April 4 in World History || 1577 || First World Traveller || World Today || History

Sir Francis Drake was a renowned English explorer, naval commander, and privateer who is best known for his circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580. His voyage was sponsored by Queen Elizabeth I of England, who hoped to establish an English presence in the Pacific and disrupt Spanish trade and exploration in the region.

Drake set out from Plymouth in December 1577 with five ships, including the Golden Hind, a 100-ton galleon that he had captured from the Spanish. After navigating the treacherous waters of the Atlantic and around the southern tip of South America, Drake and his crew crossed the Pacific and explored the west coast of North America before sailing across the Indian Ocean and around Africa to return to England in September 1580.

Upon his return, Drake was hailed as a hero and received a hero's welcome. Queen Elizabeth I knighted him aboard the Golden Hind in Deptford, London, on April 4, 1581, in recognition of his achievements. Drake became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and was celebrated as a national hero, both for his maritime accomplishments and for his role in disrupting Spanish power in the New World.

Drake continued his naval and military career after his circumnavigation, serving as a vice admiral in the English navy and leading several successful expeditions against Spanish ships and colonies. He died of dysentery while on a mission to attack Spanish settlements in the Caribbean in 1596, and was buried at sea in a lead coffin. His legacy as a daring explorer and patriotic hero endures to this day.