Stede Bonnet is sometimes referred to as ‘The Gentleman Pirate’. Historically, he has often been viewed as more of a comical or tragic figure, who wasn’t always taken seriously. This image was probably fuelled by his inexperience in matters of seamanship. He was a descendant of Oliver Cromwell and a distant relative of Woodes Rogers. Born on Barbados in about 1688 and his parents, Edward and Sarah Bonnet, owned an estate of over 400 acres south-east of Bridgetown, which he inherited in 1694. He was well-educated and gained the rank of major in the Barbadian militia, although there is no record he was ever involved in any combat. He was made a justice of the peace a year before he turned to piracy. He married Mary Allamby in November 1709 and had three sons and a daughter with her. It has been speculated that he suffered from depression or some other sort of mental disorder, possibly caused by the death of his eldest son in 1715.…
Lost Spanish treasure fleet 1715
On 31st July 1715 a Spanish treasure fleet sank during a hurricane off the east coast of Florida. It was a catastrophe for the Spanish Crown, which was heavily relying on its cargo. The galleons were fully loaded with precious cargoes of gold, silver, jewellery, tobacco, spices, indigo, cochineal etc. The Spanish government was relying its the safe arrival, as the War of Spanish Succession, which had hindered the sailing of the treasure fleets, had just come to an end. For obvious reasons, this disaster awoke the interest of pirates, privateers, and honest seamen alike.
The Spanish treasure fleets
Treasure fleets consisting of a dozen or more ships used to sail from Cádiz or Seville in Spain, bringing European goods not readily available in the New World to the colonies with the aim of returning with gold, silver and other goods from Peru and Colombia, as well as spices and other items from south east Asia, brought across the Pacific by the Manila Galleon, which was then transported by mule train across the isthmus of Panama.…
Francis Drake
The explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake was one of the most famous English historical personalities, best known for circumnavigating of the world and playing an important role in defeating the Spanish Armada. To the Spanish he was an infamous pirate known as El Draque (The Dragon in old Spanish), but to the English he was a national hero. He was born in about 1540 in Tavistock near Plymouth, Devon, but grew up in Kent. He was the oldest of twelve boys and his father, Edmund Drake, was a preacher. At the age of twelve Drake became an apprentice to the master of a small freight vessel, which he later inherited. Not satisfied with the life of a coastal trader, he sold the vessel and returned to Plymouth, where he had contacts – John and William Hawkins, who were possibly his cousins. He sought employment on their voyages. Drake married Mary Newman in 1569, but not much is known about her.…