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

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Laurence Bergreen

In Search of a Kingdom

Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, and the Perilous Birth of the British Empire

Laurence Bergreen

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Hardback

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English

Custom House
16 March 2021

History; Maritime history

“FASCINATING . . . Dramatic and timely.” —New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice

In this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan and Columbus 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 Journal

Before 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 wanted—and successful—pirate ever to sail. Nicknamed “El Draque” by the Spaniards who placed a bounty on his head, the notorious red-haired, hot-tempered Drake pillaged galleons laden with New World gold and silver, stealing a vast fortune for his queen—and himself. For Elizabeth, Drake made the impossible real, serving as a crucial and brilliantly adaptable instrument of her ambitions to transform England from a third-rate island kingdom into a global imperial power.

In 1580, sailing on Elizabeth’s 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, Drake’s audacious around-the-world journey in the Golden Hind reached Patagonia, the Pacific Coast of present-day California and Oregon, the Spice Islands, Java, and Africa. Almost a decade later, Elizabeth called upon Drake again. As the devil-may-care vice admiral of the English fleet, Drake dramatically defeated the once-invincible Spanish Armada, spurring the British Empire’s 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 Drake’s 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.

By: Laurence Bergreen
Imprint: Custom House
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 41mm
Weight: 635g
ISBN: 9780062875358
ISBN 10: 0062875353
Pages: 464
Publication Date: 16 March 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

LAURENCE BERGREEN is the bestselling author of Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe. His other books include Columbus: The Four Voyages, 1492-1504; Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu; and Voyage to Mars: NASA's Search for Life Beyond Earth. A graduate of Harvard, Bergreen lives in Manhattan.

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

With a keen sense of adventure and a sharp grasp of personalities on sea and land, Bergreen (Over the Edge of the World, 2008) details Drake's round-the-world adventures as well as political intrigues and mutinous sailors.--Booklist (starred review) Bergreen masterly portrays the principal characters in this drama. ... A smooth, dramatic, and well-fleshed world history. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)