Sir Francis Drake completed the circumnavigation voyage as captain of the expedition in 1580. He was considered a pirate by the Spanish Empire, but his exploits made him a hero to the English.

There was an earlier Spanish expedition under command of García Jofre de Loaísa that set sail in 1525. None of the vessels completed the voyage, survivors returned to Spain via the Indian Ocean as prisoners of the Portuguese.

The expedition started on December 13, 1577 after a first aborted attempt a month earlier. Five ships and 164 men started the expedition; a sixth ship was added after the expedition captured a Portuguese merchant vessel. But heavy losses of ships while in the Atlantic meant only three vessels passed into the Straight of Magellan in 1578. A storm sank one ship and forced another to turn back to England. Drake continued up the Chilean coast in his final ship, recently renamed the “Golden Hind”.

While in the Pacific Drake attacked and captured Spanish ships loaded with treasure, the share of the haul given to the Queen amounted to more than the crown’s income for a year. The expedition crossed the Pacific and reached the Moluccas. The expedition crossed the Indian Ocean and by July 1580 reached Sierra Leone. On September 26, 1580, Drake reached Plymouth in England with 59 crew, treasure and spices filling the hold.

Awards and gifts were bestowed upon Drake, including a knighthood and a personal gift from the Queen for his successful and profitable voyage.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org