Notorious Pirates of the Caribbean: Blackbeard and Anne Bonny

against other ships. At the same time, it was common for pirates to turn away from piracy and join crews aboard merchant vessels. Regular, lawful trade frequently interacted in the same markets as stolen goods being exchanged for a profit.14

Who became a pirate? What motivated them to adopt such a dangerous lifestyle? Did they do it because of greed or the taste for adventure? In reality, the reasons why seafarers turned to criminal behaviour are varied and often complex. Piracy tended to be the product of poverty, the need to ensure or increase resources for survival, or simple economic opportunism. All three of these factors played a greater or lesser role, depending on individual situations.15 Tradition, rebellion against the traditional mores and conventions of society, the lure of adventure, and the need to belong were also significant motivations for people to become sea thieves. To become a pirate was to defy the restraints of common societal norms and gain, in some respects, a sense of freedom that could not otherwise be achieved within the boundaries of a typical lifestyle at the time.16 Many of piracy’s recruits were men who had been displaced from their usual trades as merchant seamen, fishermen, or privateer sailors. They were drawn from the poor, disenfranchised, and restless adventurers of all classes, including those of noble birth who seemingly had everything to either lose or gain.17 There was indeed no set profile for a pirate; it was a lifestyle that anyone could choose. However, in general, pirates held either lawlessness, unemployment, a history of brutal abuse by their parents or guardians, or poverty as their common denominator. Whatever the reason for an individual’s desire to turn to piracy or privateering, it was a given that under the right conditions, a minority of people, regardless of the ethics of their society, would take by force when the opportunity presented itself. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, especially, piracy became even more common because deterrents and consequences that confronted criminals at sea were often minimal, and early modern culture established an understanding that arming oneself and inflicting violence upon others was the only sure way to achieve material wealth.18

Pirates acting for their own benefit were not the only thieves on the sea. A major threat to Spanish colonies were privateering rovers who acted in the name of and with the permission of their government through the brandishing of what were known as letters of marque.19 In other words, privateers, at least in the view of the Spanish, were nothing more than pirates whom their home countries turned a blind eye to. From the onset of exploration and settlement in the Americas, Spanish superiority was fiercely challenged by other European nations. The ongoing feuds that took place between the Spanish and the English is perhaps the most well-known, especially considering that it was England who not only defeated the infamous Spanish Armada of 1588 but also produced one of the most notorious privateers of all time, Francis Drake. Drake, as many mariners of the time were, was granted permission by Elizabeth I of England to plunder Spanish shipping without fear of legal repercussions. In England he was viewed as a courageous adventurer and explorer, but to the Spanish he was a horrible nuisance, as all English privateers were. Privateers such as Drake were inevitable obstacles to Spanish colonization, and their ferocity was not only due to sheer greed. Particularly in the case of privateers, attacks against the Spanish were motivated primarily by the potential for material profit, but they were also driven by political tension and brutal religious division. English, Dutch, and French sovereigns, all seeking to overthrow Spain’s dominance on the global stage, had no qualms about commissioning privateers to do their dirty work for them. “Lawful piracy,” after all, would allow them to attack Spain directly

without formally declaring war. In England’s case, their attacks against Spanish colonies could additionally be justified by what the Protestant English viewed as their duty to stamp out the perceived evils of Catholicism.20

To counteract the ruthless attacks by privateers and pirates, the Spanish took a variety of measures to preserve their rule over the Americas as well as to assure their own safety. They built powerful forts to guard their Caribbean coastlines from privateers seeking to plunder their colonies. Most significantly, they poured their protective manpower into the organization of what is now deemed the fleet system. This system entailed organizing the transport of bullion to the port of Seville in such a way that the vessels always travelled in fleets, both to intimidate potential raiders and to ensure that the riches arrived in Spain in a secure and timely fashion.21 But even though the fleet system and the establishment of ports along the coastline dissuaded some privateers’ attacks, the problem of piracy went on as long as Spain’s colonies were known as a treasure trove of gold, silver, and exotic resources. Because of the success of privateers, the Spanish empire endured direct and heavy losses, as well as the destruction of capital in the form of sunken vessels, lost cargo, and slaughtered crewmembers. More indirect losses that are not always emphasized in literature on piracy included the damage of goods and the exponential loss of resources and productive energy due to a constant need for the Spanish to protect their land claims. These losses were unavoidable because piracy never represented a simple transaction that was economically neutral. Both predator and victim found their resources consumed as they contested the transfer of marketable goods and human labor.22 To make matters worse for the Spanish, there was little legal action they could take to suppress piracy, and their difficulties were compounded by the question of jurisdiction. As a growing number of independent European nation states emerged during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the need to establish clearly defined frontiers between territorial units also grew. These efforts ensured that the jurisdiction within these territories could not easily be resisted or impugned. At sea, on the contrary, there was no such thing as defined frontiers other than the borders provided by natural coastlines. Strictly speaking, there could be no general policing of crime happening on the ocean at this time, especially because there were no parties who were willing to intervene in conflicts that were solely between nationals representing two separate nations with entirely different customs and legal systems. As a result, Spanish hands were tied unless they were willing to make the dangerous decision of taking up arms against enemy ships. It is for this reason that foreign invasion was allowed to continue, and violence between the Spaniards and the pirates hailing from other kingdoms raged on for centuries.

Mariah Neily

History major (Honours), English minor

Notorious Pirates of the Caribbean:

ENDNOTES

Barbarous Blackbeard

Pirates are characterized in everything from children’s birthday parties, and Halloween costumes, to multimilliondollar movies, focused around the central theme of plundering and pillaging while sailing the high seas. One of the pirates who has helped build this pirate reputation was a man named Edward Thatch, notably known as “Blackbeard.”1 Blackbeard rose to be a notorious pirate within the Atlantic world with the Queen Anne’s Revenge as his ship, pillaging the navy and merchant ships and blocking Charleston, one of the busiest ports in the Atlantic World. Although Blackbeard’s career as a pirate came to a violent end, his notorious legacy as a pirate lives on.

Little is known about Blackbeard’s childhood, however, historians agree that he was born around 1680, in Bristol, England.2 Before he became a pirate, Blackbeard worked as a privateer for the British during the War of the Spanish Succession.3 He arrived in the Caribbean in the early eighteenth century according to the book volume 1724 A General History of Pyrates. 4

After working as a privateer, Blackbeard turned to piracy when he joined the crew of Captain Benjamin Hornigold during the early eighteenth century.5 Hornigold was partially responsible for forming the “Flying Gang,” a group of ex-privateers who had turned to piracy and Blackbeard was among the group’s founding members.6 The band of ex-privateers quickly became an enemy of all of their former employers who set out to rid the Atlantic world of them.7 While they were once considered allies, they were now regarded as outlaws, menacing the Royal Navy and commercial ships.8 Blackbeard aided the “Flying Gang” in forming the Republic of Pirates on the island of Nassau, which created a “code of conduct” for pirates.9

“Barbe Noire,” Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Wikimedia Commons.

Hornigold put Teach (who would not become “Blackbeard” until 1717) in charge of a ship they had seized in 1716.10 Blackbeard then ran into pirate Stede Bonnet who was captain of the ship named Revenge; Bonnet was still recovering from wounds inflicted in a previous battle. This resulted in Blackbeard taking charge of the Revenge until Bonnet was able to recover.11 It was here that Blackbeard started to form his own small fleet.

Hornigold was overthrown from his captaincy in the summer of 1716 after refusing to attack English ships; however, Blackbeard and Hornigold had already parted ways at this point.12 Hornigold’s crew and ship were taken over by Samuel Bellamy, and Hornigold returned to the Republic of Pirates in Nassau.13 Here he reunited with Blackbeard, and together the two captured a ship carrying 120 barrels of flour from Havana and another ship carrying 100 barrels of wine from Bermuda.14 The fleet now contained three ships: Teach on the Revenge, Teach’s old ship from Horingold, and Hornigold’s Ranger. 15 Despite his success working in concert with Hornigold, Blackbeard decided to part ways with his allies and began a solo career of piracy.16

Blackbeard captured a French merchant ship named La Concorde. 17 Primarily used as a slave ship, there are only four official recorded voyages that La Concorde took before it was captured by Blackbeard and his crew.18 La Concorde was a desirable ship for Blackbeard since she was swift enough to outrun the warships, massive enough to scare merchants and defeat some warships, and had the cargo capacity to transport a large amount of treasure and munitions.19 Blackbeard renamed the ship Queen Anne’s Revenge and employed her to terrify the Caribbean and the British North American colonies.20

“Cover of Blackbeard, Buccaneer” (1922) by Frank E. Schoonover, Wikimedia Commons.

As captain of Queen Anne’s Revenge, Blackbeard developed a unique style of battle. Using former naval officers and merchants to build a massive crew, Blackbeard had a small fleet of ships surrounding the Queen Anne’s Revenge. 21 Blackbeard then used strength and intimidation rather than the usual pirate tactic of “hit and run” to conquer ships.22 Blackbeard and his crew intimated other ships with upwards of one hundred fifty pirates between the fleet, and each ship was rigged out with cannons and guns.23

If the abundance of weaponry and crew did not scare other ships off, the common pirate code that was practiced by Blackbeard, known as “surrender or die” policy certainly did.24 For example, one historian notes that the response of those targeted by Blackbeard: “When it turned out that Blackbeard’s pirate crew was the belligerent bearing down on them, consistent with the effectiveness of pirates’ reputation for adhering to their surrender-or-die policy discussed above, ‘Wyers Men all declared they would not Fight and quitted the Ship believing they would be Murthered by the Sloops Company’.”25

This meant that when other merchant vessels saw Blackbeard’s fleet approaching, they often refused to engage in battle, and surrendered right away.26 Before firing a single shot, Blackbeard preferred to use his fearsome reputation to convince merchant captains to surrender.27 This saved him vital supplies and gold because each man who was injured was entitled compensation, and it was highly likely that the cannon balls firing at his ship would cause serious damage.28

Blackbeard had tremendous success in his career as a pirate captain. Colin Woodward outlines the scope of Blackbeard’s plunder: “Operating from three large open sailing canoes called periaguas, in just eight months the gang pulled in plunder worth £13,175, a staggering fortune at a time when a naval sailor made only about £12 a year. Nine months later their haul had grown to £60,000, several times the annual income of Britain’s wealthiest noblemen.”28

Blackbeard crafted his legacy when he and the crew of the Queen Anne’s Revenge blocked the British port of Charlestown, located in present-day South Carolina. Charleston, which became the capital of the Carolina colony, was a major site for trade and commerce within the Atlantic world.30 Between 1716 and 1807, Charleston served as a port of entry for an estimated 121,500 slaves, accounting for around 22% of all slaves lawfully imported into North America.31 Thus, Blackbeard destination was a treasure trove of possibility due to the amount of import and export and the population size of the port.

In 1718, for six days Blackbeard and his crew blocked the port entrance, raiding any vessel that tried to enter, and plundered the colony.32 The crew and their captain found treasure equivalent today to half a million U.S. dollars. During this pillaging and plundering of Charleston, Blackbeard took approximately six hundred hostages aboard his fleet but, instead of demanding gold or silver for their heads, he demanded a chest of medicine, likely because he and his crew were suffering from syphilis.33 Archaeologists have recovered urethral syringes from the shipwreck of Queen Anne’s Revenge. These syringes were used to inject mercury which was believed to be a cure for syphilis.34 If Blackbeard and/or members of his crew were suffering from syphilis, it makes sense why Blackbeard demanded medical equipment instead of gold or silver. By ensuring his crew was getting the medical attention

they needed Blackbeard was safeguarding his career as a pirate. Without a crew, Blackbeard would have never been able to be as feared as he was within the Atlantic world.

Shortly after blocking the port of Charleston, the Queen Anne’s Revenge was officially retired when “Capture of Blackbeard,” (1920), by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, Wikimedia Commons. she ran aground off the coast of North Carolina and was abandoned by Blackbeard.35 In North Carolina in November of 1718 shortly after Queen Anne’s Revenge was laid to rest, Blackbeard was caught in a battle that led to his death.36 Lieutenant Maynard detailed the capture and Blackbeard’s death: “We kill’d 12, besides Blackbeard, who fell with five Shot in him, and 20 dismal Cuts in several Parts of his Body. I took nine Prisoners, mostly Negroes, all wounded. I have cut Blackbeard’s Head off, which I have put on my Bowsprit, in order to carry it to Virginia.”37 Within an issue of The London Gazette in 1719 Blackbeard’s death was written about in detail because he was so legendary throughout the Atlantic world.38

Instances of Blackbeard’s legacy is evident in the imagery that surrounds the characters of pirates. For example, a large part of Blackbeard’s legacy was his terrifying and intimidating physical appearance. One Captain that came up against Blackbeard described him as:

frightful Meteor, covered his whole Face and frightened America more than any Comet that has appeared there in a long time. This Beard was black, which he suffered to grow of an extravagant Length; as to Breadth, it came up to his Eyes; he was accustomed to twist it with Ribbons, in small Tails... and then turn them about his Ears: three Brace of Pistols, hanging in Holsters like Bandoliers; and stuck lighted Matches under his Hat, which appearing on each Side of his Face, his Eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, made him altogether such a Figure, that Imagination cannot form an Idea of a Fury, from Hell, to look more frightful.39

This frightful appearance has stuck within the media today, and even transferred into other characters. Common fictional pirates seen in movies feature men who look like Blackbeard. Consider Captain Jack Sparrow from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Captain Sparrow mirrors the appearance of Blackbeard in his long hair and beard that have been transformed into dreadlocks resembling tails and the classic hat with guns at his side.

Although Blackbeard was taken down, his legacy lives on. It is evident that Blackbeard and his crew aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge made quite the impression on the Atlantic world and trade. It is no wonder then why mainstream culture’s ideas of pirate characters continues to be built upon the character of Blackbeard.

George S. Harris & Sons, “Anne Bonny, Firing Upon the Crew, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes,” (1888) Wikimedia Commons.

The Fiercest Female Pirate: Anne Bonny

ENDNOTES

When the image of a pirate comes to mind it is often a garish fellow with an eyepatch, wooden leg, and pet parrot on the shoulder. For many, it is rare that the character that comes to mind is a female figure. However, just as male pirates like Blackbeard were able to disrupt the Atlantic world, so, too were female pirates. Perhaps one of the most notorious female pirates within the Atlantic world was Anne Bonny. As a pirate, Bonny made a name for herself within a culture where women were considered inferior and expected to be bound to the home. She pursued a life of piracy, rarely masking her gender as male, and rose to be one of the greatest female pirates in history.

Anne Bonny was born in Ireland circa 1698 as the illegitimate child of Irish lawyer William Cormac, and one of his housemaids, Mary Brenan.1 After learning of Cormac’s infidelity his wife separated from him and he assumed custody of Bonny.2 Bonny was sent to live with her mother however Cormac became so fond of her that he arranged for her to come live with him. To avoid scandal, Cormac dressed Bonny as a boy and called her “Andy” pretending she was training with him to be a clerk as justification for this child living with him.3 News soon got out about who “Andy” really was (an illegitimate child) and Cormac’s reputation became so tarnished that the three of them were forced to relocate across the Atlantic.4 Settling in Charleston, South Carolina, the three lived together until Bonny’s mother died of typhoid fever when she was thirteen.5

During her teen years, Bonny was rebellious and well known within community. Documented in 1724 volume A General History of Pyrates, Bonny was said to be a promiscuous young lady who was known for frequenting the town’s taverns, sleeping with local sailors and drunks.6 She was also known for having quite the temper. For example, A General History of Pyrates documents Bonny brutally attacking a man who tried to sexually assault her which

resulted in hospitalization.7 Bonny also allegedly killed one of her servant girls with a knife simply because the girl and Bonny got into an argument.8

As a last desperate attempt to “fix” Bonny’s reputation, Cormac who was now a successful plantation owner, tried to betroth her to a local man when she was sixteen but she resisted.9 The damage her reputation was bringing to his business prompted her father to disown her.10 According to one source, this prompted Bonny to burn down his plantation although historians disagree whether this is true or not.11

Contrary to what her father wanted, Bonny married an informant for the governor of the Bahamas and the two set off for New Providence.12 Bonny quickly lost interest in her marriage, and became involved with pirate John Rackham also known as “Calico Jack.”13 Bonny and Calico Jack ran off with each other and joined the sloop William from Naus Habour, and along with a dozen crewmates started to pirate merchant vessels along the coast of Jamaica.14 As a pirate Bonny became ruthless, voyaging the high seas as an enemy of Britain. One could argue that Bonny was truly herself at sea, seeing how she adapted to pirate culture seamlessly. According to the book Villains of All Nations, Bonny was just as good a pirate as her male counterparts, spitting and cursing as a good sailor did.15 Bonny’s

“Ann Bonny and Mary Read,” by Benjamin Cole (1724), Wikimedia Commons.

bravery was remarkable seen by her leadership in battles, and willingness to fight alongside men. A detail that makes Bonny stand out from other female pirates is that she did not conceal her identity as a woman, except when she went into raids or battles with other

vessels.16 Females openly presenting as women was highly unusual since pirates considered it very unlucky to have them on board a ship.17 As one historian states in his assessment of Bonny and fellow female pirate, Mary Read: “[they] carried their bold imposture into the always rough, sometimes brutal world of maritime labor…they were nonetheless direct challenges to customary maritime practice, which forbade women to work as seamen aboard deep-sea vessels of any kind.”18 Bonny was able to remain true to her identity as a female aboard ships because of her courageous, confident predisposition and the way she advocated for herself. These traits were primarily seen as male virtues that could not be possessed by a woman.19

Tales of her bravery and violence from her youth were well known aboard the William; this led the crew to know that Bonny was not to be meddled with.20 Bonny proved this on board as well. For example, not all were fond of Bonny’s female presence around the ship. One of her fellow crewmates voiced his opinions against Bonny, however, this had deadly consequences for him.21 Bonny challenged the pirate in hand-to-hand combat, and then she stabbed him in the heart and threw him overboard.22 Onwards from this incident, Bonny was accepted onboard the William. 23 It was this spunky, zesty, and brave personality that allowed Bonny success as a pirate, eventually leading to her legendary status.

Aboard ships, Bonny performed physical tasks that were considered men’s work. Historian Marcus Rediker explains how Bonny was willing to perform many tasks on board, she primarily worked as a “powder monkey” handing gunpowder to her fellow crew in battle.24 Bonny became well respected among the crew and she started to lead raids against other ships herself. An example of this is against one schooner, where she shot at the crew as they climbed aboard, cursing as she gathered her plunder: tackle, fifty rolls of tobacco and nine bags of pimento.25 Bonny then held their captives for two days before releasing them.26 Bonny never let the fact that she was a woman get in the way of the life at sea she wanted for herself.

Perhaps the largest example of Bonny’s skill of piracy is when she stole a ship (The Royal Queen) that belonged to Chidley Bayard, one of the richest men in the Bahamas.27 Bonny was able to use her intelligence to trick the captain her aboard for a romantic liaison.28 Her conditions for coming on board were that his crew was to remain below deck so as to not compromise her reputation as a “proper lady.”29 Bonny then laced a drink with sleeping powder and fed it to the captain. Once he fell asleep, Bonny explored the ship freely (since the crew was below deck) and dismantled the ship firing cannons.30 When the captain awoke, he found Bonny gone, and thinking nothing of it left the harbor. A few hours later, his ship was attacked by Bonny’s ship and crew but because of the dismantling of cannons done by Bonny, the Royal Queen had to surrender.31 This act of plunder proves how Bonny was a notorious pirate within the Atlantic world. By using her womanhood as a weapon along with intelligence, strategy, and piracy skill she was able to bring down a ship, which is no easy feat for any pirate.

Although Bonny was not a woman to be underestimated on the high seas, her success at sea was short-lived. Not without putting up a fight, Bonny was captured by a governor’s ship, and she was transported to stand trial at the Admiralty Court in St. Jago de la Vega, Jamaica.32 Bonny was found guilty of piracy and sentenced to hang.33 However, at the time of

“Female Pirate Anne Bonny,” Engraving, 17011800, Wikimedia Commons.

the trial she was pregnant, which allowed her to escape this fate.34 Bonny never returned to a life of piracy but gave birth, remarried, and lived out the rest of her life in Charleston.35

While the length of her time at sea was short, Bonny’s legacy is long. The historian Marcus Rediker explains Bonny’s impact effectively when he states: “Even though Bonny and Read did not transform the popular conception of gender, even though they apparently did not see their own exploits as a symbolic blow for rights and equality for all women, their very lives and subsequent popularity nonetheless undercut the gender stereotypes of their time and offered a powerful alternative image of womanhood for the future.”36 Instead of hiding her identity, Bonny was able to be a feared pirate who exceeded her male counterparts. Despite experiencing adversities throughout her childhood and the limitations of a female during the Atlantic age, she was still able to pursue a life destined for a man. Bonny was then a notorious female pirate, who roamed the high seas being truly authentic.

Adriana J. Loewen (she/her)

Education major, Special education minor, Social studies concentration