Francis Drake

Francis Drake was a knight and ship captain in the court of Queen Elizabeth I. He is known for his efforts in attacking and pillaging the Spanish vessels that he encountered in the Caribbean and Atlantic waters. He has been called a pirate but he was reportable doing everything under the eye and patronage of his queen. His most famous battle was that with the Spanish Armada in 1588. He helped scatter the enemy using fireships and the end result was the armada destroying itself in dangerous waters off the coast of Ireland and Scotland.

He led the second voyage which circumnavigated the Earth, in 1577-1580. The first was Ferdinand Magellan.