Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake, vice admiral (c. 1540 – 27 January 1596) was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake carried out the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580, and was the first to complete the voyage as captain while leading the expedition throughout the entire circumnavigation. With his incursion into the Pacific he inaugurated an era privateering and piracy in the western coast of the Americas –an area that had previously been free of piracy.

Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in the year of 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died of dysentery in January of 1596 after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico.

His exploits made him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards to whom he was known as El Draque. King Philip II was said to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats, about £4 million (US$6.5m) by modern standards, for his life.

Francis Drake (disambiguation)

Sir Francis Drake (1540–1596) was an Elizabethan privateer and naval hero.

Francis Drake may also refer to:

Francis Drake (antiquary)

Francis Drake (January 1696 – 16 March 1771) was an English antiquary and surgeon, best known as the author of an influential history of York, which he entitled Eboracum after the Roman name for the city.

Early life

Drake was born in Pontefract, where his father, Reverend Francis Drake, was vicar, and was baptised there on 22 January 1696. While still an adolescent, he was apprenticed to a York surgeon called Christopher Birbeck. Birbeck died in 1717, and, at the age of 21, Drake took over the practice. Ten years later he was appointed to the prestigious office of city surgeon of York.

Marriage

In 1720, in York Minster, Drake married Mary Woodyeare, daughter of a former secretary to Sir William Temple. There were five sons, only two of whom survived childhood. Mary Drake died in 1728 at the age of 35 and was buried in the church of St Michael le Belfrey, where there is a wall monument to her.

Eboracum

Drake had always been interested in history and had inherited a number of historical manuscripts. In 1729, he contacted Thomas Hearne, asking for help in compiling a history of York, but to no avail. His half-sister's husband, however, who was a schoolmaster in Leeds, encouraged him, and, with the aid of a number of other historians and collectors, he started work. Acknowledged as giving Drake assistance with Eboracum were: John Anstis, Brian Fairfax, Roger Gale, George Holmes, Henry Keepe, Benjamin Langwith, and Browne Willis.

Sir Francis Drake (TV series)

Sir Francis Drake (aka The Adventures of Sir Francis Drake) is a British adventure television series starring Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake, commander of the sailing ship the Golden Hind. As well as battles at sea and sword fights, the series also deals with intrigue at Queen Elizabeth's court.

Production

The series was a joint ABC/ATV production, made at Elstree Studios and on historical sites in England.

A replica of the Golden Hind was constructed at a cost of £25,000 and was used for filming in and around the bays of Torbay and Dartmouth. In 1963 the ship was permanently moored in Brixham harbour in Devon where it became a tourist attraction. The ship was destroyed in a storm in 1987, after which it was towed to Dartmouth and replaced with the current replica with a gallery included.

Additional production staff

Historical research was provided by E. Hayter Preston. Beatrice Dawson designed the many period costumes worn in the show. Ian Stuart Black was story editor. The fight scenes were arranged by Peter Diamond, who also appeared in four episodes.

Francis Drake (diplomat)

Francis Drake (1764–1821), of Yardbury and Wells, was a British diplomat, holding positions at Genoa and Munich during the Napoleonic Wars.

Francis Drake was the son of Rev. Francis Drake, Vicar of Seaton and Beer. In 1790 Drake was appointed Secretary of Legation to the Court of Copenhagen., moving on to be Minister Resident at Venice before becoming envoy to Genoa in 1793. He took leave to return from Genoa to England to marry in 1795. In 1799 he was appointed Envoy Extraordinary to the Elector Palatine, and Minister to the Diet of Ratisbon. He kept up correspondence with French informants, and in 1804 was politically embarrassed when some letters, revealing the plans of Charles Pichegru and Georges Cadoudal to mount an uprising on the left bank of the Rhine, were intercepted by the French government and circulated to foreign ministers in Paris.

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Francis Drake (MP for Surrey)

Francis Drake was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1654 to 1659.

Drake was the son of Francis Drake of Esher, Surrey. He was probably admitted at Emmanuel College, Cambridge on 17 March 1627 and was awarded BA in 1631 and MA in 1634. In 1654, he was elected Member of Parliament for Surrey in the First Protectorate Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Surrey in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament and in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament.

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