1577day.year
Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
English privateer Sir Francis Drake departs Plymouth on the expedition that will make him the second person to circumnavigate the globe.
On December 13, 1577, Francis Drake left Plymouth with five ships on a secret mission against Spanish holdings.
Financed by Queen Elizabeth I, the voyage aimed to raid treasure ships in the Pacific.
Navigating around Cape Horn, Drake became the first Englishman to sail the Pacific Ocean.
He continued across the Indonesian archipelago and rounded the Cape of Good Hope on his return.
His expedition returned in 1580 aboard the Golden Hind, completing the second circumnavigation in history.
The voyage boosted English maritime power and challenged Spanish dominance on the seas.
1577
Francis Drake
Plymouth
round-the-world voyage