Ship Ahoy! It be Pirates me hearty!

Now this is what you call a "Pirate" though he was the most successful he was not to be the most famous. He is number one in my book.

Bartholomew Roberts

Interesting Facts:

Black Bart was perhaps the most successful pirate of the time, with the capture of over 400 ships and over 50 million Pounds of loot. - He encouraged prayer, drank a lot of tea instead of alcohol, and forbid drinking and gambling. - He preferred to wear fancy gentleman's clothes: a rich crimson waistcoat and breeches, a hat with a red feather, and a diamond cross hanging from a golden chain around his neck.

Born John Roberts (Barti Ddu in Welsh) in Little Newcastle, southern Wales about 1682, Black Bart was the last great pirate of the Golden Age and had no equal in his day. While working as a third mate on the British slaver Princess, he was captured to be a slave - forced hand by noted pirate Howell Davis in June 1719 and elected captain when Davis was killed in attack on Principe, off the Guinea coast. Roberts leveled the town in retribution.

Growing tired of the pickings around Guinea, he sailed to the Brazilian coast, took several good prizes, and in early 1720 went northward for some rest at Devil's Island. His reputation arrived in the Caribbean before him, where he quickly exited and sailed north to New England to sell what he had accumulated.

Summertime 1720 was very successful in Newfoundland with many captures, most notably the plunder and sinking of all but one of 22 merchant ships in the Bay of Treffisi when the crews fled to shore just at his arrival. The spared ship was a French brig he named the Royal Fortune, which he added guns to and sailed to the Caribbean after a failed attempt to sail to Africa.

In the fall of 1720, Captain Roberts began a six-month tear through the West Indies. With the almost unchallenged captures of 100 ships or more, he angered the provincial governors, one of whom he hanged after taking his warship. With shipping coming to a standstill, he went to Africa in the spring of 1721, where he learned to profit from the sale of slaves off the ships that got in his way. After careening and trading for several weeks in Sierra Leone, Roberts headed east in August of 1721 toward Liberia, where the capture of the Royal Africa Company's Onslow became the last Royal Fortune.

A legendary 30-month career came to an end on February 10, 1722, when the warship HMS Swallow captained by Challoner Ogle caught up with Bart Roberts off the coast of Cape Lopez (now Gabon). It is uncertain whether he was trying to escape or size up the opponent, but the grapeshot killed him either way. His crew threw his body overboard as he had always requested, and they eventually stopped their disheartened resistance.

After being thrown into prison under the Cape Coast Castle in West Africa, those who remained were given the largest pirate trial and execution of the time on March 28, 1722. 54 were hanged, 37 received prison or hard time, 70 African pirates were sold into slavery, and the rest were acquitted.

Here is the pirates code put forth by Bart Roberts aka Black Bart.

Bartholomew Robert's Articles-

ARTICLE I. Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized, and shall use them at pleasure unless a scarcity may make it necessary for the common good that a retrenchment may be voted.

ARTICLE II. Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes, because over and above their proper share, they are allowed a shift of clothes. But if they defraud the company to the value of even one dollar in plate, jewels or money, they shall be marooned. If any man rob another he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.

ARTICLE III. None shall game for money either with dice or cards.

ARTICLE IV. The lights and candles should be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights.

ARTICLE V. Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass and pistols at all times clean and ready for action.

ARTICLE VI. No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing any of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise he shall suffer death.

ARTICLE VII. He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning.

ARTICLE VIII. None shall strike another on board the ship, but every man's quarrel shall be ended on shore by sword or pistol in this manner. At the word of command from the quartermaster, each man being previously placed back to back, shall turn and fire immediately. If any man do not, the quartermaster shall knock the piece out of his hand. If both miss their aim they shall take to their cutlasses, and he that draweth first blood shall be declared the victor.

ARTICLE IX. No man shall talk of breaking up their way of living till each has a share of £l,000. Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have 800 pieces of eight from the common stock and for lesser hurts proportionately.

ARTICLE X. The captain and the quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gunner and boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentlemen of fortune one share each.

ARTICLE XI. The musicians shall have rest on the Sabbath Day only by right. On all other days by favour only.

None of the King's ships offered this, it took a pirate to be so equitable to his crew!

An increasing number of people wake up every morning and wonder just how in the hell we have arrived at our current standard of living. The greedy have inherited the earth, but from whom? Ahoy, matey! Pirates?

Who benefitted the most from 'the world is flat' theory? The idea that a ship could sail right off the edge of the earth and plunge into an abyss was perhaps the most successful lie in world history. Have you ever sat back and wondered exactly how and why this idea came into being?

Such a large scale disinformation campaign would seem impossible, given the notion that humans have been utilizing boats for thousands of years. The fact is that pirates came into existence when boats did. Are those who presently rule the world decendants of these plunderers? For me, this disturbing notion is difficult to overlook.

When a ship loaded with riches sailed beyond the horizon, the floating mafia was always a great concern. These guys had an efficient witness elimination program and since there was a perceived danger of falling over the edge, the chances of any search party being sent was less likely. Add to this the way in which pirates have been portrayed as heroes and you have a valid conspiracy theory.

[C-O-N-S] P-I-R-A-C-Y wow what a coincidence. Could it be that he internet and the entire genre of mass media was created by the same PIRATES who manufactured "the world is flat" theory?

The Phoenicians pirates probably initiated the flat world idea. The fear of falling off the edge may have been some benefit to them.

In Greek mythology Atlas was forced to hold the world on his sholders. The world he held up would not have been a globe. The world would have been a flat disc or square when the legend was started.

Interesting post HaveSeen4Myself, not sure that i agree with your theory though.

originally posted by HaveSeen4Myself
Who benefitted the most from 'the world is flat' theory? The idea that a ship could sail right off the edge of the earth and plunge into an abyss was perhaps the most successful lie in world history.

Probably those that benefited most by keeping the populace in the dark was the Church, not pirates. The Church (and the Vatican in particular) sponsored much of the early exploration of the New World. It makes sense that they would have liked to keep anything of value, knowledge or materials to themselves.
Pirates in the main chose their way of life because of social/economic reasons (ie they were poor, lower class, uneducated or slaves), or for fame and riches, in service to their country or because they were blood thirsty degenerates who were able to sate their pyschopathic urges through piracy. I think a conspiracy was probably the last thing these guy's and gals had on their minds.

originally posted by HaveSeen4Myself
The fact is that pirates came into existence when boats did. Are those who presently rule the world decendants of these plunderers? For me, this disturbing notion is difficult to overlook.

Well considering a lot of these guys died violent deaths at reasonably young age, and most didnt have family's i'd suggest that there probably arent too many descendants of original pirates around. I can see how you might think that some of todays politicians and business leaders might be likened to pirates though.

originally posted by HaveSeen4Myself
[C-O-N-S] P-I-R-A-C-Y wow what a coincidence. Could it be that he internet and the entire genre of mass media was created by the same PIRATES who manufactured "the world is flat" theory?

I dont think so, but kudo's for thinking outside the box, i wouldnt have made that connection.
I think Lostinspace could be on the right track, the Phoenicians were extremely secretive when it came to their trade routes, technology and navigation, i'm sure they would have been keen to suppress any outside involvement in maritime activity's.
Anyway makes for an interesting angle.

Here's another pirate, this guy was said to have been particularly bloodthirsty but seems to be one of the few that managed to retire at some stage and live in relative peace and prosperity for the rest of his life.Captain Christopher Condent.

On a trip across the Atlantic Ocean, an Indian member of the crew, who was severely beaten and mistreated, threatened to ignite the ship's powder magazine. Condent swiftly jumped into the hold, and shot the Indian in the face. Purportedly, the crew hacked the body to pieces, and the gunner slashed open his stomach, tore out his heart, boiled it, and ate it.

www.thepirateking, bio of Christopher Condent

Swashbucklers Cove

Setting course for the Cape Verd Islands Condent took a merchant laden with wine from Madeira. Coming to the Isle of Mayo he took the whole salt fleet, consisting of 20 sailing ships. It is at this point that we his cruel side and possibly gather some glimpse of why he turn to piracy. Condent set himself up over the salt fleet to administer justice to the officers of the ships. If any crewman of the ships had complaint against the officers' treatment of them, the officers were whipped and pickled.

Pickled!!

mojo, (ps...thanks for all the interest everyones shown)

Originally posted by HaveSeen4Myself

Who benefitted the most from 'the world is flat' theory? The idea that a ship could sail right off the edge of the earth and plunge into an abyss was perhaps the most successful lie in world history. Have you ever sat back and wondered exactly how and why this idea came into being?

it isn't an ancient world belief at all and dates from the middle ages along with the geocentric universe and the young earth creation beliefs

The Greek mathematician, poet, athlete, geographer and astronomer Eratosthenes (276 BCE - 194 BCE) actually estimated the circumference of the earth to 25,000 miles which is very close to the actual circumference of 24900 miles
en.wikipedia.org...
Before him it had been estimated at 18,000 miles and even after his discovery continued to do so because everyone assumed that they knew better. No more so than the even more famous (at that time) philosopher, politician, astronomer, geographer, historian and teacher Posidonius who had a solid belief in the 18,000 mile claim.
en.wikipedia.org...
the idea of a flat earth was in fact a belief invested by the church during the dark ages. No one knows why but I would speculate that it did have something to do with shipping and cargo. The dark ages actually take their name from the total lack of scientific illumination of the period
en.wikipedia.org...

Only one pirate/privateer ever successfully captured the Spanish Treasure Fleet, Piet Hein. There was supposedly a statue made of Piet from some of the looted silver. Not sure if this is true or not, perhaps if there are any dutch members who might know of this.

Hein was born in Delfshaven (now part of Rotterdam), the son of a captain, and he became a sailor while he was still a teenager. In his twenties, he was captured by the Spanish, and served as a galley-slave for about four years, probably between 1598 and 1602, when he was traded for Spanish prisoners. Between 1603 and 1607 he was again held captive by the Spanish, when captured near Cuba.

Hein captured 11,509,524 guilders of booty in gold, silver and other expensive trade goods, as indigo and cochineal, without any bloodshed. The Dutch didn't take prisoners: they gave the Spanish crews ample supplies for a march to Havana. The released were surprised to hear the admiral personally giving them directions in fluent Spanish; Hein after all was well acquainted with the region as he had been confined to it during his internment after 1603. The treasure was the company's greatest victory in the Caribbean.
As a result, the money funded the Dutch army for eight months allowing it to capture the fortress 's-Hertogenbosch and the shareholders enjoyed a cash dividend of 50% for that year. He returned to the Netherlands in 1629, where he was hailed as a hero. Watching the crowds cheering him standing on the balcony of the town hall of Leyden he remarked to the burgomaster: "Now they praise me because I gained riches without the least danger; but earlier when I risked my life in full combat they didn't even know I existed...". Hein was the first and the last to capture such a large part of a Spanish "silver fleet" from America.

Spanish Treasure Fleet

Spanish ships had brought treasure from the New World since Christopher Columbus' first expedition of 1492, but a system of convoys started to be developed in the 1520s in response to attacks by French and English privateers. Under this system, two fleets sailed each year from Seville (Cádiz from 1707), consisting of galleons, heavily armed with cannons, and merchant carracks, carrying manufactured goods and later some ships were used to carry some slaves. One fleet sailed to the Caribbean, the other to the South American ports of Cartagena, Nombre de Dios (and later Porto Bello); after completing their trade the fleets rendezvoused at Havana in Cuba for the return trip.

Despite the general perception that many Spanish galleons were captured by English or Dutch pirates or privateers, the fact is that very few fleets were actually lost to enemies in the course of flota's long career. Treasure fleets were captured by Piet Hein in 1628 and destroyed in 1656 and 1657 by Robert Blake. The 1702 treasure fleet was also destroyed in the Battle of Vigo Bay when surprised at port, but had already unloaded most of its silver. In the case of the Manila galleons, only four were ever captured. These losses and those due to hurricanes were heavy economic blows when they occurred, but overall the treasure fleets must be counted as among the most successful naval operations in history.

Related links.

geocities

www.johntoddjr.com

There is also quite a famous song sung by the dutch about Piet's capture of the Treasure fleet.

Couple of articles i have come across related to the era of Illyrian pirates.

Illyrian pirate ships found?

It is likely one of the most sensational archeological discoveries in the Eastern Europe in 20 years, at least two Illyrian boats have been found by Dr Snjezana Vasilj, a Sarajevo University, professor and her team.
The ancient Illyrians, who flourished in the Western Balkans thousands of years ago, were said to be skilled shipbuilders, sailors and most likely pirates, but no material evidence of this has been located until today.

"It is a known fact that Illyrians were pirates," she said. "They stole from Romans and Greeks ships, and this is the type of boat they used. We can assume that the Illyrians were followed and they hid here. They were probably discovered and sunk."
In addition to the boats, Vasilj's team found more than 70 artifacts, as well as a Roman spear. Seven tombs from an Illyrian tribe known as the Daors were also discovered in the vicinity, as well as what may be an Illyrian hut.

Ancient hide-out uncovered in Albania, a pirate haven?

The Illyrians were one of the classic pains-in-the-necks of in the classical world. Their pirates were denounced by the Romans, who routed them on the way to conquering the Mediterranean around, in a long-running fight that concluded around 160 B.C. Was the fortress of Grunas some sort of redoubt against these ruffians of the high seas in the ancient world, or part of their kingdom, Galaty and his colleagues wondered.

mojo

reply to post by kerkinana walsky


Hard to believe Id ever give one of your posts a star, but I did.

I always "sensed" that the flat-earth-theory is a product of the DARK ages and not of previous civilizations, but never had the information to back that hunch up. Thanks.

Here's some information on a couple of the more famous Pirate raids.

Link

The townspeople of San Agustin had been caught completely by surprise. Shouting, cursing, bands of cutthroats scattered through the narrow streets, seizing or shooting the frightened, half-naked inhabitants as they emerged from their houses. The royal accountant, Juan Menéndez Marques, and his brother, Antonio, ran to the guardhouse. Shortly after they had left their house, freebooters burst in and captured their family. The Marques brothers found the guardhouse looted and deserted. They then hurried to Government House—all was silent there, as well. The brothers then decided that the city’s fortress would be the next place to look for help. As they ran toward the stockade with 10 or 12 men who had joined them, the buccaneers fired upon them.

Biography of Capt Robert Searle

Robert Searle (alias John Davis) was one of the earliest and most active of the English buccaneers on Jamaica. Nothing, to date, is known of his early life. The famous buccaneer chronicler, Esquemeling, states that Searle was “born at Jamaica,” but this seems unlikely, since that island did not become an English dominion until 1655. Searle’s career as a “gentleman of fortune” was marred by frequent quarrels with Sir Thomas Modyford, royal governor of Jamaica, who usually befriended buccaneers.

Captain Henry Morgan

Sir Henry Morgan (Hari Morgan in Welsh), (ca. 1635 – August 25, 1688) was a Welsh privateer, who made a name in the Caribbean as a leader of buccaneers. He was among Wales's most notorious and successful privateers.

On January 18, 1671, Morgan discovered that Panama had roughly fifteen hundred infantry and cavalry. He split his forces in two, using one to march through the forest and flank the enemy. The Spaniards were untrained and rushed Morgan's line where he cut them down with gunfire, only to have his flankers emerge and finish off the rest of the Spanish soldiers. After looting and taking booty that exceeded a hundred thousand pounds, Morgan had his men burn the city and massacred all its inhabitants, an action considered, to this date, the most barbarous atrocity ever perpretated by a British privateer against Spanish colonies in America.

Link

In 1670 Morgan assembled an expedition of 36 ships and over 1800 men at a safe anchorage off Hispaniola. At a meeting with his captains, English and French, it was decided to attack Panama, the legendary Spanish city of the Indies. All the riches of the mines of Peru passed through here on the way to Spain and the city was known to be full of rich merchants and fine buildings. The task confronting Morgan was extremely difficult and dangerous. There was no Panama Canal and his force would have to take the Caribbean island of Old Providence, sail from there to land at Chagres and cross the isthmus to Panama through thick jungle and across high mountains. Even England's hero Sir Francis Drake had failed in a similar undertaking many decades before. After many battles and privations, in 1671 Panama finally fell.

Link

Panama was said to be impregnable to attack, of course, but what of that? Morgan was confident after all of his successful raids on invulnerable towns such as Puerto Principe, Portobelo, And Maracaibo. Governor Moodyford, lacking the fiery self-confidence that was one of Morgan’s chief characteristics, was inclined to be dubious of this venture. He was not disposed to throw any real obstacles in the path of his buccaneer partner, however. He had been proven wrong too often in his estimate of Morgan’s ability in a pinch. It looked like a suicide try up to the very day of departure, although in a half-hearted way; because he did not really believe his own fears. Over-riding his apprehensions was the secret conviction that if Henry Morgan ever made up his mind to capture Panama, he was quite likely to do it.
Such was the reputation of Morgan as a leader, this was his calling. For some time on the Isle De La Vaca he recruited men from the four corners of the earth. From France, Holland, England, and from every pirate stronghold in the West Indies they came…ragged, hungry, empty in pocket; their baggage only the clothes on their backs and the guns in their hands. What they lacked in worldly goods, they more than made up in enthusiasm.

mojo

Captain Kidd Ship Found

The wreckage of a pirate ship abandoned by Captain Kidd in the 17th century has been found by divers in shallow waters off the Dominican Republic, a research team claims.
The underwater archaeology team, from Indiana University, says they have found the remains of Quedagh Merchant, actively sought by treasure hunters for years.

Historians differ on whether Kidd was actually a pirate or a privateer — a ship or captain paid by a government to battle the enemy. After his conviction of piracy and murder charges in a sensational London trial, he was left to hang over the River Thames for two years.

The amazing thing about this discovery is that the wreck was found in less than 10 feet of water and that it doesnt appear to have been looted at all.



mojo.

This seems to be generally regarded as the oldest written document pertaining to Piracy.

www.thewayofthepirates.com

The oldest evidence of the pirates' existence is an inscription on a clay tablet from the time of Pharo Echnaton (1350 BC). This document describes a pirates' ship attacking in North Africa. There is also an epigraphic evidence from the 340's, from Athens.

And heres a nasty piece of work, the french pirate François l'Olonais

A party of Spanish soldiers attacked l'Olonais and his crew, killing almost the entire party. L'Olonais himself survived by covering himself in the blood of others and hiding amongst the dead. After the Spaniards departed, l'Olonais, with the assistance of some slaves, escaped and made his way to Tortuga. Shortly after this, he and his crew held a town hostage, demanding a ransom from its Spanish rulers. The governor of Havana sent a ship to kill l'Ollonais' party, but l'Olonais captured and beheaded the entire crew save one, whom he spared so that a message could be delivered to Havana. In the message, l'Ollonais declared: I shall never henceforward give quarter to any Spaniard whatsoever.

L'Ollonais himself was an expert torturer, and his techniques included slicing portions of flesh off the victim with a sword, burning them alive, or "woolding", which involved tying knotted rope around the victim's head until their eyes were forced out.

l'Olonais captured two Spaniards. Exquemelin wrote:
"He drew his cutlass, and with it cut open the breast of one of those poor Spaniards, and pulling out his heart with his sacrilegious hands, began to bite and gnaw it with his teeth, like a ravenous wolf, saying to the rest: I will serve you all alike, if you show me not another way."

He met his end apparently at the hands of a native american tribe in Panama and eaten alive. What goes around comes around.