Charles Vane

"So, this is the new Libertalia, eh? Stinks the same as every other squat I've robbed this past year."

- Charles Vane upon arriving in Nassau, 1717.

Charles Van​e (c. 1680 – 1721) was an English pirate captain who sailed the West Indies on his brigantine, the Ranger. He made a name for himself by targeting English, Spanish and French industry ships from 1716 until 1719, and was notorious for his harsh treatment of merchant seafarers and soldiers alike.

Early life
Like his compatriots Benjamin Hornigold, Edward Thatch and Edward Kenway, Vane worked as a privateer under the British crown. As late as 1715 he operated under the command of privateer, who was most notable for attacking Spanish ships salvaging cargo from the Spanish Treasure Fleet shipwreck site. However, with the Treaty of Utrecht making the life of a privateer unsustainable, Vane sailed for Nassau in 1716.

At some point in late 1715, Vane's Ranger launched a preemptive attack on El Arca del Maestro, a Spanish galleon captained by the French buccaneer Julien du Casse. However, the Ranger was no match for the galleon, and was forced to retreat.

Joining the Pirate Republic
After arriving in Nassau in 1717, where he and Jack Rackham informed Edward Kenway of a large prize in a nearby fort, Vane became a leading member of Nassau's pirate community.

He was present when Woodes Rogers arrived in Nassau to offer its residents the King's pardon, absolving them of their crimes if they chose to give up piracy. Unlike Benjamin Hornigold, Vane was not keen on accepting the pardon, and worked with Kenway to orchestrate an escape from the barricaded Nassau. Together, they planned to build a fireship with gunpowder to clear the blockade.

While Kenway stole the gunpowder from the British, Vane managed to secure the pine pitch. However, they overheard that Commodore Peter Chamberlaine intended to disregard Roger's orders and destroy all pirate ships in Nassau's harbors. In order to ensure the success of their plan, Vane suggested that Kenway deal with Chamberlaine.

After Chamberlaine was assassinated, Vane met up with Edward to load the gunpowder aboard Rackham's ship, the Royal Phoenix. Before they left, Vane violently berated Rackham for smoking a pipe near the gunpowder. The fireship proved to be successful, destroying the ships blockading one of Nassau's harbors, allowing the Jackdaw and the Ranger to escape.

Mutiny and marooning
"It were your bloody imagination that landed us here, Kenway! I'll be damned if I let that mind make one more decision for me!"

- Charles Vane, while threatening Edward Kenway, 1719.

When Edward Thatch announced his retirement from piracy, Vane sailed to North Carolina in a bid to dissuade him, and convince Thatch to help take back Nassau. However, his efforts were in vain and he departed, empty-handed and cursing Thatch.

After Thatch's death at the hands of the British, Vane decided to help Kenway find the Observatory. The pair tailed the Royal African Pearl, a slave ship belonging to the Royal African Company, in the hopes of finding information on the Sage Bartholomew Roberts. However, the Ranger was demasted and left adrift.



Following the Royal African Pearl's eventual capture, Rackham and the surviving crew mutinied against Vane and Kenway, commandeering the Jackdaw and marooning both of them on Isla Providencia. During their time on the island, Vane's behavior became increasingly erratic; he took to hiding in the jungle, emerging only to steal food that Kenway had gathered.

Growing frustrated with Vane's actions, Kenway pursued the man, and Vane fiercely retaliated with an arsenal of recovered weaponry. Despite this, Edward managed to neutralize Vane – but spared him – abandoning the man on the island while he escaped by commandeering a passing fisherman's schooner.

Imprisonment
Eventually, a British ship arrived, but its captain recognized Vane and refused to save him. Several weeks later, another British arrived and Vane was allowed aboard, as no one recognized him. But in a cruel twist of fate, the captain of the first ship happened to aboard, spotted him after only a few days at sea, and pointed him out to the captain. Vane was arrested on the spot and taken to Port Royal, where he remained for the next two years.

Kenway, who was also captured due to Bartholomew Roberts' treachery, managed to escape his gibbet and found the delirious Vane in his cell. Knowing that Vane's state of mind was beyond repair, Kenway left him behind, lamenting how he wished the pair could have parted as friends.

Shortly after Edward's escape, Vane was hanged for piracy on 29 March 1721. His body was later left on display in a gibbet outside the harbor as a warning to other pirates.

Trivia

 * Vane's death is historically anachronistic, as Mary dies before Vane, but in reality, Vane was executed in March 1721 while Mary died in April 1721.
 * "Down Among the Dead Men", a sea shanty that Vane sings on Isla Providencia, is popularly attributed to the English poet . However, this too is anachonistic, as Dyer only began writing poetry - much of which was later adapted into song - in 1721, well after Vane's marooning on the island.

Reference

 * Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag