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Biographies of more famous Pirates
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Salty Dog
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Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Henry Mainwaring
1587 - 1653


This English Knight was a pirate hunter who ended up turning to piracy himself. He was based in Morocco from 1612, and spent four years attacking merchantmen in the Mediterranean, then returned to England and received a pardon.


William Marsh
(or de Marisco)
Died 1242

A violent enemy of King Henry III of England, Marsh based himself on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel. From there he raided ships in the Irish Sea and demanded ransoms for his captives.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Edward Mansfield
AKA Mansvelt
Dutch Buccaneer
Active 1663 - 1666

Dutch Captain Mansfield was in command of a four-gun brigantine when he took part in Sir Christopher Myngs' assault on San Francisco de Campeche in Mexico in 1663.

Between 1665 and 1667 while the Dutch and England were at war Jamaican Governor Modyford assembled buccaneers to attack the Dutch islands in the Caribbean. This first attack was led by Captain Sir Henry Morgan, but only the islands of Saint Eustatius and Sabo were defeated. Consequently, Modyford organized a second expedition in 1664 with Captain Mansfield as admiral of the fleet.

In 1665, Captain Mansfield's fleet sailed toward Curacao, but the journey took them against the Eastern trade winds, hindering their ability to make progress in the expected amount of time. Faced with mutiny, Captain Mansfield changed course and headed for Boca del Toro near Costa Rica. In spite of this new heading, many ships deserted him. In Costa Rica, the remaining crew marched on the city of Cartago. 90 miles inland, they encountered stiff resistance and had to give up due to insufficient supplies to continue. Returning to the coast, more pirates left Captain Mansfield's command.

With few men left and supplies low, Captain Mansfield opted to attack Providence Island off the Honduran coast next. There his fleet of four was joined by two French ships and their attack was successful and their take included much booty and over 150 slaves.

Captain Mansfield returned to Jamaica in 1665.
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Salty Dog
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Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

David Marteen
Dutch Pirate
Active 1663 - 1665

In 1663, Captain Morris was one among many pirates (Captain Sir Henry Morgan, David Marteen, Captain Rackman and Captain Freeman) who was involved in raids against Mexico and Nicaragua. Because it was forbidden to raid Spanish possessions at that time, those involved pretended to be privateering under the commission of the Jamaica governor.

In Mexico, they had anchored their ships at the mouth of the Grijalva River and marched 50 miles inland to Villahermosa, the capital of the Tabasco Province. They took the garrison by complete surprise. Returning to the coast, they found that their ships had been taken over by Spaniards. They stole 6 small boats and paddled south, stopping to sack a small town along the way. They then went to Trujillo, Honduras, where they seized a ship at anchor, proceeded to the mouth of the San Juan river where they hid their ships, then using the small boats they had captured, rowed 100 miles up-river to Granada on Lake Nicaragua.

After the sack of Granada, the pirates went back to Port Royal, Jamaica, arriving there in 1665. This was an unparalleled voyage, consisting of several thousand miles, reaching far inland, and the siege of three towns of high importance.

Captain Morris would further be part of Morgan's raids on Portobello in 1668 and Maracaibo in 1669. After a peace treaty had been signed between England and Spain, In 1671, Captain Morris and Lawrence Prince led an assault on Panama assault commissioned by the governor of Jamaica. The governor was then arrested and replaced by Thomas Lynch, and he in turn arrested Captain Henry Morgan. Lynch gave Morris a frigate and ordered him to seek out and arrest any captains refusing to quit their piratical activities.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

William May
British Buccaneer
Active 1689 - 1699

Captain May was a buccaneer prior to becoming a privateer during the Nine Years' War of 1688. In 1689, he began hunting with Captain William Kidd on Kidd's ship the Blessed William, but stole it the next year, and sailed to New York where he attacked French ships in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. And later that year he moved his band of pirates to plunder off the coast of Western India.

In 1693, he was commissioned to raid French slave stations in West Africa aboard the 16 gun ship the Pearl, but instead raided shipments in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

In 1695, Captain May joined forces with Captain Henry Avery. May plundered a few ships off India's southwestern coast in 1696 and then returned to New York with his booty.

In 1699, May returned to Saint Mary's Island near Madagascar where he learned that British pirate hunters were in pursuit of him. He fled, pirating his way to New York and arriving safely with much wealth in tow.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Morris
British Pirate
Active 1663 - 1672

In 1663, Captain Morris was one among many pirates (Captain Sir Henry Morgan, David Marteen, Captain Rackman and Captain Freeman) who was involved in raids against Mexico and Nicaragua. Because it was forbidden to raid Spanish possessions at that time, those involved pretended to be privateering under the commission of the Jamaica governor.

In Mexico, they had anchored their ships at the mouth of the Grijalva River and marched 50 miles inland to Villahermosa, the capital of the Tabasco Province. They took the garrison by complete surprise. Returning to the coast, they found that their ships had been taken over by Spaniards. They stole 6 small boats and paddled south, stopping to sack a small town along the way. They then went to Trujillo, Honduras, where they seized a ship at anchor, proceeded to the mouth of the San Juan river where they hid their ships, then using the small boats they had captured, rowed 100 miles up-river to Granada on Lake Nicaragua.

After the sack of Granada, the pirates went back to Port Royal, Jamaica, arriving there in 1665. This was an unparalleled voyage, consisting of several thousand miles, reaching far inland, and the siege of three towns of high importance.

Captain Morris would further be part of Morgan's raids on Portobello in 1668 and Maracaibo in 1669. After a peace treaty had been signed between England and Spain, In 1671, Captain Morris and Lawrence Prince led an assault on Panama assault commissioned by the governor of Jamaica. The governor was then arrested and replaced by Thomas Lynch, and he in turn arrested Captain Henry Morgan. Lynch gave Morris a frigate and ordered him to seek out and arrest any captains refusing to quit their piratical activities.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sir Christopher Myngs
British
Active 1625 - 1666



Captain Myngs enlisted in the Royal Navy as a young boy, starting as a cabin boy and working his way up through the ranks eventually reaching the rank of Captain.

In 1656 he saw his first successful battle in Jamaica, then in 1657, he was put in command of the entire naval squadron anchored there.

By October 1658, Captain Myngs attempted an unsuccessful onslaught against a Spanish treasure fleet. The English fleet then made its way to Tolu (Columbia), captured two large ships in the harbor, and devastated the city of Santa Marta.

In 1659, Captain Myngs sailed east against prevailing head winds in a daring effort to take Spanish colonists by surprise and was a terrific success. Captain Myngs only took the Marston Moor and two other warships and plundered Cumana, Puerto Caballos, and Coro in Venezuela. Captain Myngs' booty was the largest haul ever taken into Jamaica, but when the booty was divided, he refused to give the government their share and he was arrested and sent back to England to be tried for his offense. When word of the huge plunder got out, dozens of pirate captains came to Port Royal hoping to be among those who sailed with Captain Myngs.

Meanwhile back in England, King Charles II was returned to power and Myngs' charges were dropped.

Captain Myngs returned to Jamaica aboard the Centurion in 1662, and toward the end of the year, captured Santiago, blowing up its fortress and taking six ships.

When Captain Myngs' fleet of soldiers became unemployed due to a truce between England and France, with the consent of government, he launched a second expedition with a fleet of 12 ships and a 1,500-man English, French, and Dutch crew and notable captains such as Edward Mansfield, Abraham Blauvelt, Henry Morgan, John Morris and Jack Rackam.

In February 1663, Captain Myngs' force had taken control of San Francisco, a large town in the Bay of Campeche which had never been attacked. In the raid they seized 14 Spanish ships and lots of treasure.

Myngs then returned to England in 1665, where he became vice admiral of a squadron fighting the Dutch forces in the English Channel. For his bravery, Captain Myngs was knighted.

During a battle the next year, Captain Myngs was mortally wounded.
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Salty Dog
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Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nathaniel North



North began his privateering career in 1689 as part of a group which traveled the trade
routes attacking enemy French merchant ships. In 1696, the group captured an 18-gun vessel called the Pelican off the Newfoundland coast. The privateers next secured a commission to raid the French in West Africa, but went to Madagascar instead. They intended to rob the Moors but had no luck finding any prizes. Determined to not return home empty-handed the pirates raided villages in the Comoro Islands, after which they returned to Madagascar.

Once at Madagascar, North was elected quartermaster and then plundered the Red Sea accompanied by Dirk Chivers and Robert Culliford. During this partnership, the three captured the ship known as Great Mohammed, but Culliford and Chivers refused to share the large booty of gold coins with the Pelican's crew stating that they hadn't joined in battle. With this, the Pelican sailed off to pursue her fortunes along the Malabar coast of India. The pirates seized three small ships keeping one of the ships and renaming her the Dolphin. During a hurricane, the ships were badly damaged and the pirates were forced to return to Madagascar for repairs, and after arriving, split their booty among the crew.

Becoming Quartermaster, North then sailed under Captain Samuel Inless who was given command of the Dolphin. The pirates plundered a large Danish ship in 1699 then traveled to Saint Mary's Island to divide their loot. While at Saint Mary's Island, four British warships arrived. Rather than surrender to the British, Captain Samuel Inless burned the Dolphin. The British offered a pardon and several men accepted, but North not trusting the English commodore, took a ship's boat and fled to Madagascar. North's boat was overturned during a storm and North swam 12 miles to shore losing everything he owned.

During the years 1701 to late 1703, North sailed as quartermaster with George Booth, then with John Bowen after Booth's death. Late in 1703, Bowen retired at Mauritius. North was elected as captain of the pirates at Madagascar. The pirates intervened in native wars to gain slaves and women. At the beginning of 1707, North was once again quartermaster. This time under John Halsey aboard the Charles. During this time the Charles captured two British ships. Halsey took one of the prizes and sailed back to Madagascar leaving North in command of the Charles. North's brief stint as captain of the Charles ended when the ship became wrecked on a reef a short time later.

North made it home and was found sailing in Madagascar waters in 1709. Some years later, North was killed by native tribesmen.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grace O'Malley
Active 1560's - 1580's


This Irish noblewoman led attacks on shipping off the West coast of Ireland. In 1593 she won a pardon and a pension from Queen Elizabeth I. She then retired, handing over her business to her sons.

John Oxenham

First English captain to sail the Pacific. In 1572, Oxenham took part on the raid in Panama which was headed by Sir Francis Drake. In 1573 Oxenham was second in command, still under Sir Francis Drake, during the march to Panama. According to reports, Drake climbed a tree and saw the Pacific Ocean whereby he vowed: "besought Almighty God of his goodness to give him life and leave to sail once in an English ship on that sea" At which Oxenham seconded: "protested that unless our Captain did beat him from his company he would follow him by Gods grace." During the raid, Drake and Oxenham split forces and tried two different approaches to Panama. Oxenham returned before Drake and set sail with two ships and 57 men, including John Butler.

Oxenham made his way to the Atlantic coast to prey on shipping. He spent the winters of 1576-1577 inland. In February 1577, Oxenham (in a pinnace which his men and some escaped African slaves, the Cimarrónes built) via a river entered the Gulf of Panama. They looted the Pearl Islands where they tortured a Franciscan friar. From there they plundered two ships laden with gold and silver headed for Panama. Leaving the Pacific, they were headed towards the Atlantic when they were attacked by the Spanish. Many of Oxenham's men were killed and the treasure was recaptured. Oxenham and some of his men escaped but were hunted down, captured and taken to Panama in April 1578. A total of 18 Englishmen and 40 Africans. 14 of the Englishmen were hanged, the Africans were returned to slavery and Oxenham, Butler and Thomas Sherwell (all of whom were officers) were taken to Lima, Peru and executed late 1580.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

William Parker


Captain William Parker was a member of the lesser gentry near Plymouth. In 1587 he sailed in consort with Sir Francis Drake during Drake's raid on Cadiz, Spain.

In the 1590's Captain Parker sailed the West Indies taking several prizes. He also plundered Puerto Caballos in Honduras in 1594 and 1595. After 1596, as owner of his own vessel, he partnered with Sir Anthony Sherley, but this relationship ended when after a time no prizes were taken. Leaving Captain Sherley behind, Captain Parker attacked Campeche, Mexico. Captain Parker was wounded in the attack but survived and succeeded in capturing a frigate carrying silver which was en route to San Juan De Ulua.

Captain Parker next captured Portobello in February 1601. Portobello was a very important port being the departure point from which Peruvian treasure left for Spain. Captain Parker then sailed to Panama and plundered Saint Vincent in the Cape Verdes. He also captured and held for ransom the Cubagua pearl-boats and captured a Portuguese slave ship. His successes secured for him a prominent position in Plymouth, where he was looked upon as a hero of sorts and he became a founding member of the Virginia Company in 1606.

Captain Parker was made Vice-Admiral and left on an expedition to the East Indies, but died at Java in 1617.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

James Plantain
Active 1720's

Born in Jamaica, this pirate set up his base on Madagascar. He built a fortress at Ranter bay and declared himself 'King'. He kept many wives and was said to live in luxury.


el Portugués
AKA Bartolomeo
Portuguese Buccaneer
Active 1660's - 1670's
el Portugues


Famous for his lucky escapes, this Portuguese buccaneer was one of the first to be based in Jamaica. His luck finally ran out in a shipwreck.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lawrence Prince
Dutch Pirate
Active 1670



Captain Prince was born in Amsterdam. In 1670, he sailed from Port Royal, Jamaica to Colombia. He had plans to take the town of Mompos which was over 150 miles inland, part of the trip was up the Magdalena River. Upon their arrival they found a new fort on an island river. The pirates were drove back with cannon fire. Captain Prince was determined not to return to Port Royal empty handed. In August he sailed for Nicaragua and was successful in an almost identical scheme. He sailed up the San Juan River, captured the fort and took canoes up to Lake Nicaragua where they pillaged the city of Granada.

The Spanish report of the incident states, made havoc and a thousand destructions, sending the head of a priest in a basket and saying that he would deal with the rest of the prisoners in the same way unless they gave him 70,000 pesos in ransom.

Considering that the city had been sacked by Captain Henry Morgan and Captain John Morris in 1664 they were only able to raise a small portion of the ransom. prince having his bluff called, returned to Port Royal.

Modyford, Governor of Jamaica, sent Captain Prince to join Morgan's Panamanian expedition. Morgan, seeing Prince to be a man of much spirit, made him third in command after himself and Captain Edward Collie. After the raid, the English government sent Thomas Lynch to Jamaica to arrest Modyford and Morgan for their piratical activities. Lynch, not having sufficient force to outright arrest Sir Henry Morgan, decided to try ingratiating himself to the pirates. Captain Prince was made Lynch's lieutenant and under the governorship of Lynch thrived at Jamaica, having his own plantation.
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Jack Quelch
Circa 1700's

At Half Way Rock, outside of Salem Harbor, Jack Quelch was named captain of the vessel "Charles" after its crew had murdered and dumped overboard its previous commander. From there he led his band of pirates in raids off the coast of South America. Their piracy days ended when Captain Quelch and his crew were arrested and hanged in 1704 at Boston Harbor.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Raga
Active 1820's


Chief of the Malay pirates in the Straits of Makassar, Raga took many European ships and beheaded their crews. His base at Kuala Batu, Sumatra, was destroyed by an American task force.

Rahmah bin Jabr
c. 1756 - 1826


The most famous pirate of the Persian Gulf, this one-eyed captain plundered shipping for 50 years. At the age of 70, in battle with the whole fleet of Bahrain, he set fire to the gunpowder magazine on his own ship, blowing half the enemy and himself sky high.

Sir Walter Raleigh
1552 - 1618


An Elizabethan courtier and navigator, Raleigh fitted out many privateering expeditions in order to fund a new colony in Virginia, North America. On the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Raleigh's fortunes changed. In 1616 he persuaded James I to send him on another search for gold, but he returned empty handed and was beheaded.

Mary Read
British Pirate
Active 1719 - 1721
Mary Read

Dressed in men's clothes, Mary Read had fought as a soldier in Flanders and owned a tavern before sailing to the Caribbean. When her ship was captured by John "Calico Jack" Rackam and Ann Bonny, she joined their pirate crew. Captured in 1720, a female passenger on the merchant ship they had attacked noticed Read's breasts and figured out she was a woman. At her trial in 1720, like Bonny, Read escaped the gallows because she was expecting a baby. She died of fever in Jamaica in 1721.
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Redbeard
AKA Barbarossa
Greek/Turkish Pirate
circa 1530's


He and his brother Aruj, sons of a Turk from Lesbos, took up piracy on the Barbary Coast in hopes of seizing an African domain for themselves. When Aruj was killed in 1518, Khidr took the title Khayr al-Din. He offered allegiance to the Ottoman sultan and in return received military aid that enabled him to capture Algiers in 1529. Appointed admiral in chief of the Ottoman Empire (1533), he conquered all of Tunisia. Emperor Charles V captured Tunis in 1535, but Khayr al-Din defeated his fleet at the Battle of Preveza (1538), securing the eastern Mediterranean for the Turks for 33 years. His red beard was the source of the epithet Barbarossa, used by Europeans. (Excerpt from Britannica Online)

Basil Ringrose
active 1653 - 1686


This English surgeon traveled through Panama with Bartholomew Sharp and his buccaneers between 1680 and 1682, and wrote about his travels. He was killed in Mexico.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Manuel Pardal Rivero
Portuguese Pirate


Spain, a long time victim of pirating, suffering heavy losses from the pirates and deciding that Sir Henry Morgan's Portobello raid in 1669 was the last straw, sanctioned the governors of its colonies in the procurement of privateers and disbursement of letters of marque. Few pirates responded to this act, but Captain Rivero, who was Portuguese, did and rushed out to seek enemy nation's ships to prey upon.

In 1670, Rivero, in command of the San Pedro left Cartagena for Jamaica but was forced to change course because of winds. Captain Rivero sacked the poor settlement on Grand Cayman Island and seized two small boats as well as taking four children. With his meager booty, he went to Cuba. Once there he found out that Bernard Speirdyke, the Dutch pirate, was at Manzanillo. Captain Rivero set out to do battle with Speirdyke. Captain Rivero was victorious in the battle and seized the Dutchman's ship.

Captain Rivero returned to a hero's welcome in Cartagena in March 1670 and was made admiral of the Spanish corsairs. Captain Rivero next went to Jamaica with two ships and captured a sloop and raided isolated villages in the north. His next venture took him to the southern coast of Jamaica where he issued a challenge to Captain Henry Morgan:

Governor Modyford of Jamaica commissioned Captain Morgan to defend Jamaica. Captain Morgan assembled all French and English pirates that were at Jamaica and set sail, but instead of looking for Captain Rivero, they sailed to Panama and sacked the town. While all this was going on, John Morris encountered Captain Rivero off the Cuban coast. Captain Rivero's ship was boarded by Captain Morris men. The crew panicked and jumped overboard, where they either drowned or were shot by Morris' men. Captain Morgan chased Captain Rivero ashore and shot him to death in 1670.
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Salty Dog
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191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Woodes Rogers
English privateer
1679 - 1732


Rogers was a Privateer who helped suppress piracy in the Caribbean by offering caught pirates pardons if they changed their ways and helped him track down other pirates. Those who did not accept or who went back to their old ways were hanged. While on a privateering expedition around the world which was commissioned by Bristol merchants whose ships had been lost to foreign privateers, he rescued a Scottish seaman named Alexander Selkirk from a Pacific island, which inspired Defoe's book Robinson Crusoe. In 1717 Rogers was appointed royal governor of the Bahamas where he established orderly government.
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