Pirate Republic: Background Guide
Date of Publication
1-1-2023 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Political Stability
Keywords
Pirate republic, trade, pirate feuds, bloc positions, political stability
Description
The first significant pirate attack of this era occurred in 1715, when a group of pirates led by Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings raided ships recovering gold from a sunken Spanish galleon. These pirates were banned from spending this gold at their home island of British Jamaica because it was stolen, so they sought to establish their own society by settling the abandoned island of Nassau and building the city of New Providence, where they declared themselves governors.6 The native population of the island had been wiped out by disease and the Spanish slave trade, and the island’s shallow bay allowed the pirates to keep their smaller sloops without the risk of large British man-of-wars coming to put an end to their crimes.7 The pirates only looted Spanish ships at first, and other pirates, merchants, and prostitutes came to the island to enjoy the treasures obtained in these raids.8 Eventually, the town grew so large and powerful that pirates began giving themselves mock titles like Magistrate and Commodore. These pirates formed their Republic on Nassau without much interference from the British, who used their presence as a measure of security from the French and Spanish Navy.
Pirate Republic: Background Guide
The first significant pirate attack of this era occurred in 1715, when a group of pirates led by Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings raided ships recovering gold from a sunken Spanish galleon. These pirates were banned from spending this gold at their home island of British Jamaica because it was stolen, so they sought to establish their own society by settling the abandoned island of Nassau and building the city of New Providence, where they declared themselves governors.6 The native population of the island had been wiped out by disease and the Spanish slave trade, and the island’s shallow bay allowed the pirates to keep their smaller sloops without the risk of large British man-of-wars coming to put an end to their crimes.7 The pirates only looted Spanish ships at first, and other pirates, merchants, and prostitutes came to the island to enjoy the treasures obtained in these raids.8 Eventually, the town grew so large and powerful that pirates began giving themselves mock titles like Magistrate and Commodore. These pirates formed their Republic on Nassau without much interference from the British, who used their presence as a measure of security from the French and Spanish Navy.
