Final answer:
Queen Elizabeth I sponsored Sir Francis Drake's voyages, including his famous circumnavigation of the globe, as part of England's efforts to compete with Spanish naval power and expand its maritime interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
Queen Elizabeth I sent Sir Francis Drake on his expedition. This was part of Elizabeth's effort to challenge Spanish hegemony and promote English maritime prowess during the late 16th century.
Sir Francis Drake was an English sea captain, privateer, and navigator during the Elizabethan era. He rose to prominence with his privateering, raiding Spanish ships and ports. Drake's expeditions were partly motivated by the desire for riches and partly by patriotic ambition to advance England's global presence.
The famous circumnavigation of the globe that he completed between 1577 and 1580 was directly supported by Queen Elizabeth I, who had a complex relationship with maritime explorers. While she sought to expand England's naval strength and create lucrative trade opportunities, the queen also utilized these voyages to disrupt Spanish colonial interests without engaging in outright war. The support for Drake's enterprises was also a strategic move in the context of the broader rivalry between Protestant England and Catholic Spain.
The other options, including King James I, Christopher Columbus, and Ferdinand Magellan, are not correct in this context. Columbus and Magellan were explorers of earlier periods, while King James I's reign came after Elizabeth's.