Sir Francis Drake is still capable of kicking up a fuss

Westward the corsair of England's empire made his way, plundering Spain for Queen and country; now modern moralists are nibbling at his fame

  • By Simon Winchester
  • Smithsonian magazine, January 1997, Subscribe
 

Sir Francis Drake was an amazing fellow. The first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, he was also the first Englishman to sail the Pacific, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his daring deeds. Standing only about 5 feet 5 inches tall, the "little captain general" was a very tiger for aggressive action. After a stunning defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Drake became one of the most famous men of his day. While he died at sea more than 400 years ago, he still lives as one of England's greatest heroes, in the company of Lord Nelson and Sir Winston Churchill.

Drake was a poor boy from Devon who lived in troubled times. A passionate Protestant, he came of age when the brand-new Reformation was still being threatened by the Catholic church. Later, Drake served under Queen Elizabeth I as she battled King Philip II's Catholic Spain. A common seaman, he rose to nautical, and then social and financial, heights in Elizabethan England by boldly attacking and plundering Spanish treasure ports in Panama, then sharing the profits with the English government.

In a remarkable feat of leadership and navigation he sailed his ship, the Golden Hind, clear around the world--something no captain had done since Ferdinand Magellan's ill-fated voyage in 1522. After capturing more Spanish treasure in the Pacific, Drake and his men stopped off to claim land for England near what later became San Francisco. Drake annexed the land and dubbed it "New Albion," in England's name.

So far, so good. But lately, as writer Simon Winchester makes clear, historians who take a dim view of empire and war have been busy trying to pull the rug out from under Drake's reputation. Criticizing him for greed and violence, they often judge Drake as though he lived in our times instead of viewing him in proper context: the robustious 16th century.


Sir Francis Drake was an amazing fellow. The first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, he was also the first Englishman to sail the Pacific, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his daring deeds. Standing only about 5 feet 5 inches tall, the "little captain general" was a very tiger for aggressive action. After a stunning defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, Drake became one of the most famous men of his day. While he died at sea more than 400 years ago, he still lives as one of England's greatest heroes, in the company of Lord Nelson and Sir Winston Churchill.

Drake was a poor boy from Devon who lived in troubled times. A passionate Protestant, he came of age when the brand-new Reformation was still being threatened by the Catholic church. Later, Drake served under Queen Elizabeth I as she battled King Philip II's Catholic Spain. A common seaman, he rose to nautical, and then social and financial, heights in Elizabethan England by boldly attacking and plundering Spanish treasure ports in Panama, then sharing the profits with the English government.

In a remarkable feat of leadership and navigation he sailed his ship, the Golden Hind, clear around the world--something no captain had done since Ferdinand Magellan's ill-fated voyage in 1522. After capturing more Spanish treasure in the Pacific, Drake and his men stopped off to claim land for England near what later became San Francisco. Drake annexed the land and dubbed it "New Albion," in England's name.

So far, so good. But lately, as writer Simon Winchester makes clear, historians who take a dim view of empire and war have been busy trying to pull the rug out from under Drake's reputation. Criticizing him for greed and violence, they often judge Drake as though he lived in our times instead of viewing him in proper context: the robustious 16th century.

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Comments (4)

From what I've found, Sir Drake did indeed engage in what today would be called questionable behavior. However, when he landed at Drake's Bay, he managed to win over the local Miwok people. According to Francis Pretty's accounting, the Miwok invited Drake to be their governor or king. After crowning and bestowing him with the title of Hioh, they went on to become vanquished and conquered by the Spanish from the south in California. The most interesting thing about Drake's visit to New Albion, is Queen Elizabeth's reluctance to have the details of his journey published. It took many years for the information to become public, and even today it is very sketchy. At any rate, Drake did treat the native people well. It is a shame if his reputation becomes sullied by modern day revisionists, comparing him with today's sensibilities.

Posted by Keith on July 24,2012 | 02:36 AM

During is attack on Panama and the Spanish mule train sending treasure to Nombe de Dios. He forbade his men from plundering and raping the women of the town. He even went so far as to visit the homes and give the women his personal word that they would be safe. You would be hard pressed to find that level of civility in the 21st century, let alone the 16th. Source: The Pirate Queen.

Posted by Gary Biehl on February 27,2010 | 02:59 AM

Corsair he may have been. He reguarded the treasure as already stolen by the Spanish. If you read the reports of those he captured he was also a gentleman who treeted freind and foe with respect and according to Spanish reports his crew adored him.As for Nova Albion it was probably Vancouver Island. In the 1950's a rubbing of an old brass plate from southern Alaska was sent to the Smithsonian. It is common knowlage thatDrake was looking for the western end of the NW passage.and the English kept any useful information about this secret. Reference : The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake. On his return trip to England he lost only one man from unknown causes an amazing feet in its self in that scurvey ridden age when 25% crew loss was the norm.
Do more research and give the man long over due credit for his real acheivements
Thanks Jim Corbett

Posted by Jim Corbett on June 16,2009 | 12:06 PM

I think that this is really cool

Posted by Bob Dole on October 30,2008 | 11:56 AM



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