The Golden Age of Piracy was an extended period of time lasting from the 1650s to the 1730s, characterized by the excessive outbursts of piracy that occurred throughout several regions around the world, most notably in the Caribbean.
History[]
West Indies[]
Although there had been two previous proclaimed "Golden Ages", the third and final one ranged from 1715 to the mid-1730s, and saw the rise of several infamous pirates, including Edward Thatch, better known as "Blackbeard",[1] and Bartholomew Roberts, known after his death as "Black Bart".[2]
The third Golden Age is considered to have started in 1715, with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht between the British and Spanish empires, ending the War of the Spanish Succession. This rendered hundreds of privateers on either side obsolete and unemployed. Looking for a means to survive, many of the former privateers turned to piracy to support themselves. Edward Kenway, Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, and Jack Rackham were among those who converted to lawlessness.[3][4][5][6]
With shipping lanes established throughout the West Indies, several European powers had colonized islands and coastlines in the area, and began transporting new-found goods and treasures from their holdings back to Europe—prime targets for the new bands of roving criminals. Most pirates profited from looting these Europe-bound ships, usually filled with precious gold and silver or the region's profitable crops, such as sugar and cocoa.[7]
Although the navies of several empires patrolled the waters for pirates, the criminals still managed to plunder countless ships, plantations, and warehouses, as well as the wrecks of ships lost in storms and battles.[7] The loss of a Spanish fleet loaded with treasure is believed to be one of the events that helped to instigate the last Golden Age.[8][9]
Notably, the pirates who were active during this Golden Age were able to establish their own short-lived democracy in Nassau, operating without the interference of any European power.[10][11] However, the fledgling Republic of Pirates was disbanded in 1718 by Governor Woodes Rogers of the Bahamas, who was even able to convince three hundred pirates to accept a royal pardon.[12][13] Some of these pirates returned to service under the crown as pirate hunters, devoted to tracking down and eliminating their former allies.[14][15]
Southeast Asia[]
- "Some may say the age of pirates has long passed! That we free spirits are a dying breed, and soon, the sea as we knew her will be no more, choked by the greed of self-serving kings and grasping empires! But I promise you this! That day may well come, but by God, it won't be today!"
- ―Edward Kenway's speech to his fellow pirates, 1725.[src]-[m]
Mustafa's crew plundering a merchant ship
The Golden Age also manifested in the South China Sea, which saw an increased pirate presence during this period. The Strait of Malacca was a particularly major spot of pirate activity, and a number of captains made a name for themselves by plundering ships in the region; Mustafa was one such pirate who came to be known as the "Terror of Malacca".[16]
The Paracel Islands were also rife with pirate activity, so much that a large crew turned the islands into their personal base of operations, from where they would plunder countless European ships. Jan van Aert, the Chief Navigator of the Dutch East India Company, believed these pirates to be privateers employed by the Qing Empire and as such the Dutch Navy was reluctant to take action against them. To solve the problem, Jan enlisted the services of Edward Kenway and his organization, the Zhang Wei Union, to rid the Paracels of pirates,[17] which they ultimately succeeded in doing.[18]
Merchants and businessmen in the region were known to sometimes hire pirates to sabotage their rivals by attacking their ships. Sun, the head of the Hualien Trading Company in Macau, often enlisted the services of Japanese pirates to attack the merchant vessels of his rival Madam Lee, until 1725, when he employed Mustafa and his crew. However, Mustafa failed to plunder the ships as his crew was defeated by Edward Kenway, and the captain himself was taken prisoner by the Assassin.[19] Mustafa and his crew would later retire from piracy by joining the Zhang Wei Union.[16]
Edward Kenway rallying Batavia's pirates
Jeong was another infamous pirate active in the South China Sea,[20] who was recruited by Madam Lee to serve as the admiral of her personal fleet.[21] Nagamasa and his crew of Japanese pirates and mercenaries were active around the Philippines and were briefly employed by the Shimazu clan,[22] before defecting to the Zhang Wei Union.[23]
Batavia, the capital of the Dutch East Indies, was known to host a large number of pirates and privateers, whose services were occasionally employed by the Dutch East India Company.[24] In 1725, these pirates were recruited by Edward Kenway and joined the Zhang Wei Union's fleet, accompanying it to Indochina.[25] There, they successfully defeated both the East India Company's and Admiral Jeong's fleets, which had formed a blockade around the peninsula to prevent the Union from reaching the mainland and finding the Forgotten Temple.[26]
Decline[]
As the most notorious pirate captains eventually died out or accepted royal pardons, the last Golden Age finally came to an end in the 1730s, although piracy in general would continue.[7]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag: Blackbeard – The Lost Journal
- Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Assassin's Creed: Pirates
- Assassin's Creed: Rogue (indirect mention only)
- Assassin's Creed: Memories
- Assassin's Creed: Identity – Black Flag Update (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple
References[]
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