Sir Francis Drake
(1540-1596), Admiral and circumnavigatorSitter 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.
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D25410
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D35386
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D42870
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D20289
after Unknown artist
line engraving, 1779
NPG D25406
by James Barry
etching, published 1792 (1 May 1791)
NPG D14598
possibly by William Holl Sr
stipple engraving, probably early 19th century
NPG D25409
by William Holl Sr
stipple engraving, early 19th century
NPG D25412
possibly by Edward Harding
line engraving, possibly early 19th century
NPG D25415
by Robert Cooper
line engraving, early 19th century
NPG D28989
'Admiral Drake knighted by Queen Elizabeth' (Sir Francis Drake)
after Unknown artist
line engraving, probably early 19th century
NPG D2284
by Henry Bone, after Unknown artist
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, early 19th century
NPG D17126
by Henry Bone, after Unknown artist
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, September 1813 (late 16th century)
NPG D17245
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
issued by Sarony & Co, after Unknown artist
gravure cigarette card, 1923 (16th century)
NPG D48916
by Robert Sargent Austin, printed by The Baynard Press, probably after Jodocus Hondius
chromolithograph, published 1943
NPG D35387
after Unknown artist
carbon print, 1949 or before (16th century)
NPG D35385
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, circa 1746
NPG D20445
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