared to sail to the west. But before, descending into more southern latitudes, in June 1579, 38 ° C. Sh. They landed ashore for the repair of the ship and recreation of the crew.

There was another meeting with local Indians. Those did not show hostile intentions - moreover, with amazement looked at the aliens, obviously taking them for the gods. "The gods", distributing gifts, tried gestures to show that they need food and water.

For the next few weeks conducted here by the British, not only did not dissuade the Indians, but, on the contrary, their conviction in the divine origin of guests even more strengthened. In the end, everything ended in a very solemn ceremony of the voluntary transfer of the authorities of the Chief of Indians "Chief God" by name Francis Drake.

Taking advantage of the current situation, Admiral decided to join the English possessions open to them by him, calling her "New Albion". It was witnessed in the text cut on the copper plate. The plate was fixed on a high post. Instead of printing, Drake inserted a silver coin into a pillar with the image of the queen and her coat of arms.

At the end of July, saying goodbye to America, Drake took the course to Molukskiy. But he arrived there more than three months later. On the road, the British had small clashes with islanders. However, unlike Magellan, who intervened in the internecine war, the tribes and the deceased in the Philippine Islands, Drake, undoubtedly lucky much more.

When entering the Indian Ocean of English travelers was waiting for another serious test. First, south of the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi Dreyk was wandering in the labyrinth of small islets, reefs and chalks.

And when it seemed that the path was already found, a terrible blow was shook "Lan", having flown on the submarine rock. The situation was so serious that the whole team fell on NIC, the total prayer began.

And what did Drake do at this time? Surely, like their compatriots, decided to rely on the Lord? Nothing like this. The calm admiral announced the team that they would not help with prayers to help, forced everyone to work - and managed to save the "Golden Lan" ...

As if as a reward for courage, the whole path of the British Indian Ocean. Passed with passing wind and good weather. Coinciding in the middle of June an African Cape of Good Hope, September 26, 1580, Drake's ship approached his native shores.

So, two years later and 10 months after sailing, the first English circulation ended. In addition, it was the first case in history, when the captain, who began around the world, managed to successfully finish it.

But the main success, from the point of view of Drake, was that, applying tangible damage to the Spanish crown, the owner of the English crown gained huge values. And he was not mistaken. Elizabeth could not not be satisfied with the results of the "royal pirate" campaign, which turned out to be the most profitable of all ever perfect travel. Still, - 4700% of profits!

It was more than a weighty argument in order not to give the head of the Drake by the Spanish king, as he fiercely demanded. Moreover, the admiral became the national hero, to whom the whole of England applauded. People gathered daily on the streets to see him.

In his honor, the poets made poetry ... The solemn ceremony took place on board the first solemn ceremony, when under the tube sounds and battle of Elizabeth's drums, lowering the sword on the shoulder of the cranked Francis Drayek, erected a caper in Knight's dignity.

It was a very big reward, which only 300 people had in England and who did not receive many powerful people of the country ...

Naturally, in addition to glory and titles, Drake became the owner of a huge state. Soon his life, in any case, externally, began to differ very much from the former. He was engaged in his estates, performed the duties of the mayor of Plymouth, from time to time I made a trip to London to the Queen's courtyard, attended as a member of the House of Commons, English Parliament ...

But this pastime was obviously not quite in the spirit of the sea wolf who was in the heyday. Therefore, in the subsequent biography of Drake, one more outstanding event can be found - the most active part in the famous defeat during the hostilities of 1588 of the Spanish fleet, or, as he was called, "invincible Armada." This victory became the crown of His Glory.
Author Philip Jacob Lutherburg (1740-1812). Name English: Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 8 August 1588 Date 1796. Technique Oil, canvas. Sizes 214.63 × 278.13 cm

The subsequent military expedition of Sir Francis to Lisbon in 1589 ended in failure. And immediately he felt how defined the favor of the queen.

Elizabeth, accustomed to a drone to rich mining, did not want to forgive the pirate even a single failure. Drake's recent military merits were not counted, which actually commanded the British fleet with the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

And even more so, they were forgotten by the treasure treasures in the amount of at least 600 thousand pounds of sterling (while the annual income of the English treasury was 300 thousand pounds). Surrounding Elizavet clearly grew up that she not only did not receive an once again profit, but also had to go for some of their own expenses ...

It seems that happiness really left the Drake, for the next expedition took place in a few years to the shores of America for new treasures became the latter for him. From the very beginning, everything in this swimming was unsuccessful.

Warned and ready-made food, Spaniards constantly averaged the British, and those continuously carried losses in people. In addition, tropical fever and other diseases literally mowed carriages. Heavy dysentery and admiral ill. Every day he weakened, - however, the Iron Will was not broken.

On the night of January 28, 1596, felt the end approach, Sir Francis rose from bed and asked his servant to help him get into armor to die, as the warrior was put. At dawn it was not. Surprisingly, this happened near the namba de Dios, the port of the Atlantic coast, where the Drake once began his way to world glory.

Military honors rendered by the knight after death are worthwhile. His, like everyone, who died into the sea, in the sea at a long time and buried.

Usually, the water is thrown on the water, flowers, - on the place of the burial of Drake, as a tribute to his memory, several captured Spanish ships were flooded. Truly, this person is difficult to measure the moral standards of our time ...
Monument to Sir Francis Drake in English Plimete - the city, where he in September 1580 first stepped on his native land after the world's trip.