Brief biography of Francis Drake. What did the English pirate Francis Drake discover?

landscaping 19.10.2019

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The "Iron Pirate" of Queen Elizabeth I Drake Francis was the most famous corsair and the first English navigator around the world. He defeated the Spanish Invincible Armada, and the widest strait on Earth between Antarctica and South America is named after him.

Childhood

The exact date when Drake Francis was born is unknown. He was born around 1540 in Devon, near the town of Teyvistok. The father of the future navigator was a yeoman (farmer), who later became a priest. Francis was the eldest of 12 children in the family.

At the age of 9, the child moved with his parents to the port of Kent. There he became interested in ships. Three years later, Francis went on his first voyage on a merchant barge. His distant relative was the owner of his own ship. Dying, he bequeathed this ship to young Drake. So at just 18 years old, the future pirate first became a captain.

First expeditions

In 1567, Drake Francis took command of the ship "Judith", which went on an expedition to the shores of Guinea and the West Indies. Near Mexico, the ships were attacked by the Spaniards. Of the English ships, only two managed to get out. One was commanded by the navigator Francis Drake, and the other by his relative, slave trader and merchant John Hawkins. After that episode, the pirate began to consider the Spaniards the main enemies of his life. It was then that the rivalry between the two maritime powers reached its peak. The old colonial Spanish empire was unwilling to cede its dominant position in the Atlantic to England, which was gaining momentum.

Francis Drake's new journey began in 1572 when he went to the Spanish possessions in the West Indies. In Panama, he captured the fortress of Nombre de Dios. The British intercepted a caravan with 30 tons of silver precious metal. The successful expedition of Francis Drake brought him not only fame throughout the country, but also rare wealth. In 1575, Drake served in Ireland, where he participated in the suppression of an uprising. local population in Ulster.

Discovery of an unknown strait

As a navigator and explorer, Drake Francis is best known for his voyage to Pacific Ocean. The expedition began in 1577. The importance of the enterprise was emphasized by the fact that it was initiated by Queen Elizabeth herself. The authorities announced that the flotilla was heading west to discover new lands. In fact, the main goal of the six-ship expedition was to rob Spanish ships.

Francis Drake's route passed through the Strait of Magellan between South America and Tierra del Fuego. On the way, the British got into a storm and were thrown far south of their intended trajectory. A whim of the weather helped Drake find out that Tierra del Fuego is not part of an unknown mainland (as was previously thought), but a separate archipelago. So the main geographical discovery of the pirate took place. Later, the strait between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica was named after him. What Francis Drake discovered became another piece of the mosaic that was assembled by the Europeans who discovered the world they did not know.

On the way to California

The only ship that broke through the bad weather into the waters of the Pacific Ocean was the flagship Pelican, commanded by Francis Drake. The biography of the pirate was full of episodes when he found himself in the balance of death or the failure of the next trip. However, as before, the captain overcame all difficulties. Once in the Pacific Ocean, the Pelican became known as the Golden Hind, heading north along the western coast of South America.

English pirates attacked one Spanish port after another. Then the "Golden Hand" ended up in a region where no Europeans had yet been. Drake landed in present-day California and Oregon, declaring these lands the domain of the queen. It is believed that the extreme northern point of his route was the place where the Canadian city of Vancouver is located today.

Homecoming and knighthood

After making repairs and replenishing provisions, the famous English pirate Francis Drake assembled a team to decide which way to return home. Sailing back to the Strait of Magellan was dangerous, as there was almost certainly a Spanish ambush waiting for the British. Drake also did not dare to look for a northern route to the Atlantic and eventually went deep into the Pacific Ocean. He reached the Moluccas, and from them followed to Africa.

In 1580, the captain of the Golden Hind returned to his homeland. He brought to England an incredible amount of treasures and exotic goods, including American potatoes, which were not yet known in Foggy Albion. What blow struck the Spaniards and what Francis Drake discovered immortalized his name. On April 4, 1581, Queen Elizabeth visited the Golden Hind galleon and announced national hero knight. A few months later, Drake was elected mayor of the Port of Plymouth. In January 1583, his first wife Mary died, and in July the pirate married for the second time to twenty-year-old Elizabeth Sydenham.

Having reached the pinnacle of fame, Sir Francis Drake did not stop his pirate expeditions. He attacked Spanish possessions in the West Indies several times. They ravaged the ports of Santo Domingo, Vigo, Cartagena and San Augustin.

In 1587, the Cadiz expedition began, during which Drake burned the Spanish fleet in the bay of Cadiz and made several successful cruising operations off the Portuguese coast. The pirate even captured the royal carrack "San Felipe", which transported treasures from the East Indies.

Against the Invincible Armada

In 1588, Spain sent a flotilla to the shores of England, which became known as the Invincible Armada. Francis Drake, whose biography was associated with every war of that time, was one of the admirals who managed to defeat the enemy squadron. The decisive event of the confrontation was the battle of Gravelines on August 8, 1588. Drake, as vice admiral, was on the right flank of the English fleet.

The British were the first to capture the San Lorenzo galleass, which had been damaged before. This ship tried to take refuge in the harbor of Calais, but Drake could not resist the temptation to capture the enemy ship full of gold. During the battle, many Spanish sailors were killed, and Captain Hugo de Moncada even received a bullet in the head.

Then Drake, who commanded the ship "Rivenge", rushed in pursuit of the flagship of the Spaniards, on which was the leader of the Invincible Armada, the Duke of Medina Sidonia. Along with him, Hawkins also entered the battle on the Victory. Meanwhile, the ships of the armada, which had previously been at a distance from the flagship, turned around and began to approach the epicenter of events. The Spanish flotilla lined up in a crescent. The flagship San Martin, along with four other ships, was in the center. On the flanks were strong galleasses.

Battle of Gravelines

Years of Francis Drake's life were spent inventing a new tactic naval battles. The pirate was indeed a military reformer. He was the first to rely not on the firepower of ships, but on their speed and maneuverability. This style of Drake developed during numerous battles off the coast of America. However, this tactic brought the main success precisely in the battle at Gravelines. All attempts by the Spaniards to board the nimble English ships failed.

The first stage of the battle began with the fact that the British cut off from the rest of the ships and surrounded the San Felipe. Then the San Mateo was attacked, trying to come to the rescue of the galleon. Both ships were riddled with cannonballs. Their rigging and sails were badly damaged. The ships barely kept afloat. English musketeers and artillery effectively shot any targets that fell under their guns.

Drake's ships unleashed volleys of onboard guns on the opponents and quickly retreated to the side, preventing the Spaniards from boarding them. The vice admiral's cabin was shot through twice, but he continued the fight without even getting a scratch. In the battle, the British lost about a hundred people, while the Spaniards - six hundred. 107 shells were fired at the flagship San Martin.

In the midst of the Battle of Gravelines, the weather suddenly deteriorated. A storm began, which sank many of the already badly damaged Spanish ships. The Duke of Medina Sidonia escaped, but after the defeat, he no longer posed a former threat to England. The Spanish fiasco marked a turning point in the history of rivalry in the Atlantic. Since then, England has steadily increased its influence, while the old colonial empire with its capital in Madrid, on the contrary, has entered a period of decline.

Lisbon expedition

Drake, as one of the main creators of the victory over Spain, once again became a national hero. In 1593 he was elected to Parliament as a member of the House of Commons for Plymouth. The navigator did a lot for the development of the key English port. For example, Drake organized and financed the construction of a new water conduit in Plymouth.

After the defeat of the Invincible Armada, Queen Elizabeth burned with a desire to further humiliate Spain. This is how the plan for an expedition to the Iberian Peninsula came about. The British decided to win the Portuguese throne for Antonio, prior of Crato, who was a descendant of the Portuguese king Manuel I and had a negative attitude towards Spain.

In 1589, the expedition of Drake and Norris, also known as the Counterarmada or the English Armada, set off to the shores of the Iberian Peninsula. The first operation of the fleet was an attack on the port of A Coruña in the province of Galicia. After bloody battles, the siege ended. It was not possible to occupy the city, and Drake decided to move aside main goal- Lisbon.

Portugal was then in union with Spain. The garrison stubbornly resisted the British. Drake hoped for an anti-Spanish uprising of the local Portuguese population, but this never happened. The British destroyed the Lisbon granaries and disrupted the city's naval communications. However, without the support of the local population and powerful artillery, the capital could not be taken. Drake stepped back. This was followed by several cruising operations off the Portuguese coast. As a result, the city of Vigo was burned. On the whole, however, the English Armada was a failure. Neither of the two equal powers managed to achieve a full-fledged victory on foreign soil.

Last Journey

The next expedition of the "Iron Pirate" began in 1595. Together with John Hawkins, Drake again went to the West Indies. The British were going to capture the Spanish fortress of San Juan on the island of Puerto Rico. However, at the last moment, Drake abandoned this plan, deciding that his forces were not enough to take possession of the port.

The Vice Admiral's fleet stopped at San Germán Bay in western Puerto Rico. Here began the cleaning of ships, the search for fresh water and provisions. In November 1595, the squadron went to Panama. On Christmas Day the ships entered the bay in front of the town of Nombre de Dios. The Spanish inhabitants abandoned this fortress. From there, the English detachment set out on land to march on Panama. By order of Drake, Nombre de Dios was set on fire. A few days later, the detachment he sent to Panama returned with nothing, as on the way to the fortress he was ambushed by the Spanish. This failure meant the failure of the entire expedition. For Drake, this fiasco was a painful blow.

Illness and death

Without giving up, the admiral decided to go north on ships and land in Honduras. After five days of travel, due to uncomfortable winds, the ships were forced to anchor on the island of Escudo de Veraguas. Here Drake was going to wait out the bad weather. The choice of the bay turned out to be unsuccessful. The humid tropical island was distinguished by an unhealthy climate, which was conducive to the emergence of diseases in the crew of sailors. The expedition was struck by an epidemic of dysentery. Drake ordered to separate sick people from healthy people, but this measure did not bring the expected result. All the new members of the team fell off their feet.

On January 23, 1596, the already ill Drake, without waiting for a change in the wind, ordered to set sail and set off again. The fleet moved towards the fortress of Puerto Belo in Panama. The captains of several ships died along the way. The expedition doctors could do nothing about the epidemic. The waning Drake drew up and signed his will. With him was his brother Thomas and senior officers. Then the bouts of delirium began. Francis Drake died on January 28, 1596, in his cabin aboard the Defiance.

Thomas Baskerville assumed command. The flotilla entered the harbor of Puerto Bello, and the sailors captured the city without much difficulty. The next day, the new captain ordered the admiral's body to be placed in a lead coffin. Under the artillery salute, he was lowered to the bottom of the bay. The expedition returned to Foggy Albion in April 1596. The news of the death of the pirate Drake shook first the West Indies, and then Europe. There was mourning in England, and festive fireworks in Spain. Drake was one of the main corsairs of the era of piracy.

Francis Drake's message about the discoveries of a corsair, navigator, vice-admiral of the English fleet is set out in this article.

Francis Drake discovered what?

He was the second person after and the first Englishman who circumnavigated the world in 1577-1580. Drake was a talented organizer and naval commander, the main figure in the English fleet, thanks to which the Invincible Spanish Armada was defeated. For what Francis Drake did, the Queen of England, Elizabeth I, knighted him: the navigator began to be called Sir Francis Drake.

In 1575, he was introduced to the Queen of England, Elizabeth I. She invited the pirate (Drake by that time had the glory of a robber and slave trader) to enter the public service. In addition, she, along with the shareholders, financed his expedition to explore the eastern coast of South America. As a result, the journey of Francis Drake not only “paid for itself” at times, but also made geographical discoveries and important sea routes.

What did Francis Drake discover between 1577 and 1580?

Francis Drake, whose round-the-world trip began on November 15, 1577, as part of 6 ships, descended to the southern part of the American continent. Having passed the Strait of Magellan, the team entered the waters of the Pacific Ocean. They were caught by a terrible storm, which threw the ships a little south of the islands of Tierra del Fuego. Francis Drake's expedition made a grandiose discovery - the path between the still undiscovered Antarctica and South America. Later it will be named after the traveler - Drake Passage.

All the ships went missing in the storm, leaving only one flagship, the Pelican. Francis Drake, after a miraculous rescue, renamed the ship the Golden Hind. On it, the captain rounded the northern part of the western coast of South America, attacking and plundering Spanish ports along the way.

He reached the shores of modern Canada and California. This Pacific coast was then unexplored and was considered wild land. Drake was the first European in history to stake out new lands for the crown of England. Having replenished supplies, the team headed west, sailed to the Spice Islands. Having rounded the Cape of Good Hope, the corsair returned home on September 26, 1580.

Sir Francis Drake (eng. Francis Drake; around 1540 - January 28, 1596) - English navigator, corsair, vice admiral (1588). The first Englishman to make circumnavigation(in 1577-1580). An active participant in the defeat of the Spanish fleet (the Invincible Armada) in the Battle of Gravelines (1588), thanks to Drake's skillful actions, the British managed to gain an advantage over the enemy's superior firepower.

He was born to a farmer who later became a priest in Crowndale. The family moved in 1549 to Kent. He became a cabin boy on a merchant ship at the age of 12. At the age of 18, he became a full-fledged captain of the ship on which he served, because in his youth he was very fond of the owner. He traveled to Guinea and the West Indies in 1567. He commanded a ship on a slave trading expedition organized by a relative of his. Drake went on his own expedition in 1572. He sailed to the West Indies, captured the city of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus of Panama, then - several ships near the harbor of Cartagena. He then intercepted a Spanish ship full of silver. When he returned to England in 1573, he was known as a wealthy and real captain.

Drake was a real adventurer, but he was always supported by the queen. She kept his ships. Why? England needed rich people who could raise money for her. Drake was an adventurer, but he never acted at his own risk. Francis was a hired pirate, and one of his shareholders was the queen. After robbing a ship, Drake gave part of the loot to the queen. She sent him in 1577 on an expedition to the Pacific coast of America. This journey unexpectedly turned out not to be a search for places to rob, but a real round-the-world trip. On his ship "Golden Doe" he sailed to Patagonia, passed along the coast of South America, headed for the coast of California. There he met the Indian tribes. He set up a pole in front of the departure, on which was a copper plate with the name of Queen Elizabeth I. Also on the plate were the dates of the arrival and departure of the British. Drake also left a silver coin with the image of the queen, her coat of arms and carved his name. These lands he called New Albion. This record was discovered in 1926 and then lost. However, in 1929 it was found again.

Drake swam across Atlantic Ocean and returned to his homeland, and before that he went around the southern tip of Africa. He has seen a lot on this journey. He discovered many new lands, his ships suffered curtains, and when, after almost three years, the Golden Hind returned to his native England, Francis Dreck felt like a hero. He had much to be proud of. He brought with him a colossal booty. But relations between England and Spain deteriorated. The Spanish ambassador demanded the return of the loot and the killing of the pirate Drake. The queen, on the other hand, did the opposite: she showered favors on the pirate, conferring on him the title of baronet. She told the Spaniards that the seized valuables would be with her until Albion and Spain made settlements between themselves on mutual claims.

Francis Drake became vice admiral, he commanded an entire fleet and continued to plunder the colonies of Spain. In 1580, the Spanish king annexed Portugal to his possessions. Thus, the "Invincible Armada" was created, the most powerful and famous formation of ships. In 1588, the armada sets off for the shores of England. The king decided that he would return the valuables and take revenge on the British for their audacity. 130 ships went on a campaign. The war was planned to be waged not at sea, but on land. The king planned to land troops on the southern coast of Albion. When the ships appeared near the coast of England, Drake was informed about this and he decided to wait a couple of hours before setting sail. Together with Admiral Effingham, a special battle tactic was developed.

44 ships departed from Plymouth. Spanish ships passed the English Channel and anchored off the coast of France. The British were just waiting for this. In the direction of the Spanish fleet, fireships with explosives were sent. A couple of Spanish ships caught fire, others tried to go to the open sea, bumping into each other under the cover of night. In the morning, the British saw a funny picture: some of the enemy ships sank, and the surviving ships were scattered along the coast. Francis gave another signal to attack and about 10 ships were shot with cannons. Only night and a fair wind saved the Spaniards from total defeat. The admiral decided to sail around Scotland. However, fortune was not on the side of Spain. Storm winds destroyed 25 ships. The crew was taken prisoner by local residents. Three months later, a little less than half of the ships returned to their homeland.

As for the pirate Drake, he managed to marry twice, but he had no children. All his fortune passed to his nephew. The pirate died of dysentery. He was buried in a lead coffin in the ocean. The name of Francis Drake is immortalized in geography: the strait between Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica is called the Drake Passage. By the way, it was Francis Drake who brought potatoes to Europe. In the German city of Offenburg, a great pirate carved in stone holds a potato flower in his hand. The signature says that he helped millions of the poor by distributing potatoes. And millions of landowners bless his immortal memory.

The most successful corsair in history often took desperate risks. And he almost always won. What was it? 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 Sea and off the coast of Europe. Literally in a matter of years, in these waters, which were previously dangerous except for their storms, a new terrible danger has appeared - pirates! And the first violin in this concert immediately began to play the British. Why exactly them? England was late to the division of the American and Asian colonies. AT XVI century, the Spaniards and the Portuguese confidently settled there. So, become the new conquistadors English men it was difficult. Where to go to a young, brave, strong guy who wants to get rich quick? Well, of course, the pirates! And given the fact that piracy was almost officially encouraged by the British government, sea robbery became literally national idea Britain.

And the most prominent 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 no sir at all. This is then the queen , satisfied with the very profitable (for the treasury) activity 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 sir, vice admiral and thunderstorm of the Spanish crown.

However, one should not consider the small English landowners (yeomen), from which the parents of the future pirate came, as representatives of the lowest classes. So, young Francis received a very good (at that time) 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 sea robbers).

When Francis was still a teenager, his father apprenticed him to the skipper of a merchant barge. It is unlikely that Drake Sr. dreamed of seeing his son as a robber. Rather, he wanted to provide the boy with a secure job in adulthood. And in England the second half XVI centuries, the most sought-after professions were those that were somehow connected with the sea.

So, Francis becomes a cabin boy on a ship. The ship is a trading ship and sails only in coastal waters. It's not even a school, but Kindergarten for every English sailor. But it must be passed in order to step higher. And the school specifically for Francis has already become a service with 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 did Drake do with Hawkins? Oh, then it was the most demanded (just appeared, but promised great prospects) business - slave trade!

Slave Trade: Young Sailor's School

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

Sharp-witted, with a well-suspended tongue, sailor Drake quickly attracted the attention of the 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 business of Hawkins-Drake suffered an unexpected fiasco. During the next visit to New World with a batch 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 at all by foreigners.

Having abandoned the flagship with all the valuables, Hawkins managed to escape from the Spaniards on the light ship Minion. Escaped from the ring of Spanish ships and Drake on his Judith. The rest of the English ships sank or were captured.

Outraged slave traders Drake and Hawkins arrived in England, where through official channels they demanded that the Spanish king compensate for the losses incurred as a result of such a blatant "violation of international law". The fact that, before its defeat, Hawkins' 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, this complaint was ignored. Then Drake decided that " do not expect favors from Spain, it is our task to take them from her". So the world was no longer a slave trader, but the pirate Drake ...

Drake's first pirate raid

Drake's first pirate raid 1572 glorified his name throughout England. Equipped partly with his own, partly with state funds, several ships, he went to the Caribbean Sea. There, after a series of mediocre successes, Francis was waiting for a big success of 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 carried whole mountains of silver, mined in 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 well-trained crew. But the fact is that the "Silver Fleet" was formed in Havana (the starting point of the journey 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 looted in subject territories. From these mini-squadrons, the mighty “Silver Fleet” was then formed, and there was nothing to think about attacking which in full force.

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

Pirate and Queen: Secret Additional Agreement

Drake's second outing 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 for 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 “journey” to the royal treasury.

The results of the campaign exceeded all wildest expectations. Drake swept the Pacific coast with fire and sword, attacking Spanish cities and towns. But these were all small things compared to the main prize - manila galleon. Every year, on the other side of the planet, a galleon left Manila (in the Spanish Philippines), which carried to the metropolis all the loot on these Asian islands for the whole year.

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

Therefore, the Spaniards chose a different path. East, in a straight line across the Pacific to the port of Acapulco in Spanish Mexico. There, the values of the Manila galleon were unloaded, transported by land to the opposite (Atlantic) coast, where they were again loaded onto ships and sent to Spain itself. This path was rather laborious, but shorter and, most importantly, safer ...

Yes, it was safer that way. By the English pirates in the Caribbean have already become accustomed to and kept against them military squadrons. But in the Pacific Ocean they have not yet been seen. And they did not provide serious protection.

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

Defeated Leviathan

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 the 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 hold all the necessary goods at once. 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 most capital ship in Drake's squadron did not even reach 300 tons). And Drake saw such a leviathan in the harbor of Acapulco, where the galleon, apparently, had just arrived with a cargo.

Drake didn't hesitate. He had the surprise factor and a desperate team of thugs on his side. The Spaniards were taken by surprise, most of The team was on the beach. The resistance of the small guard was quickly broken. untold treasures(and not only Chinese silk was brought from the Philippines, but also spices, and porcelain, and gems) fell into the hands of pirates.

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

However, after the Drake raid, and also after 1587 another british gentleman of fortune, Thomas Cavendish , captured the Manila galleon "Saint Anna", the Spaniards revised their maritime safety rules. Manila galleons are now equipped with cannons, the military team on the galleons has been significantly increased. After these innovations, the attack became a very problematic task.

But Drake was lucky. He was the first, and therefore hit such a fat jackpot.

"Golden Doe" 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 were buried 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. At one stroke, dear Sir Francis (he became sir because he was knighted immediately upon his return) brought her a fantastic gift. Under a secret additional agreement, the queen was entitled to half of the entire booty, that is, in this case, to 300,000 pounds sterling.

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

Then there was a daring raid already on the Spanish coast itself (on Cadiz in 1587), in order, as the pirate captain himself jokingly put it, "to burn the beard of the king of Spain."

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

And in 1588 Sir Francis Drake took an active part in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. In England, he turned into a 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 tied up with the slave trade, John Hawkins also became a pirate. Although here he had to yield the palm to his former protégé (Drake), nevertheless the Spaniards trembled before his name. Starting another military action against the hated England, the Spanish king was interested in the first thing: 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 of success.

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

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

The pious queen, this time (as in 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 out to sea as a warrior, and returned as a priest!"

Hawkins realized that God-fearing rhetoric will not catch the Queen. Red Bess (Red Beth - Elizabeth's nickname) must be given what she most desires, 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: for a long time there were no new chests with gold from him.

Two old friends decided to improve their reputation in the eyes of the royal court and went 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 after two months, January 28, 1596, near Puer to Bello(now Portobelo in Panama) Francis Drake died of dysentery. The famous pirate was buried in the ocean in a lead coffin.