On 4 April 1581, English explorer and privateer Francis Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind, his famed ship anchored at Deptford.
The honour followed his circumnavigation of the globe and successful raids on Spanish holdings, which brought immense wealth and prestige to England.
Drake’s knighthood cemented his status as a national hero and symbol of English naval power, further straining relations with Spain ahead of the Armada conflict.
