Sir Francis Drake, the pirate.

Francis Drake, son of a river Medway preacher (and my 17th generation great, grand uncle) was a more colorful pirate than Hollywood has yet invented. Beginning his young career, with Hawkins, as a slaver, he got his butt kicked in Nobre de Dios when the Spanish stole his slaves. Escapeing with his life, Drake became obsessed with plundering of the Spanish. He was described as "an austentatious fellow" who wore much of the finery he took from plundered Spanish ships. He was known to host vanquished Spanish Captains in his cabin. dining on gold plate with viols playing in the background. During his circumnavigation he took the Spanish treasure ship The 'Cacafuego' with the spectacular ploy of dragging barrels behind the Golden Hind to make the ship appear to be slow and lumbering. When he closed in on his prey, they cut the barrell lines and the ship "fairly leaped out of the water" and was on its prey before the Spanish could properly react. He not only hosted the defeated Captain but took his lady, Maria, up the coast to Nova Albion and on across the Pacific, leaving her, pregnant, in the Mollucas. During the battle with the armada, whilst he was leading a section of the English fleet, he doused his running lamps and sailed off to take a prize Spanish ship. The film, The Sea Hawk, with Eroll Flynn was based on some of Drakes exploits (rather accurately in spots) although Hollywood replaced the Sea Dogs with the Sea Hawks, I suppose because someone thought it sounded better and they called him Captain Thorp, but it was definitly Drake. Known as "The Dragon" amongst the Spanish, Uncle Francis awaits his own epic, flamboyant Hollywood tribute.