Drake's Circumnavigation of the Globe

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.03: English Writing and Culture: Renaissance (Elizabethan and Jacobean periods) , 1485-1625.
Vol. editors: William M. Hamlin (Washington State University), J A Roe (University of York), Virginia Mason Vaughan (Clark University), Ema Vyroubalova (Trinity College Dublin)

Domains

Exploration

Dates

Date of occurrence 1577-11-15-1580-11-30

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

Perhaps the most famous sailor of all time, Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the globe has become common legend. Born circa 1540-43, Drake was the son of a staunchly Protestant yeoman farmer whose poverty drove him to sea at the age of 13, learning his trade in the difficult shoals and coastal passages of the North Sea. By the age of 23 he had become master of his own ship, but, related to John Hawkins, he enlisted in the fleet Hawkins was establishing to trade (and raid) in the West Indies. His skill as a navigator, courage in action, and hatred of the Spanish became renowned, especially amongst the financial backers of Hawkins' fleet. In 1572 Drake was rewarded with a privateering commission from the Queen (a licence to prey u…

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370 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Drake's Circumnavigation of the Globe". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 June 2005 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=294, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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Drake's Circumnavigation of the Globe

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