The Republic Of Pirates

Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down

Colin Woodard

• Publisher: Mariner Books
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN:
  9780156034623
• eBook ISBN:
  9780547415758
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Biographies
• Index: History

An entrancing tale of piracy colored with gold, treachery and double-dealing (Portland Press Herald), Pulitzer Prize-finalist Colin Woodward's The Republic of Pirates is the historical biography of the exploits of infamous Caribbean buccaneers.

In the early eighteenth century, the Pirate Republic was home to some of the great pirate captains, including Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, "Black Sam" Bellamy, and Charles Vane. Along with their fellow pirates — former sailors, indentured servants, and runaway slaves — this "Flying Gang" established a crude but distinctive democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which servants were free, blacks could be equal citizens, and leaders were chosen or deposed by a vote.

They cut off trade routes, sacked slave ships, and severed Europe from its New World empires. For a brief, glorious period the Republic was a success as the pirates became heroes in the eyes of the people.

Drawing on extensive research in the archives of Britain and the Americas, award-winning author Colin Woodard tells the dramatic untold story of the Pirate Republic that shook the very foundations of the British and Spanish Empires and fanned the democratic sentiments that would one day drive the American revolution.

Index

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Abaco, as refuge from pirates, 160

Act of Grace. See Proclamation for Suppressing of Pirates (1717)

Adams, Henry, 11–13, 24

Addison, Joseph, supports Rogers, 164–65, 167–68

Adventure (frigate), 143, 240

Adventure (merchant sloop), captured by pirates, 242, 255

Adventure (pirate sloop), 140, 144–45, 162–63, 278, 280, 287, 291–97

Agnes (merchantman), captured by pirates, 175–76

Allamby, Mary, 198

Ann Galley (snow)

captured by pirates, 175–76, 180–81, 183

survives storm, 186, 191–92, 196

Ann (sloop), 250

Anstis, Thomas, 322

Arlington, Allen, 293

Arot, Louis, 213

Ashworth, Capt. Leigh, 123, 127, 136–38, 142

accepts king’s pardon, 229, 236, 250

officially declared a pirate, 143

privateer against Spain, 314–15

Augur, John, 302

Avery, Henry, 30, 35, 39, 44, 119, 136–37, 271

acquainted with Dampier, 46–47

bribes Gov. Trott, 12–14, 23–24, 98, 258, 300

as “Capt. Bridgeman,” 12–14, 24

captures Mocha treasure ship, 20–23

disappears, 25, 27, 28

leads mutiny, 16–18

legends of, 26–27, 46–47

naval career, 14–15

as “pirate king,” 8–9, 26, 116, 158, 165, 322

privateering career, 15–16, 80

treatment of non-Europeans, 19, 23

turns to piracy, 18–20

Ayala Escobar, Capt., 124

B

Bahamas. See also Abaco, Eleutera, Nassau, New Providence Island

British government ignores, 312–13

French and Spanish threaten, 88, 97

lords proprietor support Rogers, 166–68

as pirate refuge, 1, 3, 87–88, 97, 112, 143, 157, 158, 165, 230

Rogers appointed governor, 167–68, 235, 246, 259, 267, 299

Rogers’s expedition to suppress piracy in (1718), 16...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Map
• The Golden Age of Piracy
• The Legend
• Going to Sea
• War
• Peace
• Pirates Gather
• Brethren of the Coast
• Bellamy
• Blackbeard
• Begging Pardon
• Brinksmanship
• Hunted
• Piracy’s End
• Acknowledgments
• Endnotes
• Index
• About the Author
• Connect with HMH
• Footnotes