1580: Sir Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake completes his circumnavigation of the globe, arriving in Plymouth, UK on his ship The Golden Hind.  While Drake was glorified and idolized for centuries as a hero of the British navy, recent re-evaluations of his piratical attacks against Spanish shipping and his foundational and significant activity trading in African slaves have taken some of the luster off his legacy.

Drake’s round-the-world voyage also provided the catalyst for the conflict that ultimately grew into the Anglo-Spanish War, beginning in 1585.