The Jacobite cause came into being after The Glorious Revolution of 1688. The reigning monarch, James II of England and VII of Scotland, was extremely unpopular due to a combination of being Catholic and harbouring absolutist ambitions. Fear of Catholicism, which was the religion of the traditional enemies France and Spain, and James II’s tendency towards absolutism pushed several Protestant nobles to invite Mary, the eldest daughter of James II, and her husband, James’s nephew William of Orange, to take the crown. When William invaded England mass defections and little resistance to William’s cause forced James II and his wife to flee to France, where they became guests of his cousin Louis XIV. In March 1689, James attempted to reclaim his throne by landing in Ireland with 6000 troops, but was soundly defeated at the Battle of the Boyne in July of that year, forcing him to flee back to France where he died in 1701.…
Quartermaster Savage
This website serves two purposes. Firstly, it presents the historical background to the Pyrate Chronicles book series. Secondly, it provides detailed information on the Golden Age of Piracy in general. The Pyrate Chronicles book series tells the story of a group of pirates who find themselves on a desperate journey to return to familiar lands after inadvertently sailing into a mysterious mist. It is pirate fanstasy set to a historical background. This website is a work in progress, constantly being added to.
The pirate surgeon
The ship’s surgeon was one of the most indispensable members of crew and was normally held in high esteem by them. They were always present on warships, but only occasionally on merchant vessels. Someone with medical knowledge was extremely valuable, as a ship was a dangerous place to live and work on. In the early 1700s there was a scarcity of physicians, so surgeons and apothecaries were essential. On board a ship, as well as serious accidents there were also mundane ailments to deal with such as rashes caused by constantly wet clothes, sunburn, and toothache, and common minor injuries like cuts, bruises and sores inflicted by daily work, which were usually treated by applying plasters. Also the crew needed a regular cutting of their hair, shaving, and the trimming of their beards with scissors and razors, which was also the responsibility of the surgeon. These men were often referred to as barber surgeons in society.…
Ned Lowe
Presuming all the tales of his exploits are true, Edward Lowe, also Low or Loe, was probably the most cruel and bloodthirsty pirate of the Golden Age, possibly second only to François l’Olonnais. He is reported to have been prone to violence from an early age. The legend of his savagery spread far and wide. With a fearsome reputation and a small fleet of ships, Lowe and his crew captured at least a hundred ships during his short career, burning most of them.
Early life
According to Charles Johnson’s A General History of the Pyrates, Edward Lowe was born in 1690 in Westminster, London. He was born into poverty and was active as a petty criminal like the rest of his family from an early age. His brother Richard was hanged for burglary in 1707 when Ned was only 17. He fled to Boston, Massachusetts in circa 1710 where he continued his life of crime.…
Pirates of The West Country
Pirates of the West Country by E. T. Fox
Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers
Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers are a wild band of Nashville musicians who dress like pirates and play a rollicking mix of piratical sing-alongs, rousing historical rave-ups, afro-cuban tinged ballads, Cajun sea shanties, and bluesy Irish jigs, transforming big festivals, performing arts centers, and urban nightclubs into bustling seaside taverns at the turn of the seventeenth century.
Sadly Tom Mason passed away in August 2024.