Born in Tavistock, in Devonshire
Francis Drake was the eldest of twelve sons!
Distant relative of Sir Walter Raleigh
Drake married Mary Newman before he had acquired wealth or fame in 1569 but she died 12 years later
In 1572 Queen Elizabeth commissioned Drake as a privateer to sail for the Americas
Drake was the first to pass from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast of South America. He raided Nombre de Dios, Panama
He returned to England bringing Spanish gold and plunder
In 1577 Queen Elizabeth selected him to be the head of an expedition that was to sail around the world
He re-named his ship from 'The Pelican to the 'Golden Hind'
In 1579 he stopped near the present-day San Francisco to repair the Golden Hind. He claimed the land for for England which he called New Albion
1580 he returned to England
In 1581 he was knighted Sir Francis Drake on board the Golden Hind by Queen Elizabeth
He purchased Buckland Abbey in Devon
In 1585 Drake married Elizabeth Sydenham, some twenty years his junior who came from a wealthy and well-connected family
1585: Drake travelled to Brazil accompanied by his nephew Richard Hawkins
26 June 1586 - Drake visited Sir Walter Raleigh's colony headed by Ralph Lane, finding disheartened colonists and hostile Indians
In 1587 Drake attacked and destroyed the Spanish Fleet at Cadiz - referred to as 'Singeing Philip of Spain's beard'
In 1588 he was appointed Vice Admiral of the navy that destroyed the Spanish Armada
Famous for finishing a game of bowls whilst waiting for the weather to change before sailing to meet the Spanish Armada
1588: Spanish Armada of 132 ships sails for England. England's navy consists of 34 ships and 163 armed merchant vessels
1588 Jul 29, The Spanish Armada was sighted off the coast of England
1588 Jul 30, The English exchanged fire with the Spanish Armada
1588 Aug 8, The English Navy destroys the Spanish Armada
1595: Sir Francis Drake embarks on his last voyage to the Caribbean with Sir John Hawkins (who dies of fever on the voyage)
1595: Sir Francis Drake was sent to attack Spanish settlements in the West Indies but he also died on the journey home
1596 January 28: Sir Francis Drake died on board the Defiance aged about 55
Sir Francis Drake died of a tropical disease referred to as "the bloody flux" which was probably Yellow Fever
1596 January 29: Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea in a lead coffin off Puerto Bello
Sir Francis Drake had no children
His title passed to a nephew - also named Francis
In 1628 the second Sir Francis Drake published the chronicle of the circumnavigation called 'The World Encompassed'
