Vice Admiral Sir Francis Drake (1540 -96) was an English sea captain; privateer; navigator; slaver; a renowned pirate; and a politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588; subordinate only to Charles Howard and the Queen herself. He died of dysentery in January 1596 after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan; Puerto Rico.

His exploits were legendary; making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards. King Philip II was claimed to have offered a reward of 20;000 ducats; about US $6.5 million by modern standards; for his life.

He led the first English circumnavigation of the world; from 1577 to 1580; during which time he met native American tribes in California; which he claimed for Britain; and visited the Spice Islands in the East Indies [Indonesia].