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Sir Francis Drake

(1540-1596), Admiral and circumnavigator

Sitter associated with 39 portraits
Born in Devon, Drake went to sea at a young age and earned his fame and fortune by skill and piracy against the Spanish. In 1557 he and his cousin John Hawkins sailed to Africa and became England’s earliest recorded slave traders. After leading two expeditions to the West Indies, Queen Elizabeth I granted him a privateer’s commission, effectively authorising him to plunder Spanish ports in the West Indies. In 1577 Elizabeth commissioned him to lead an expedition to South America through the Straights of Magellan. Drake’s ship, the Pelican (later renamed the Golden Hind) was the only ship to reach the Pacific. He arrived back in Plymouth in 1580, becoming the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. In 1585 he commanded a fleet of 25 ships and sailed to the West Indies, plundering Spanish ports and taking Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands, Cartagena in Colombia, St. Augustine in Florida and San Domingo in the Dominican Republic. In 1588, Drake served as second-in-command to Admiral Charles Howard in the English victory over the Spanish fleet, known as the Spanish Armada. In 1596 Elizabeth enlisted him for another voyage against Spain in the West Indies, but it failed. He died off the coast of Panama and was buried at sea.

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Sir Francis Drake, by Jacobus Houbraken, published by  John & Paul Knapton - NPG D25410

Sir Francis Drake

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D25410

Sir Francis Drake, by Jacobus Houbraken, published by  John & Paul Knapton - NPG D35386

Sir Francis Drake

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D35386

Sir Francis Drake, by Jacobus Houbraken, published by  John & Paul Knapton - NPG D42870

Sir Francis Drake

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D42870

Sir Francis Drake, by Jacobus Houbraken, published by  John & Paul Knapton - NPG D20289

Sir Francis Drake

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D20289

Sir Francis Drake, possibly by William Holl Sr - NPG D25409

Sir Francis Drake

possibly by William Holl Sr
stipple engraving, probably early 19th century
NPG D25409

Sir Francis Drake, by William Holl Sr - NPG D25412

Sir Francis Drake

by William Holl Sr
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D25412

Sir Francis Drake, possibly by Edward Harding - NPG D25415

Sir Francis Drake

possibly by Edward Harding
line engraving, possibly early 19th century
NPG D25415

Sir Francis Drake, by Robert Cooper - NPG D28989

Sir Francis Drake

by Robert Cooper
line engraving, early 19th century
NPG D28989

Sir Francis Drake, by Henry Bone, after  Unknown artist - NPG D17126

Sir Francis Drake

by Henry Bone, after Unknown artist
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, early 19th century
NPG D17126

Sir Francis Drake, by Henry Bone, after  Unknown artist - NPG D17245

Sir Francis Drake

by Henry Bone, after Unknown artist
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, September 1813 (late 16th century)
NPG D17245

Sir Francis Drake, by Henry Meyer, published by  Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, and published by  Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, after  William Hilton, after  Unknown artist - NPG D35384

Sir Francis Drake

by Henry Meyer, published by Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones, and published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, after William Hilton, after Unknown artist
stipple engraving, published 1 March 1820
NPG D35384

Sir Francis Drake, issued by Sarony & Co, after  Unknown artist - NPG D48916

Sir Francis Drake

issued by Sarony & Co, after Unknown artist
gravure cigarette card, 1923 (16th century)
NPG D48916

Sir Francis Drake, by Robert Sargent Austin, printed by  The Baynard Press, probably after  Jodocus Hondius - NPG D35387

Sir Francis Drake

by Robert Sargent Austin, printed by The Baynard Press, probably after Jodocus Hondius
chromolithograph, published 1943
NPG D35387

Sir Francis Drake, after Unknown artist - NPG D35385

Sir Francis Drake

after Unknown artist
carbon print, 1949 or before (16th century)
NPG D35385

Web image not currently available

Sir Francis Drake

by William Marshall
line engraving, 1642
NPG D7671

Web image not currently available

Sir Francis Drake

by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D20445

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