Sir Francis Drake - Devon's Flawed Hero by Alex White

When Sir Francis Drake's fever-ridden corpse was lowered into the sea in 1596, he was already a figure of truly legendary status. Throughout Europe people spoke in hushed tones of the 'sea-dragon' who had single-handedly circumnavigated the globe and brought the great Spanish Empire to its knees. Of course, such tales were based more on fantasy than fact. Drake was certainly not the spotless hero of popular mythology, but neither was he the villainous pirate of Spanish folklore. 

Some despised him for his stubbornness, arrogance and greed; others spoke kindly of his warmth, compassion and generosity. What then is the truth behind the legend?

Who was Drake and what were his real achievements? These are some of the questions that this book seeks to answer.