Drake's Voyage Round the World

At Deptford, on April 4th, 1581, Francis Drake, who, during the previous autumn, had returned from his triumphant circumnavigation of the globe, knelt before Queen Elizabeth and received a knighthood

C.E. Hamshere | Published in History Today Volume 17 Issue 9 September 1967

A 16th century oil on canvas portrait of Sir Francis Drake in Buckland Abbey, painting by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger.

There are few stories in fact or fiction that can rival the extraordinary adventures of Francis Drake on his voyage round the world between 1577 and 1580. Suspicion and suspense, high ambition and dogged resolution were crowned by success beyond the wildest of dreams.