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Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c. 1540 - January 27, 1596) was an English privateer, navigator, slave trader, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Drake was knighted by the Queen in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He died of dysentery after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1596. His exploits were semi-legendary and made him a hero to the English but to the Spaniards he was a simple pirate. He was known as "El Draque" (from the old Spanish meaning "the Dragon" derived from the Latin draco, an obvious play on his family name which in archaic English has the same etymological root) for his actions. King Philip II was claimed to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats (about $10 million by 2007 standards) for his life.
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