- Ask the Spanish what they thought of Sir Francis Drake, and they'll definitely say "villain."
But Queen Elizabeth I loved him - and you can't blame her, as she was one of the main beneficiaries of his high seas plundering.
In fact, Tavistock's most famous son has been dubbed the Queen's Pirate because of his habit of pinching other people's treasure.
Drake was born in Tavistock some time between 1541 and 1543, and went on to become a daring seafarer.
He first went to sea at the age of just 13, and he successfully circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580 on board the Golden Hind - a real achievement in those days.
Only Magellan had done this before - and he had not lived to tell the tale.
But it wasn't Drake's maritime achievements which endeared him to the Queen - it was the treasure he presented to her after he'd raided Spanish and Portugese ships.
Queen Elizabeth I dined with him on board the Golden Hind, and afterwards, she knighted him - much to the annoyance of the King of Spain.
But then, Drake did a lot to antagonise the Spanish.
He helped to see off the Spanish Armada in 1588, and, according to legend, he even had time to play bowls on Plymouth Hoe while preparing for battle.
He died at sea on his final voyage, off the coast of Panama. He had been suffering from dysentery for several days and in January 1596, he finally died.
His body was placed inside a lead casket and he was slipped overboard.
Historian Harry Kelsey reckons Drake was a "ruthless, arrogant, self-willed, covetous, money-minded, and amoral" man. He goes on to label him a bully and sociopath.
Not that Drake would have cared - his plundering paid for Buckland Abbey his home in Buckland Monachorum, West Devon, which is now run by the National Trust.
And he's still regarded as a hero by Devonians. He was appointed Mayor of Plymouth without being a member of the council, and his statue stands tall and proud in Tavistock and on Plymouth Hoe. - READ THIS POEM ABOUT F. DRAKE
Francis Drake was a pirate,
Who sailed all around the world.
He liked to attack Spanish ships
And steal their jewels and gold.
He gave the treasure to the queen,
She thought he was a hero.
The Spanish were afraid of him
And called him the dragon, "El Draco."
One day he was playing bowls
With some friends by the sea,
When he saw some Spanish ships coming,
They wanted back their jewellery.
"Quick" said his friends, "We must go at once
And chase that Armada away!"
But Drake said "No, we can finish our game,
We still have time to play."
Eventually the game was over,
And Francis Drake said "Right!
Let's play a trick on them,
And give them such a fright."
He took an empty ship
And set fire to the mast,
Then pushed it towards the Spanish
Who were looking on, aghast.
They saw the fireship coming towards them
And they were filled with fear.
"It's Draco the dragon" they told themselves,
"Let's get out of here!"
The Spanish ships turned around
And headed back for Spain.
Drake laughed and shouted at them
"Don't come back again!"
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Teresa Ramos. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Teresa Ramos. Mostrar todas las entradas
sábado, 11 de diciembre de 2010
DRAKE, HERO OR VILLAIN?. READ THE POEM.
Francis Drake: good or bad?Hero...or villain?
Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596).Activities.
Sir Francis Drake was born in 1540 in Tavistock, Devon, England. He first started going to sea while living in Chatham in Kent, at the age of 12 or 13. He was an apprentice on a small trading ship which was left to him when the master died. but became famous as a pirate and explorer.
During his life, Protestant England was often at war with Catholic Spain and there were rich rewards for capturing Spanish ships.
Drake, who was an incredibly bold and brilliant sailor, captured more than his fair share of Spanish ships. His pirate raids on Spanish ships off the coast of America were encouraged by Queen Elizabeth I. Drake's successful battles against the Spanish helped England become a major sea power.
He was the first Englishman to sail around the world, which he did (1577 - 1580) in his ship The Golden Hinde. Drake started his famous circumnavigation of the world from Plymouth, England, November 15, 1577, passed through the Straight of Magellan (southern tip of South America) into the Pacific, coasted up the western shores of the Americas, crossed to Asia and the Philippines, and finally returned to Britain on September 26, 1580.
Drake's route around the worldOn the way round the world, Drake landed in what is now California, naming it Nova Albion (New England) and claiming it for his queen.
Drake returned from his voyage with his ship packed full of spices from the Indies, and plundered Spanish silver and treasure.
ACTIVITIES
Drake succeded in becoming the first man to sail around the entiere world
.
1) Describe his travels
2) Explain the meaning of 'circumnavigate
Knighted
Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth l for his courage, and for the treasures he brought back with him. He brought back enough treasure to pay off the entire national debt.
Spanish Armada
In 1587, Elizabeth I put Drake in command of an expedition to attack a Spanish fleet which was getting ready to attack England. Drake sailed right in to Cadiz harbour and wrecked the ships there, before going on to capture another hundred Spanish ships elsewhere. It was said he'd 'singed the king of Spain's beard'. By 1588, he was Vice-Admiral of the fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada.
As a sailor, adventurer, navigator, politician, engineer and landowner, Drake was as famous in his own lifetime as David Beckham is today. He was one of the most famous men in Elizabethan times.
Website links
Sir Francis Drake
Questions and answers about Drake
Sir Francis Drake - Snaith PrimaryWho was he?
What great deeds did he do?
St Francis Drake - Channel 4 site
Sir Francis Drake
These pages focus on Sir Francis Drake, and in particular on his "Famous Voyage" - the circumnavigation of the world in the sixteenth century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Golden Hind Website - Click on the Education Centre
The Golden Hind captained by Sir Francis Drake undertook one of the most historic and exciting voyages of all time.
During his life, Protestant England was often at war with Catholic Spain and there were rich rewards for capturing Spanish ships.
Drake, who was an incredibly bold and brilliant sailor, captured more than his fair share of Spanish ships. His pirate raids on Spanish ships off the coast of America were encouraged by Queen Elizabeth I. Drake's successful battles against the Spanish helped England become a major sea power.
He was the first Englishman to sail around the world, which he did (1577 - 1580) in his ship The Golden Hinde. Drake started his famous circumnavigation of the world from Plymouth, England, November 15, 1577, passed through the Straight of Magellan (southern tip of South America) into the Pacific, coasted up the western shores of the Americas, crossed to Asia and the Philippines, and finally returned to Britain on September 26, 1580.
Drake's route around the world
Drake returned from his voyage with his ship packed full of spices from the Indies, and plundered Spanish silver and treasure.
ACTIVITIES
Drake succeded in becoming the first man to sail around the entiere world
.
1) Describe his travels
2) Explain the meaning of 'circumnavigate
Knighted
Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth l for his courage, and for the treasures he brought back with him. He brought back enough treasure to pay off the entire national debt.
Spanish Armada
In 1587, Elizabeth I put Drake in command of an expedition to attack a Spanish fleet which was getting ready to attack England. Drake sailed right in to Cadiz harbour and wrecked the ships there, before going on to capture another hundred Spanish ships elsewhere. It was said he'd 'singed the king of Spain's beard'. By 1588, he was Vice-Admiral of the fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada.
As a sailor, adventurer, navigator, politician, engineer and landowner, Drake was as famous in his own lifetime as David Beckham is today. He was one of the most famous men in Elizabethan times.
Website links
Sir Francis Drake
Questions and answers about Drake
Sir Francis Drake - Snaith PrimaryWho was he?
What great deeds did he do?
St Francis Drake - Channel 4 site
Sir Francis Drake
These pages focus on Sir Francis Drake, and in particular on his "Famous Voyage" - the circumnavigation of the world in the sixteenth century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Golden Hind Website - Click on the Education Centre
The Golden Hind captained by Sir Francis Drake undertook one of the most historic and exciting voyages of all time.
Pirate Francis Drake . .Activities
In a series of privateering raids, Drake was commissioned in 1570 by the Queen to sail to America with two ships and some 70 men furnished by his cousin Hawkins. He had little success at first in his concentrated efforts against Spanish colonies and shipping, but persistence paid off in his second attempt to capture the annual mule train carrying Spanish gold and silver across the isthmus of Panama.
Although he brought back the equivalent of millions, the Queen could not openly sanction the work of the one she called, 'my pirate' after a peace treaty was signed with Spain. The man the Spanish would call, 'The Dragon' decided to lay low until the climate was more favorable.
In March 1579, Francis Drake captured with one shot one of the largest hauls of all time; the Cacafuego galleon yielded enough gold, silver, and jewels to put England's economy in the black. It took four days just to transfer it to the Golden Hinde's hold. Drake sailed to the coast of California, did some surfing, and then headed west to arrive in England by September 1580, the first to circumnavigate the globe. The Queen knighted him in 1581. An expedition five years later to the capture of Santo Domingo, Cartagena, and Saint Augustine, but produced little in terms of wealth. Sir Francis Drake also played a major role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. His last expedition was in 1595 when he led a force of 27 ships in a failed attempt to capture Panama.
In February 1596, Sir Francis Drake died at sea of a fever disease and was buried at sea with a cannon's salute. His cousin John Hawkins had died earlier on the same journey.
Read about more Pirates
2) What´s the difference between pirate and corsaire?
3) Analyse the symbols of the pirate flag?
4) Wich interests did Drake stand up for?
5) Who did Drake attack and why?
6) Can the State turn a criminal into a national hero?Is it lawful?
7)Drake, hero or villain?.Arguments for and against.
Although he brought back the equivalent of millions, the Queen could not openly sanction the work of the one she called, 'my pirate' after a peace treaty was signed with Spain. The man the Spanish would call, 'The Dragon' decided to lay low until the climate was more favorable.
In March 1579, Francis Drake captured with one shot one of the largest hauls of all time; the Cacafuego galleon yielded enough gold, silver, and jewels to put England's economy in the black. It took four days just to transfer it to the Golden Hinde's hold. Drake sailed to the coast of California, did some surfing, and then headed west to arrive in England by September 1580, the first to circumnavigate the globe. The Queen knighted him in 1581. An expedition five years later to the capture of Santo Domingo, Cartagena, and Saint Augustine, but produced little in terms of wealth. Sir Francis Drake also played a major role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. His last expedition was in 1595 when he led a force of 27 ships in a failed attempt to capture Panama.
In February 1596, Sir Francis Drake died at sea of a fever disease and was buried at sea with a cannon's salute. His cousin John Hawkins had died earlier on the same journey.
Pirate Francis Drake
Read about more Pirates
- Harry Kelsey Sir Francis Drake, the Queen's Pirate
Similar Books:The Trial of Mary Queen of Scots: A Brief History with Documents. - History Channel's The Great Ships?The Pirate Ships DVD Review
One of the first pirates highlighted in the film is Queen Elizabeth's Sir Francis Drake. Considered a privateer and hero to the English, he was no more than a pirate in the eyes of Spain. The video follows Drake's legendary voyage along ... - ACTIVITIES:
2) What´s the difference between pirate and corsaire?
3) Analyse the symbols of the pirate flag?
4) Wich interests did Drake stand up for?
5) Who did Drake attack and why?
6) Can the State turn a criminal into a national hero?Is it lawful?
7)Drake, hero or villain?.Arguments for and against.
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