Between the years of 1700 to roughly 1720 the Pirates held sway over the Atlantic and trade between the new world and Europe was severely disrupted to the point of endangering the colonies of Britain. These years were extremely turbulent. There was the Spanish War of Succession, political intrigue in Britain and trouble brewing in Austria.
Years before a man named Avery made a name for himself. A revered pirate leader that managed to sort of create his own country. Well that is what these pirates did, in the Bahamas they set up their own republic. Their place was Nassau. Once a Spanish colony then it became the Pirate Republic.
There were some definite leaders in the Republic. The biggest one is Benjamin Hornigold. A former officer in the British Navy turned buccaneer then pirate . He was still loyal too the British and limited his seizures to other countries. Bellamy who was raised poor and left behind a pregnant wife who died alone without him. Charles Vane grew up poor in Britain and was a real psychopath. Edward Teach was better known as Blackbeard was also on the scene.
During these turbulent years the government used give commission to privateers. These privateers were allowed to act like pirate and rob ships from enemy countries. Pirates could pray on whoever.
The life of a pirate was not all that bad. Being a soldier in the British Navy was grueling. The soldiers were underpaid and often time the checks did not arrive on time if at. Punishment for infraction could be real tough as well. Flogging and executions were common place. The pirate life was more democratic and fair. Pirates got a share of the plunder and they could vote in the captain of their ship. Many former slaves and escaped slaves became pirates because a a pirate there were treated more equally and could hold on to their dignity.
The Pirates had their political leaning as well. Many of the English pirates did not like King George. Hew was a Hanoverian king and many of the pirates preferred the Stewart line. Those who favored the Stewart line were known as Jacobins .
During the early 1720s things began to end. A gentle man named Rogers was sent to govern Nassau. HIS tactic was to offer the pirates a pardon if they quite their ways. Charles Vane ended up dying in Jamaica after he was captured. Back Beard died in the colony of virginia . Hornigod lived out his days.
Back in the day the Pirate Republic was a force to be reckoned with.After the 1720s piracy continued but they were no longer as strong as they used to be and were not in the position to challenge a major naval force like they used to
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