Page 82 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

Hero or Villain?

JOHN DEE

It actually wasn’t Elizabeth who dubbed
Drake a knight but a French diplomat

Drake is credited by Forbes
Many people held Drake personally as the second highest-
responsible for the war with Spain earning pirate of all time

The true extent of Drake’s
expedition is still in some dispute

Drake to serve as a privateer — he could sail to the When Drake returned to England, it was with go down in legend as Drake became the first
Americas, but it essentially gave him permission a fierce reputation and hordes of stolen booty. Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, but it was
to attack any property belonging to Spain along The queen certainly appreciated the treasures a brutal voyage, fraught with danger.
the way. Drake took to this quickly, capturing and and more than likely approved of the blows he Only one of his five ships remained by the
raiding several Spanish settlements on the had dealt against England’s biggest enemy. time he reached the Pacific Ocean, yet this
way home. The crew obtained so However, she maintained a public didn’t distract him from unleashing hell upon
much treasure that they were face of opposition to his unlawful the Spanish ports along the west coast of South
unable to take it all back. approach in order to prevent America. He also reputedly landed off the coast
Drake’s methods were Defining more hostility with Spain. of California and claimed it for the queen – even
ruthless, but it was a moment Lord Burghley, the today in San Francisco’s Union Square there is
merciless, violent period Drake is knighted queen’s minister, was a hotel commemorating him. Although he was
and the New World was After returning from his epic journey very vocal in his dislike unable to find passage, his accomplishments in
there for the taking. across the seas, Drake is hailed as the first of Drake’s wicked actions circumnavigation earned him the respect of the
Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. For
More than anything, this — and the treasures he brought back — he and the English people English and a knighthood.
Drake was relentless. receives a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth I. themselves were not However, not everyone was so complimentary.
During one raid, he was Despite what some would call brutality, this entirely convinced. Much During the journey he had come into conflict not
confirms to him that his queen and country
injured so horrifically like today, Drake created only with the Spanish but his own co-commander,
are in support of his deeds and motivates
his footprints in the sand him to continue his ravaging of somewhat of a divide, Thomas Doughty. While the two had been friends
were filled with blood, but Spanish settlements. with some branding him a for some time, their relationship turned sour at sea,
he still didn’t give up. He 1581 hero and others uneasy about and Drake eventually accused Doughty of mutiny
experienced torrential storms, his dubious methods. and witchcraft, striking him and tying him to a
deaths and failures but battled Elizabeth didn’t do a great mast. He claimed to have authority from the queen
through. This is what the Spanish job at pretending to be disapproving, to carry out a trial, though no proof was given, and
found so terrifying — not any particular brutal commissioning Drake to explore the coast of Doughty was found guilty and beheaded.
methods, but his unwillingness to yield. Whether North America, seeking a northwest passage in Much of the unrest was due to the fact that
this was motivated by commitment to country or 1579. In reality, the queen was unleashing Drake many of the sailors did not sign up for what was
his own selfish desires, though, is up for debate. upon the Spanish there. This journey would essentially becoming a pirate raid. Doughty was not
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