10. Raleigh divided the spoils captured by an English fleet
In August 1592, Raleigh was summoned to Elizabeth’s presence, where he was tasked with secretly supervising the division of spoils captured from the Spanish by an English raiding party. Elizabeth had recalled the raiding fleet, but before they received word of the Queen desiring them to return to England the fleet captured the Spanish ship Madre de Deus, and with it a vast treasure. Loath to return badly needed hard specie, Elizabeth sent Raleigh to divide the spoils in a manner which would be acceptable to the captains who had captured it and the Spanish who wanted it back. After he successfully arranged an agreement acceptable to all parties, Her Majesty returned Raleigh to the Tower, where he remained until the first months of 1593.