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The Sir Francis Drake Collection: Drake Timeline


KEY: Descriptive record Descriptive record Enlarge Image Enlarge Image
1543(?)

1553

Sir Francis Drake born.

Richard Eden publishes A Treatyse of the Newe India. First book in England to describe the new geographical knowledge.

Sir Francis Drake from Effigies Regum ac Principum...
Enlarge Image Descriptive record Sir Francis Drake from Effigies Regum ac Principum... 1598. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1554 July 25 Queen Mary I and Philip Prince of Spain marry. Philip is proclaimed King of England, July 1554, as consort of Queen Mary I, Elizabeth's I's half sister.  
1556-98

 

Reign of King Philip II of Spain.

Phillip II of Spain Reigns
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record King Philip II from Segundo Rey de Espana, 1619. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

1558
Queen Mary Tudor dies and Philip's title as King of England lapses. Elizabeth Tudor becomes Queen of England at the age of 25. Queen Elizabeth I from Heroologia Anglica
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Queen Elizabeth I from Heroologia Anglica, 1620. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1562

John Hawkins, Drake's cousin, embarks on a slave trade expedition to West Africa and West Indies.

John Hawkin's signature
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Signature of John Hawkins from Conquest of the Kingdom of New Galicia in North America..., 1588. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

1566-1567
Drake sails with Captain Lovell to the Caribbean on a slave trading enterprise. title page of Drake's book
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Title page from Expeditio Francisci Drake Equitis Angli..., 1588. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1567 October 2
Drake sails with John Hawkins to New World where they are trapped by Spanish fleet that attacks and kills 500 Englishmen. Drake narrowly escapes on the Judith.
1570-71
Drake sails to the West Indies.  
1571

William Cecil named Lord Burghley, (1520-1598). Elizabeth's chief minister from her accession until his death in 1598.

Lord Burghley Signature
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Signature of William Burghley from History of Florida, 1588. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1572-73
Drake sails again to the West Indies. Plans to capture important town of Nombre de Dios, but was wounded in the attack. He later joined forces with Guillaume Le Testu on a mule train and made off with L 20,000 in gold and silver.  
1577-80

Drake sails around the world in the Golden Hind, is the First Englishman to do so.

image of Drake sailing
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record The Golden Hind, from La HerdikeEenterprinse..., 1581. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1578

Thomas Doughty, an officer on the circumnavigation voyage and Drake's personal friend was charged with conspiracy and hanged.

Drake's account from The World Encompassed
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Drake's account from The World Encompassed, 1628. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1579 February 15

On the circumnavigation, the Golden Hind reaches Callao, the harbor of Lima, Peru.

Caca Fogo
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Engraving of the battle between Drake's Golden Hind and the Spanish ship called "Caca Fogo," from Kurtze Warhafftige Relation, 1625. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1579 March 1

Drake overtakes the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, nicknamed, Cacafuego. This ship proved to be Drake's richest plunder.

1579 June-July

Drake discovers the coast of Upper California and names it New Albion. Drake stops in what is now the vicinity of the San Francisco Bay to overhaul his ship and makes friendly contract with the Indians of the area.

Description of California
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Description of California from Le Voyage Cvrievx, 1641. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

1579 July 23
Drake sails across the Pacific. Narrative of the four earliest circumnavigations of the world
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Narrative of the four earliest circumnavigations of the world, from Kurtze Warhafftige Relation, 1625. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1579 October 16

Drake sights land in the Philippines.

 
1579 November 3

Lands at Ternate in the East Indies. Makes a treaty with the Sultan and buys a cargo of cloves.

 
1580 January

Drake sails to Java, across the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope and arrives back in Plymouth on September 26.

 
1581

Francis Drake is knighted by Queen Elizabeth. 

Francis Drake
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Drake's Portrait from The World Encompassed, 1628 Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1581

Drake buys the first of his Devonshire estates, Buckland Abbey.

Map of Devon County
Enlarge ImageDescriptive recordPage 18 and enlarge image page 19.
Map of the County of Devon with the City and County of Execter, 1765. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

1581
Sir Francis Drake becomes mayor of Plymouth.  
1584-85

Drake serves as a member of parliament for Plymouth.

Letter by Duke of Medina
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Letter by Duke of Medina Sidonia giving instructions regarding the expected attack of Cadiz by Drake. From Account of the Noteworthy Events of Admiral Porter Casanate..., 1587. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1585

Drake raids and destroys many Spanish settlements in the Caribbean.

1587

On the orders of Queen Elizabeth, Drake attacks, and destroys, the Spanish Fleet at Cadiz.

1589

The Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex sailed with the expedition commanded by Drake and Norris against Spain and Portugal. Although Elizabeth's favorite for many years, he finally led an insurrection against her, and was executed.

The Robert Devereaux
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Portrait of Robert Devereaux, from Heroologia Anglica..., 1620. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1592/3 New Year's Day

Drake presents Queen Elizabeth with manuscript with text the basis of which was later published as "Sir Francis Drake Revived." 1592/93.

Title page from The English hero
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Title page from The English hero, or, Sir Francis Drake Revived, 1695. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1595

Queen Elizabeth sends Drake and Hawkins to attack Spanish settlements in the West Indies, (Porte-Rico).

Title page from Relacion Del Viage Que Hizieron
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Title page from Relacion Del Viage Que Hizieron..., 1596. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1596 January 28

Drake dies of dysentery on the return journey after failing to capture Panama City.

Sir Francis Drake
Enlarge ImageDescriptive record Sir Francis Drake from Franciscus Draeck Nobilissimus, 1583. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.
1603 March 24

Queen Elizabeth dies.

Queen Elizabeth I from Effigies Regum ac Principum
Enlarge Image Descriptive record
Queen Elizabeth I from Effigies Regum ac Principum, 1598. Rare Book and Special Collections Division.

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