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Secondary sourceArtifact1575 (as Pelican); renamed 1578

Golden Hind

1575 (as Pelican); renamed 1578

Drake's flagship for his 1577–80 circumnavigation of the world, later preserved at Deptford as a national relic until it rotted away.

Drake commissioned and captained this ship on the voyage that made him famous and earned his knighthood.

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Side view of a dark-hulled wooden replica galleon with red and yellow trim, carved arches, a blue heraldic shield with a golden animal on the bow, and masts with rigging, moored beside a brick building in Southwark, London.
Replica of the Golden Hind, Francis Drake's circumnavigation flagship (original 1577). Southwark, London.

About this source

What it is

The Golden Hind was a galleon, originally named Pelican, that Francis Drake captained on his circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580. He renamed her in 1578 to honour his patron Sir Christopher Hatton, whose family crest was a golden deer. After the voyage, the ship was kept on permanent display at Deptford on the Thames until it eventually rotted away. A full-sized seaworthy reconstruction now stands in London.

Why it matters

This was the ship from which Drake captured a huge Spanish treasure and completed only the second circumnavigation in history. Queen Elizabeth I herself boarded the ship and had Drake knighted aboard it, showing how closely his fame was tied to royal favour and to England's rivalry with Spain.

  • Why might Elizabeth have wanted the ship preserved and displayed rather than kept at sea?
  • What does renaming the ship after a patron tell you about how voyages were funded?
  • What does the image of the replica show about how people today imagine Elizabethan ships?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sir Francis Drake on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Circular miniature portrait of a bearded man with curly dark hair and a white ruff collar, wearing a white embroidered doublet with gold cords, against a bright blue background. Gold lettering reads 'Aetatis Suae 42' and 'Anno Domini 1581'.Painting

Primary source

Sir Francis Drake

Nicholas Hilliard · 1581

Three-quarter-length painted portrait of a bearded man in black clothing and a large white lace ruff, with a coat of arms and the date 1591 in the upper corners. He holds a hat at his side and a gold jewel hangs at his waist. A globe sits on a blue-green draped table at left.Painting

Primary source

Sir Francis Drake, 1540-96

Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger · 1591

Early modern world map in two hemispheres, oval-framed, with the title 'Vera Totius Expeditionis Nauticae' across the top. Decorated with ships, sea monsters, a coat of arms, and cartouches; Asia, America, Africa and Terra Australis are labeled.Document

Secondary source

Vera Totius Expeditionis Nauticae

Jodocus Hondius I · 1595

Full-length painting of a woman in an elaborate black and gold-embroidered gown with a huge white lace ruff and pearl-studded jewelry, holding a globe with one hand. A jeweled crown sits on a table at left; a golden mermaid figure at right. Background panels show sailing ships on a calm sea and a stormy scene of ships battling waves.Painting

Primary source

Armada Portrait

Unknown English artist · 1588

Photograph of the Drake Jewel, a gold pendant set with rubies, diamonds and pearls, with a central oval cameo carved in brown stone showing a dark-skinned figure in profile. Two pearl drops hang below, displayed in a glass case.Artifact

Primary source

Drake Jewel

Nicholas Hilliard (miniatures); unknown goldsmith · c. 1586-88

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