Alonzo Batilla

"A pirate knows no rules. He sails where he fancies, plunders as he likes and lives how he sees fit!"

- Alonzo Batilla to Olivier Levasseur, June 1716.

Alonzo Batilla (1690s – unknown) was a French pirate, active in the Caribbean, during the early 18th century. Following his career as a pirate, Alonzo befriended the infamous Frenchman Olivier Levasseur, and after Levasseur's execution by the British, searched for his treasure.

Early life and meeting La Buse
Born in France, Alonzo was a wanted criminal who joined the French Navy under an alias in 1711 in the port of Toulon, in order to escape his pursuers. Serving in the fleet of Admiral Jacques Cassard, Batilla participated in the Battles of and  in the Caribbean. In battle, he distinguished himself by being an expert marksman and the first to board the enemy ships, killing half a dozen British sailors by himself. Not wanting to come back to France, Batilla deserted after the war and recruited four other sailors in order to plunder merchant ships in the Caribbean Sea.

In June 1716, he boldly attacked a merchant schooner captained by a Templar named Barnes. Alonzo's crew was killed and Batilla himself was put in irons, in order to be hanged later as an example for the other pirates. While he was imprisoned aboard Barnes' ship, Batilla discovered another prisoner, an escaped slave named Jumao. While sailing near Devil's Rock, the schooner was attacked by the French pirate, Olivier Levasseur, also known as La Buse. Levasseur recruited Alonzo and Jumao, gave Alonzo the command of a gunboat called the Serpent, and told him to meet him at the Scorpion Reef.

Life as a pirate
After battling a British gunboat, Alonzo went to Scorpion Reef to meet Levasseur. There, Alonzo asked him for a bigger ship, feeling disappointed with his own vessel's size. Levasseur agreed and led Alonzo past a British brig, and told him to sink two gunboats and take the schooner, The Wanderer as his own.

Feeling happy with a new ship, Alonzo decided to attack the brig he avoided earlier, though Levasseur advised him not to, warning him about Benjamin Hornigold's rules, but Alonzo ignored him and attacked the ship regardless. After sinking the brig, Levasseur informed Alonzo that the path he chose would lead to pain and misery, and that it was the end of their partnership. Alonzo argued that they both should sail together, and claim the greatest prizes. Levasseur refused however, and left afterward. A discouraged Alonzo began to chase after Levasseur and soon caught up with him. There, Levasseur told Alonzo to meet him near the west of, to test Alonzo's wisdom. Soon, Jumao insisted for Alonzo to recruit new crew for the journey, and to get experience in sailing.

In June 1716, under the advice of Jumao, Alonzo decided to stealthily follow a Portuguese merchant ship. Alonzo battled and captured a Royal Navy schooner, the HMS Drake, to avoid suspicion by the merchant. However, Alonzo was confronted by the pirate hunter, Alvaro, who was paid to capture Jumao, but Alonzo fought the hunter to protect his friend. Unable to damage Alvaro's frigate, Alonzo and his crew successfully fled the scene.

Working with Samuel Bellamy
With an improved ship and crew, Alonzo met Levasseur in Bahía de Guadiana. After a brief conversation about Hornigold and the Royal Navy, they both sailed to the pirate cove. Near the hideout, the pirates discovered three British brigs, which Alonzo sunk one by one. After the battle and avoiding naval mines, he met up with Levasseur in the pirate hideout.

Alonzo and Levasseur went to the pirate assembly, and found Benjamin Hornigold and Samuel Bellamy arguing about Hornigold's code. They decided to put it to a vote, and the pirates voted for Bellamy as the captain, deposing Hornigold. Bellamy then asked for a pirate who could dispose of Hornigold, and Alonzo took this opportunity, and stealthily dropped him off at an island. Hornigold told Alonzo that he was smarter than the other pirates, and he should leave the job if he'd get the chance to. Alonzo declined, with plans of earning a fortune still in his mind. He asked Hornigold what he would do, since he was alone, to which Hornigold simply replied that he had friends in Nassau, and invited Alonzo to come there one day.

At night, Levasseur informed Alonzo that Bellamy was making new plans to earn money. Alonzo claimed that he deserved a share, and rushed off to meet Bellamy, countering winds and avoiding enemy schooners. He eventually met Bellamy, and he agreed to give Alonzo a share of profits. Bellamy told Alonzo about a ship in the north which carried a special cargo, which Alonzo thought to be gold or gems, but Bellamy told him that it was a slave ship. Disappointed, Alonzo told Bellamy that there was no profit in trafficking human cargo, but Bellamy insisted to attack the slave ship regardless. Alonzo agreed to attack the ship, but Jumao warned him not to sink it. As the ship was incapacitated, slaves took the opportunity to escape from it, and were saved by Alonzo, on Jumao's suggestion. Subsequently, Alonzo met with Bellamy, and let the slaves go free. Under Bellamy's advice, Alonzo hired Aaminah, a female slave, into his crew. Bellamy also told Alonzo that pirates were not mere outlaws, but also freedom fighters.

In August 1716, while sailing near Isla de la Juventud, Aaminah told Alonzo that she was detained as a slave in a fort on the island, before being transported to Kingston. Thrilled by the opportunity to plunder a fort, Alonzo decided to see it for himself. Seeing many warships guarding a passage to the fort itself, Alonzo figured something important was stored inside. Approaching the fort, Alonzo encountered a Man O' War and two schooners. While the schooners were destroyed, Alonzo failed to sink the Man O' War, which was captained by Alvaro. He congratulated Alonzo on his accomplishment and departed, saying that they would meet again. As Alonzo liberated the fort and freed the slaves held inside, he considered taking up the cause of ending the slave trade, but Aaminah warned him that more forts would be built soon, and it would be difficult to permanently eliminate slavery.

After three months, Alonzo met with Levasseur and Bellamy in order to attack the Spanish Treasure Fleet. However, the fleet split up when the pirates were noticed. After sinking a pair of schooners which escorted a galleon, the pirates boarded it, only for Bellamy to tell Alonzo and Levasseur that the ship was a decoy, and the treasure was held aboard another galleon. This made Alonzo and Levasseur skeptical, thinking that Bellamy was not after gold. Alonzo caught up with the second galleon afterward, and destroyed its escort ships.

Before the pirates could board the galleon however, they were attacked by Francis Hume and the Royal Navy. Angered by the interference, Alonzo battled Hume, but his ship was able to withstand the attack. After some time, Levasseur appeared and engaged Hume's frigate, giving Alonzo the perfect chance to escape, and was followed soon by Levasseur. The pair decided to retaliate against the Royal Navy by plundering a British fort. After capturing it, Levasseur decided that he has earned enough money from plunder, and decided to settle in a remote place and live freely, while also commenting that gold is more valuable than friendship.

Killing Alvaro and search for the Whydah
The following month, Jumao suggested to hunt a white whale in the Arctic Sea. While searching for a whale to hunt, Alonzo was once again attacked by Alvaro and his fleet. However, Alonzo managed to sink the fleet, and kill Alvaro in the process.

In January of 1717 Alonzo met up with Bellamy, angry that he left him during the previous engagement with the Spanish Treasure Fleet. Bellamy apologized, and told Alonzo that his prize was not aboard the Treasure Fleet, and that their target was Laurens Prins, a wealthy slave trader. Alonzo agreed to find a merchant in Havana who knew the whereabouts of Prins and his ship, the Whydah. Alonzo and his crew sailed to Havana, Cuba. However, a large fleet of Spanish warships were blocking the port, and engaged Alonzo's ship. After the battle, the pirate managed to find another path into Havana's harbor, which was blocked by naval mines, however. Alonzo made it past the mines and Spanish ships, before finally reaching Havana's port.

Alonzo used his spyglass to locate the merchant he was looking for, Captain Barnes. Alonzo met the man who had captured him a few years ago, and forced Barnes to give him information about Prins. After sparing Barnes' life, Alonzo noticed Francis Hume's ship sailing away from Havana. Following it, Alonzo witnessed the frigate pulling alongside a Spanish ship, and eavesdropped on a conversation between Hume and Laureano de Torres y Ayala. Learning that the Templars had sent brigs to attack Bellamy, after he caught their attention after the attack on the Treasure Fleet, Alonzo went off to warn Bellamy, rescuing him from the Templar ships. Unknowingly to Alonzo, he was followed by Hume and engaged him in battle, sparing Francis in the end. After the battle, Alonzo and Bellamy joined forces in order to capture the Whydah.

Acquiring the Fragment of Eden
In the following month, Alonzo and Bellamy were tailing their target, when they came across Levasseur being attack by the Royal Navy. While Bellamy was keen on capturing the Whydah, Alonzo was ready to help his friend. He engaged and destroyed the lighthouse, which enabled Levasseur to sail to safety. As an act of gratitude, Levasseur decided to join with Batilla and Bellamy. The duo soon caught up with Bellamy. Under Alonzo's advice, the pirates decided to ambush the Whydah. When Prins saw Alonzo's ship, he sailed the Whydah right into the pirates' trap. Instead of waiting for his allies, Alonzo engaged in combat with the Whydah, wounding it significantly before Prins surrendered.

Bellamy's pirates' ransacked the Whydah after claiming it. After the search, Bellamy revealed the "treasure", the Fragment of Eden to his fellow pirates. When Alonzo understood the artifact's power, he planned to use it to become the king of the seas, but Bellamy disagreed, saying that is what his enemies, the Templar Order would do. Bellamy revealed the existence of the Templars to his fellow pirates and advised them to flee before they attack the pirates again. Since the Whydah was heavily damaged and lost it's firepower, Levassuer and Batilla escorted the damaged ship. As the weather worsened, the pirate convoy was confronted by Francis Hume, who was now the captain of the Royal Navy flagship, the King George. Alonzo engaged the Man O' War, while Levasseur shielded him. The King George' managed to withstand Alonzo and Levassuer's cannons, but was surprised and crippled by a broadside fire from the Queen Anne's Revenge. This allowed Batilla to eliminate the Templar threat. Batilla thanked Edward Thatch for helping his fellow pirates.

As a reward for saving Bellamy's life again, Bellamy entrusted the duty of protecting the Fragment of Eden to Alonzo, saying that the Templars will soon be after him. After Bellamy left, Alonzo was not sure if he could keep it safe from the Templars. Levasseur devised a plan to hide the artifact from the Templars, but he didn't reveal it to Alonzo, instead told him to meet soon.

Time in Nassau
"The right place to settle among brothers... far from the righteous and the corrupt?"

- Alonzo Batilla describing Nassau to Christopher Condent, May 1717

Alonzo soon met up with Levasseur in the Bahamas. Levasseur revealed the perfect location to store the Fragment of Eden would be in the Pirates Republic. Nassau would be safe from the Spanish and the Royal navies, and would be an unlikely place where the Templars would search for. On their way to Nassau, the duo met the infamous pirate, Charles Vane. After a brief conversation with Vane, Batilla and Levasseur raced to the pirate city, in which Alonzo emerged victorious. On the city's shores, the pirates met Christopher Condent, another pirate and secretly a Templar. Through Condent, Alonzo learned that Nassau did not have enough provisions to run, and the only suppliers, Hornigold and Thatch were gone for months. Under Condent's suggestion, Alonzo attacked a Royal Navy convoy full of resources, and gave it to the pirates of Nassau. Alonzo was also tasked to collect fifteen crates of rum from a heavily protected shipwreck site.

When Alonzo reached back to the city, he was informed that Vane decided to take matters into his own hands and left in his brig, the Ranger to attack another merchant convoy. Alonzo quickly saved Vane from two attacking Royal Navy brigs. While Vane was angry, Alonzo thought he did the right thing, since Vane's actions could attract unwanted attention. Back at Nassau, Condent informed that Levasseur had disappeared, and only leaving behind a map.

Alonzo sailed to the map's location, but neither found Levasseur nor the Fragment of Eden. After sometime, Alonzo found another map to La Boca del Diablo.

Search for La Buse
When Alonzo neared La Boca del Diablo, he inquired a fisherwoman if she she saw the Le Postillon sailing by. The woman replied that she'd seen the pirate ship, and also told Alonzo that a Spanish Man o' War was chasing it. Alonzo sailed to each of the spots marked in the map, but found nothing. In the last spot, Alonzo found the wreck of Le Postillon. Jumao noted that the wreck was recent and said that the enemy ship could be nearby. Alonzo used his spyglass and found a frigate nearby. Alonzo rushed to attack the frigate, but he stopped when he realized that it was Edward Thatch's pirate ship. Thatch told Alonzo that Bellamy was killed in a terrible storm. Under Alonzo's suggestion, the pirates went back to inspect Le Postillon's wreck.

There Alonzo found out that Levasseur was attacked by the Templars. After Batilla had made aware the existence of the Templar Order to Thatch, the latter had sailed back to protect Nassau. Before leaving, Thatch told Alonzo to attack and check the fort on the island. After using mortar fire to destroy the heavily guard fort, Alonzo noticed a vessel trying to escape. Batilla chased and boarded the ship. The ship's captain was the one who imprisoned Alonzo a few years ago. Alonzo asked for the Fragment of Eden, but Barnes said that the Templars don't have it and Levasseur used the Pieces of Eden to steal another ship and escape. Barnes then gave La Buse's codex to Alonzo, saying that it was useless.

Alonzo deciphered the codex and found out that Levasseur was sailing to Mayaguana to escape from the Templars.

In December 1717, Alonzo sailed to Mayaguana, hoping to find Levasseur. On his way, he met Hornigold. Hornigold was returning with the news of the Royal Pardon issued by King George I. Alonzo declined the pardon, and informed Hornigold about Levasseur's disappearance. Hornigold replied that he'd help him locate Alonzo, and both began sailing towards Mayaguana. However, Hornigold began to sail faster in the Benjamin, and eventually led Alonzo into a trap of enemy ships and naval mines. Alonzo sunk all ships, escaped the naval mines and soon located Benjamin Hornigold, who was in the middle of a conversation with Barnes and Condent. The merchant said that Levasseur used the relic's power and escaped, which made Hornigold cross. Condent interrupted the conversation, and shot Barnes, saying that he was a "loose end".

After witnessing the murder, Alonzo attacked the Benjamin. There, Alonzo accused Hornigold of being a traitor, to which he replied that he had built Nassau and he can destroy it if he fancies to. Before Alonzo could kill Hornigold, Captain Barnes called out Alonzo. The severely injured captain said that Levasseur could probably be in Harbour Island, an island inhabited by pirates and corrupt merchants.

Legacy
In 2014, Abstergo Entertainment analyzed Alonzo's memories, in order to find the location of Olivier Levasseur's treasures.

Trivia

 * Alonzo is a Spanish variant of the Old German name "Alphonse", the meaning of which is either interpreted as "noble and ready" or "ready for battle".

Reference

 * Assassin's Creed: Pirates