18 June 1580
Francis Drake rounds the Cape
Francis Drake’s Golden Hind passed the Cape of Good Hope on 18 June 1580 during the first English circumnavigation of the world.
Francis Drake’s expedition left Plymouth in December 1577 with the aim of reaching the Pacific by the South American route. After crossing the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Drake’s ship, the Golden Hind, approached southern Africa on the return voyage. The ship passed the Cape of Good Hope on 18 June 1580 and continued toward England, arriving later that year.
The voyage was the first English circumnavigation of the world. Its passage around the Cape connected an English Pacific expedition with the established Atlantic–Indian Ocean route and formed part of the maritime competition among European powers seeking access to Asian trade.
Significance
The passage placed the Cape route within England’s expanding long-distance maritime and commercial ambitions.
Why it matters
The passage placed the Cape route within England’s expanding long-distance maritime and commercial ambitions.
Perspective notes
The surviving English account describes the Cape as a landmark on the return voyage and comments on its reputation among Portuguese mariners. It gives little information about communities or environments along the coast because the ship passed offshore.
Terminology notes
Drake’s ship was named the Pelican at the start of the voyage and was renamed Golden Hind during the Pacific leg. This entry uses Golden Hind, the name associated with the Cape passage.