In Search of a Kingdom: Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, and the Perilous Birth of the British Empire

FASCINATING . . . Dramatic and timely. New York Times Book Review, Editors ChoiceIn this grand and thrilling narrative, the author of the 200,000copy paperback bestseller Over the Edge of the World reveals the singular adventures of Sir Francis Drake, whose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed the course of history.Entrancing . . . Very good indeed. Wall Street JournalBefore he was secretly dispatched by Queen Elizabeth to circumnavigate the globe, or was called upon to save England from the Spanish Armada, Francis Drake was perhaps the most wantedand successfulpirate ever to sail. Nicknamed El Draque by the Spaniards who placed a bounty on his head, the notorious redhaired, hottempered Drake pillaged galleons laden with New World gold and silver, stealing a vast fortune for his queenand himself. For Elizabeth, Drake made the impossible real, serving as a crucial and brilliantly adaptable instrument of her ambitions to transform England from a thirdrate island kingdom into a global imperial power.In 1580, sailing on Elizabeths covert orders, Drake became the first captain to circumnavigate the earth successfully. (Ferdinand Magellan had died in his attempt.) Part exploring expedition, part raiding mission, Drakes audacious aroundtheworld journey in the Golden Hind reached Patagonia, the Pacific Coast of presentday California and Oregon, the Spice Islands, Java, and Africa. Almost a decade later, Elizabeth called upon Drake again. As the devilmaycare vice admiral of the English fleet, Drake dramatically defeated the onceinvincible Spanish Armada, spurring the British Empires ascent and permanently wounding its greatest rival.The relationship between Drake and Elizabeth is the missing link in our understanding of the rise of the British Empire, and its importance has not been fully described or appreciated. Framed around Drakes key voyages as a window into this crucial moment in British history, In Search of a Kingdom is a rousing adventure narrative entwining epic historical themes with intimate passions.