Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Martin Frobisher and Walter Raleigh: these and other uniquely adventurous men sailed the seas in the service of Queen Elizabeth I, fighting, looting, and whoring their way across the globe. In the process, they established a British presence in the Americas, defeated the Spanish Armada, and made Elizabeth very wealthy . . . if not grateful. Through impeccable research, Hugh Bicheno examines these colorful, controversial characters, capturing contemporary views and placing them in historical context. With color plates and Bicheno's own maps and technical drawings, Elizabeth's Sea Dogs tells their vivid, extraordinary story.