Sir Francis Drake (splinter: el Draque); (* around 1540; "† 28 January 1596) was a British Freibeuter, discoverer and admiral and the first British Weltumsegler. As navigator and a sailor he is considered until today as one of the outstanding personalities of the English navigation.

Early years

Francis Drake was born about 1540 in close proximity to Tavistock, Devonian, as one of 11 children. Its details date of birth actual as with many of its contemporaries - does not admit. It was branch of a Protestant farmer family, which was driven out with a catholic rebellion by its country and after Kent fled. He came early to the navigation and became already at the age of approximately 20 years captain of a cargo ship. It served first his cousin John Hawkins on a slave ship and undertook for this his first journeys to America.

First

It affected the English-Spanish conflict around the sea-sovereignty considerably as Freibeuter. It attacked predominantly Spanish trading vessels in the Karibik and divided the booty with the English queen Elizabeth I. it undertook several against the Spaniards, in whose process in the year 1573 one of its largest successes succeeded to it: With a multicolored crew, among them many Frenchmen and before the Spaniards fled he the Spanish silver course in the proximity of the city Nombre de Dios. It succeeded to it to create an immense quantity of gold to England. It had to leave enormous silver treasures however, since the transportation capacity was missing to it. Besides its achievements in England were not appreciated by official side, since Elizabeth I. had briefly before closed an armistice with king Philipp II. of Spain.

From 1573 to 1576 it was involved in striking down an Irish rebellion.

Weltumsegelung

1577 fallow Francis Drake with its ship, the Pelican, which it renamed later in golden Hind, accompanied by four other ships and also over 150 men on behalf of Elizabeth I. to a renewed expedition against the Spaniards up. It headed for first the Magellan route, had however on the way there two ships up at the coast of South America to give. It lost a further ship with the attempt to reach the Pacific; the fourth ship saw itself forced to the return to England. However with that golden Hind segelte it along the American west coast towards the north, attacked the surprised Spaniards and made rich booty. Thus it kaperte at the 1. March 1579 the Nuestra de la loaded fully with treasures from the new world, due to its heavy cannon armament also Cacafuego (Feuerscheisser) mentioned. After Drake the Cacafuego had gekapert, called its crew and he her also Cacaplata (Silberscheisser). The profit from this prize: 26 tons silver in ingots and 13 crates in coins, 72 Pound of gold as well as innumerable boxes with jewels and beads.

For the return to England he tried to find a northwest passage into the Atlantic, what did not succeed to him however. In the year 1579 he laid claim on a country, which he called "new facts Albion" - today's California in the name of the English crown.

Finally it continued to drive over the Pacific to Java, where it repaired its ships. With its return in September 1580 it celebrated as the first Englishman, that was successful the Weltumsegelung. For its earnings/services to the crown it was struck 1581 to the knight. He became a mayor von Plymouth and sat for his city from 1584 to 1585 in the English parliament.

The Weltumseglung Drakes had a Londoner consortium under guidance of Thomas Gresham, which founder of the Londoner finances stock exchange. When Drake returned after three years 1580, the partners for in each case 100 received invested Pound 4700 Pound disbursed.

Fight against the Spanish invasion

Francis Drake had been recommended by its successful voyage round the world for higher and it into relevant command positions at the English navy had been carried in such a way. it applied and destroyed 1585 again into the Karibik there a larger number of Spanish settlements.

Spain reacted increasingly provoked on the English attacks. Besides Philipp II. saw the time come to rekatholizieren the England dropped from the Pope again. It prepared therefore for the invasion and met a large fleet in the port of There however the fleet was surprised by English ships under the command Drakes in the year 1587 and partly destroyed, which had planned invasion therefore is shifted.

One year later, 1588, was he than Vice Admiral under lord Howard involved of Effingham considerably in the victorious fight against the Spanish Armada. Bad weather, unsatisfactory seefahrerisches being able, technical inferiority and sent the acting English fleet, in which Drake played an important role, forced the Armada in the long run to the involving heavy losses retreat around the north point of Scotland.

1595 it undertook a booty course again against Spanish settlements in the Karibik. It tried to take in vain Panama city. On the return trip of this enterprise Drake died on 28 January 1596 at Ruhr.

Meaning

Even if Spain and Portugal should dominate time still for some the Weltmeere, nevertheless Francis Drake coined/shaped considerably the picture of England as ascending sea power. Thus it took the part of North America for the English crown, not stressed by Frenchmen and Spaniards, in possession and put thereby the foundation-stone for the extensive colonial possession of England in North America. Besides it succeeded to it to disturb the Spanish world trade with its needle passes continuously. Thus it contributed considerably to cause the Spaniards to expensive preventive measures against the English raids. Also it had portion to the fact that the Spanish invasion of the British islands failed. All this contributed to the ascent of England to the sea power.

The water way between the British young remote islands is called it in honours Sir Francis Drake Channel.

Literature

A literary biography Drakes is in the book of Heinrich Hasebeck, published by Andreas Venzke: Gasparan or the last travel of the Francis Drake, Benziger publishing house, Zurich 1996, ISBN 3-545-36531-X. Also to read as historical novel of Hanns Kneifel I, Francis Drake, Heyne publishing house Munich, 2005, ISBN 3-453-87806-X.

In the booklet novel series of "sea-wolves Korsaren of the Weltmeere" from the Pabel Moewig publishing house it plays an important - although often - Nebenrolle in numerous consequences.

TV serial

The adventures of the Sir Francis Drake were filmed in the years 1962 to 1963 in a six-part English TV serial, which was sent 1967 and 1970 in the Federal Republic of Germany and 1975 in the GDR.

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