The Golden Age of Piracy

Introduction 

“The Golden Age of Piracy” is a phrase used to refer to the period when piracy was notorious as marked by several pirate activities in the history of maritime spanning the 1650s to the late 1720s. This period is characterized by three distinct outbursts of piracy namely the buccaneering period: 1650-180, the Pirate Round: 1690s and the Post-Spanish Succession: 1716-1726. It has largely contributed to what piracy is known to be by the popular culture. Famous individuals gained popularity as pirates, some of them including Bartholomew Roberts, Diego Grillo, Henry Morgan, and Charles Vane among others. Piracy refers to all sorts of nautical misbehavior carried out in the sea including robbery, murder; intercepting ships, raiding the coast, etc. Privateers were private individuals licensed by governments to conduct quasi-military activities in the seas (Little, 2016). They would thus raid ships and settlements owned by rival countries 

Bartholomew Roberts and Diego Grillo 

Strong (2013) narrates that Bartholomew Roberts was the most successful and wealthy pirate. He was a commander in several pirate ships and was able to capture a total of 470 vessels leading to his substantial wealth. He conducted his profession in West Africa and America's waters. He later died while in combat against Chaloner Ogle, a British naval commander. He was born in 1682 as John somebody in Little Newcastle, Wales to George Roberts. His pirate name was an alias. In 1718, he joined the crew of ship “Princess” from Barbados operating in the western coast of Africa. The pirates later captured the vessel under Captain Howell Davis who forced the crew to join his team. His prowess in ship navigation led Captain Davis to recruit him as a pirate captain, a role that he later accepted, replacing the later after his death. They explored the waters of Brazil and successfully captured and plundered ships on the Portugal trade armada. After two years, they ventured into the Newfoundland, Caribbean and West Africa, plundering ships and harbors. His death is celebrated as the "Blackest Day," marking the end of the Golden Age of Piracy. 

Diego Grillo was born as a slave in Havana at around 1550 to a Spanish conquistador and an African slave. At thirteen, he escaped and joined Spanish buccaneers operating on the West Indian coast where he acquired great sailing skills. In 1572, he was captured in Isla de Pinos by Francis Drake, a pirate who admired his personality and took him to England. By 22 years, he was already a sailor to the King. He later returned to the Caribbean as second in command under Drake. He became wealthy and famous for his expeditions but left it for a while. Later, he joined forces with other pirates, conducting bloody attacks on Spanish ships. In 1619, he disappeared from the scene after successfully assaulting a convoy of six ships having great wealth. He was popularly known as the black pirate who engaged in bloody battles in America in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Strong, 2013). 

Henry Morgan and Charles Vane 

Henry Morgan was born at around 1635 in Wales to Robert Morgan, a farmer. He was a privateer, a landowner and later became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. He acquired great wealth through raiding settlements and ships on the Spanish Main. In 1667, his friend Sir Thomas Modyford, Jamaica Governor, gave him a license to attack Spanish vessels following strained diplomatic relations between Spain and the Kingdom of England. Through this, he made successful and profitable raids on Puerto Principle and Porto Bello. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 1674 in England and went back to Jamaica to serve in the Assembly up to 1683. In several occasions, he served as the acting Governor when occasions allowed. He died on 25 th August in Jamaica. He inspired several works of fiction on piracy (Little, 2016). 

Charles Vane lived in Port Royal before venturing into piracy. In 1717, he led pirates operating out of Nassau. He was captured in 1718 when he led other pirates in refusing to take the pardon extended to pirates by King George I of Great Britain but later took it and was released ( Defoe & Captain, 2017).  He went back to the profession in the same year sailing back to Nassau capturing several vessels. He left Nassau and operated around the Bahamas. He was notorious for his cruelty on his captives torturing them to surrender their goods. He returned to Nassau when Woodes Rogers became the new governor. The governor attempted to capture him but he successfully escaped. He returned in September and got married. With his crew members, he raided several ships but was later arrested and taken to Jamaica (Winter & Bourne, 2010). He was tried and found guilty on March 1721 and hanged on 29 th March in Port Royal. 

Conclusion 

The West Indies played a significant role in influencing development in American colonies both commercially as well as culturally. Colonialism resulted into European territories predating on Spanish possessions leading to major gains. Colonists also engaged in the slave trade and amassed much wealth from coffee and sugar cane plantation through slave labor. Commercially, the West Indies encouraged economic integration in the Caribbean region leading to a partial common external tariff by 1978. Culturally, it affected sports through Cricket, which became a unifying force in the Caribbean. 

Annotated Bibliography 

Defoe, D, and Captain C. J (2017).  History of Pirates - True Story of the Most Notorious Pirates: Charles Vane, Mary Read, Captain Avery, Captain Teach "Blackbeard", Captain Phillips, Captain John Rackam, Anne Bonny, Edward Low, Major Bonnet and many more . (6 th ed.). E-artnow . 

This book depicts the lives of the pirates and their crew members during their expeditions at sea providing accounts of the captures and murders committed. The author presents detailed narrations of the pirates’ lives in such a way to indicate great knowledge of a sailor’s life and speech, demonstrating firsthand experience or rather the work of a professional writer who understands well life at the sea. The book also discusses the current legislature regarding piracy. 

Little, B. (2016).  The Golden Age of Piracy: The Truth behind Pirate Myths (6 th ed.). Skyhorse Publishing 

This book analyzes the many myths and legends that have been put forward regarding the pirates who terrorized the ocean voyager and plundered vessels and settlements bringing fear upon the poor and the rich alike during the Golden Age of Piracy. The current notion about piracy is founded on such myths and legends. Little reveals more than a dozen pirate myths and expounds on them. He provides the truth behind these myths demonstrating that the reality was indeed far more fascinating and disturbing. 

Strong, E. (2013).  Infamous Pirates: Their Lives and Bloody Exploits (6 th ed.). Dover Publications. 

This book was originally published in the nineteenth century. It presents true accounts of pirates who roamed the high seas during the Golden Age of Piracy. It narrates the many orgies of the outlaws including murders, extraordinary exploits, battles, bloodshed, triumphant successes as well as painful defeats. It captures the lives of individuals like Captain Misson of Provence, Jolly Roger, Captain Kidd among many other notorious pirates. 

Winter, E. C., & Bourne, S. (2010).  The British West India colonies in connection with slavery, emancipation, etc . (6 th ed.).Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

This book contains two essays by Elizabeth Campbell and a letter by Stephen Bourne talking about the economic and social impacts of the Emancipation Act on the British West Indies. The essays expound on the limited social effects of the Act with the letter going further to provide recommendations on how to improve the West Indies economy. The book also explores the ideas supporting the possibilities of enhancing economic growth in the region without slave labor. 

Reference 

Defoe, D, and Captain C. J (2017).  History of Pirates - True Story of the Most Notorious Pirates: 

Charles Vane, Mary Read, Captain Avery, Captain Teach "Blackbeard", Captain Phillips, Captain John Rackam, Anne Bonny, Edward Low, Major Bonnet and many more . (6 th ed.). E-artnow. 

Little, B. (2016).  The Golden Age of Piracy: The Truth behind Pirate Myths (6 th ed.). Skyhorse 

Publishing 

Strong, E. (2013).  Infamous Pirates: Their Lives and Bloody Exploits (6 th ed.). Dover 

Publications. 

Winter, E. C., & Bourne, S. (2010).  The British West India colonies in connection with slavery, 

emancipation, etc . (6 th ed.).Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.