Francis Drake Departs Plymouth on Global Voyage
Queen Elizabeth I secretly authorized English seaman Francis Drake to raid Spanish treasure fleets and explore Pacific routes amid Anglo-Spanish rivalries. On December 13, 1577, Drake sailed from Plymouth with five ships and 164 men, including the flagship Pelican (later renamed Golden Hind). After crossing the Atlantic and navigating the Straits of Magellan, storms scattered the fleet; only the Golden Hind reached the Pacific. Drake raided Spanish settlements along South America's west coast, captured a richly laden treasure galleon, and continued north to present-day California, claiming land as Nova Albion for the queen. He then crossed the Pacific, rounded Africa, and returned to Plymouth on September 26, 1580, completing the first English circumnavigation.