More than four hundred years after his death Sir Francis Drake remains one of the legendary figures of history. His career is one of the most colourful on record. The most daring of the corsairs who raided the West Indies & Spanish Main he led the English into the Pacific & cirumnavigated the world to bring home the Golden Hind laden with Spanish treasure. His attacks on Spanish cities & ships transformed his private war into a struggle for surivival between Protestant England & Catholic Spain in which he became Elizabeth I's most prominent admiral. His exploits marked the emergence of England as a major maritime nation.