On January 28, 1596, Sir Francis Drake dies - one of the most significant and controversial figures in English history.
He was a famous navigator, explorer and politician, whom the Spanish called with horror "El Drake" (The Dragon) because of his ruthless piracy.
Drake was the first Englishman and the second person in the world (after Magellan) to circumnavigate the globe (1577-1580). His voyage with the flagship “Golden Hind“ brought the English crown colossal profits.
For his exploits, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I on 4 April 1581, directly on board his ship.
As vice admiral, he played a decisive role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. A year earlier, he made a daring raid on the port of Cadiz, destroying 30-40 Spanish ships.
The Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica, which he discovered by chance after a storm carried his ship south, bears his name.
He also declared territory in present-day California an English possession under the name “New Albion“.
He was the mayor of Plymouth and a member of Parliament.
Early in his career, he participated in one of the first English expeditions to trade slaves from Africa to the Americas.
Francis Drake died of dysentery on January 28, 1596, off the coast of Panama, and was buried at sea in a lead coffin that has not been found to this day.