Sir Francis Drake the Politician
Sir Francis Drake was a well-known English explorer known for being one of the first seamen to sail around the globe and lead the English to victory against the Spanish Armada. Although Drake gained most of his fame for his seafaring adventures, he was able to gain a very strong name in English politics.
Early Political Career
Between 1577 and 1580, Drake made the notorious trip around the globe in his ship, The Golden Hind. He returned to England with treasures worth hundreds of thousands of English pounds. Much of the wealth was given to Queen Elizabeth, but Drake was able to secure approximately 100,000 English Pounds for himself. Immediately upon his return, he was elected Lord Mayor of Plymouth. Very little is known about the events that occurred under his leadership. Some believe that his election to the office was nothing more than a ceremonial appointment that celebrated his success as a seaman and a popular resident of the Cornwall community. Nevertheless, some historians believe he was paramount in constructing an aqueduct that delivered fresh water to Plymouth from the River Meavy.
Drake Joins Parliament
In 1581 and 1582, Lord Mayor Drake was able to use his position to observe land in Plymouth and consider making investments in it. He became a real estate speculator and had used his compensation from his career as a privateer to buy a number of land plots. Eventually he became the third largest land owner in Plymouth, behind his cousins The Hawkins and the Plymouth Corporation. In the process, Drake had made friends with some of the most wealthy land owners in England. One of his contemporaries, the Earl of Bedford, had recognized Drake as a strong proponent of the Puritan faith and a hero, and helped him get elected to English Parliament as a member for Bossiney in 1581. Due to the fact that Drake’s background was not strongly political in nature, he did not contribute much to Parliament during his first term: he thought it was best to merely observe.
Drake Gains Political Notoriety
His election to a second term in Parliament in 1584 made him much more empowered and he joined a number of political committees. His most notable efforts in Parliament were for pro-Puritan and pro-Plymouth lawmaking. He also fought vehemently to preserve English pirating – despite the negative title and connotations - which caused quite a bit of controversy. Across the globe, English privateers were considered pirates, and hence criminals. Although Drake was well-known for pirating many Spanish and Portuguese ships, he did not feel that he was doing anything but being an effective English patriot.
Drake stayed in office until 1585, when the Spanish Armada – a fleet of Spanish ships over 100 strong – threatened to take England for King Philip II. Sir Francis Drake changed his interests from politics back to officiating English ships. He became vice admiral of the large English fleet sent to defeat the Spanish Armada and eventually enjoyed victory.
