Francis Drake was among the most successful explorers and naval officers of England in the Elizabethan era, successfully circumnavigating the globe and emerging victorious against the Spanish Armada. This biography discusses the most notable accomplishments of Francis Drake, and the role he assumed on voyages around the world. Although the numerous successes he enjoyed on his daring expeditions gained him plaudits in his native England, for the Spanish he was considered a ruthless and menacing pirate for his coastal raids upon settlements. Between 1577 and 1580 Drake succeeded in circumnavigating the world on a single voyage, an achievement which symbolized the growing naval prowess of his nation. A lengthy, blow-by-blow account of the battle with the Spanish Armada spans some three chapters of this text. Feared for its sheer numbers and tonnage, Spain's enormous fleet proved to be unwieldy in battle: novel tactics, such as England's use of ships set aflame and driven toward the enemy's tightly-packed vessels, drove the Armada off. However, as this biography notes, the victory was also thanks to the levelheadedness of Drake and his fellow commanders.

How well do you know the life of one of Britain’s great maritime heroes? Discover the truth behind a man who remains a legendary figure of history more than four hundred years after his death. Sir Francis Drake’s career is one of the most colourful on record. The most daring of the corsairs who raided the West Indies and Spanish Main, he led the English into the Pacific, and cirumnavigated the world to bring home the Golden Hind laden with Spanish treasure. His attacks on Spanish cities and ships transformed his private war into a struggle for surivival between Protestant England and Catholic Spain, in which he became Elizabeth I's most prominent admiral and marked the emergence of England as major maritime nation. ‘Excellent...It deserves to become the standard Drake life. His scholarship is impeccable’ Frank McLynn, Sunday Telegraph

Details the life and exploits of Sir Francis Drake, an early English slave-trader and pirate who successfully sailed around the world.

A classic biography of the legendary English seafarer and privateer, this book covers Drake's youthful adventures as a sailor, his daring raids against the Spanish Armada, and his circumnavigation of the globe. With first-hand accounts of many of Drake's exploits, as well as insights into his personality and character, this book is an essential resource for anyone interested in the Age of Exploration or the history of seafaring. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

“FASCINATING . . . Dramatic and timely.” —New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice In this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan and Columbus reveals the singular adventures of Sir Francis Drake, whose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed the course of history. “Entrancing . . . Very good indeed.” —Wall Street Journal Before he was secretly dispatched by Queen Elizabeth to circumnavigate the globe, or was called upon to save England from the Spanish Armada, Francis Drake was perhaps the most wanted—and successful—pirate ever to sail. Nicknamed “El Draque” by the Spaniards who placed a bounty on his head, the notorious red-haired, hot-tempered Drake pillaged galleons laden with New World gold and silver, stealing a vast fortune for his queen—and himself. For Elizabeth, Drake made the impossible real, serving as a crucial and brilliantly adaptable instrument of her ambitions to transform England from a third-rate island kingdom into a global imperial power. In 1580, sailing on Elizabeth’s covert orders, Drake became the first captain to circumnavigate the earth successfully. (Ferdinand Magellan had died in his attempt.) Part exploring expedition, part raiding mission, Drake’s audacious around-the-world journey in the Golden Hind reached Patagonia, the Pacific Coast of present-day California and Oregon, the Spice Islands, Java, and Africa. Almost a decade later, Elizabeth called upon Drake again. As the devil-may-care vice admiral of the English fleet, Drake dramatically defeated the once-invincible Spanish Armada, spurring the British Empire’s ascent and permanently wounding its greatest rival. The relationship between Drake and Elizabeth is the missing link in our understanding of the rise of the British Empire, and its importance has not been fully described or appreciated. Framed around Drake’s key voyages as a window into this crucial moment in British history, In Search of a Kingdom is a rousing adventure narrative entwining epic historical themes with intimate passions.