The Flying Gang was an 18th-century group of pirates who established themselves in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas after the destruction of Port Royal in Jamaica.[4] The gang consisted of many famous pirates of the time, and they terrorized and pillaged the Caribbean until the Royal Navy and infighting led to their disestablishment. They achieved great fame and wealth by raiding salvagers attempting to recover gold from the sunken Spanish treasure fleet. They established their own codes and governed themselves independent from any of the colonial powers of the time. Nassau was deemed the Republic of Pirates as it attracted many former privateers looking for work to its shores.
While it was not a republic in a formal sense, it was governed by an informal pirate code, which dictated that the crews of the Republic would vote on the leadership of their ships and treat other pirate crews with civility.[5][1] The activities of the pirates caused havoc with trade and shipping in the West Indies until newly appointed Royal Governor of the Bahama IslandsWoodes Rogers reached Nassau in 1718 and restored British control. Rogers, a former privateer himself, offered clemency to the pirates of the Bahamas, known as the "King's Pardon", an offer many pirates took advantage of. Though a few returned to piracy in the following years, British control of the Bahamas had been secured.
The era of piracy in the Bahamas began in 1696, when the privateer Henry Avery brought his ship, the Fancy, loaded with loot from plundering Indian trade ships into Nassau harbour. Avery bribed the governor Nicholas Trott with gold and silver, and with the Fancy itself, still loaded with 50 tons of elephant tusks and 100 barrels of gunpowder.[2] This established Nassau as a base where pirates could operate safely, although various governors regularly made a show of suppressing piracy.[6] Although the governors were still legally in charge, the pirates became increasingly powerful.[2]
The era of true pirate control occurred when a combined Franco-Spanish fleetattacked Nassau in 1703 and again in 1706; the island was effectively abandoned by many of its settlers and left without any English government presence.[2] Nassau was then taken over by English privateers, who became completely lawless pirates over time, attacking French and Spanish ships. Pirates established themselves in Nassau, and essentially established their own republic with its own governors. By 1713, the War of the Spanish Succession was over, but many British privateers were slow to get the news, or reluctant to accept it, and so slipped into piracy. This led to large numbers of unemployed privateers making their way to New Providence to join the republic and swell its numbers. The republic was dominated by two famous pirates who were bitter rivals – Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings. Despite their rivalries, the pirates formed themselves into the Flying Gang and quickly became infamous for their exploits. The Governor of Bermuda stated that there were over 1,000 pirates in Nassau at that time and that they outnumbered the mere hundred inhabitants in the town.[2]
Pirate Thomas Barrow declared "that he is Governor of Providence and will make it a second Madagascar, and expects 5 or 600 men more from Jamaica sloops to join in the settling of Providence, and to make war on the French and Spaniards, but for the English, they don't intend to meddle with them, unless they are first attack'd by them."[7] The amount of havoc caused by the pirates led to an outcry for their destruction, and finally King George I appointed Woodes Rogers as royal governor of the Bahamas to bring the piracy to an end,[8][9][10][11] and offered a pardon to all pirates who turned themselves in.[12]
News of the King's Pardon was brought first from Bermuda in 1717,[13] then by Captain Vincent Pearse of HMSPhoenix,[14] and received a mixed reception,[13] some of those rejecting the pardon being Jacobites.[15] Pearse made a list of 209 pirates on New Providence – fewer than half the pirates on the island – who stated their intention to take the pardon.[15] Taking full control of Nassau, however, proved difficult for Pearse as many pirates, including Charles Vane, had negative reception of his presence.[16] Although Pearse captured Vane during his early tenure in the Republic, upon release Vane troubled Pearse constantly, even managing to steal a sloop and firing a musket volley at the crew of HMS Phoenix.[17] Pearse later abandoned Nassau by the middle of the year.[16]
List of pirates on New Providence who surrendered to Captain Pearse[18]
Bold names indicate 19 pirates who resumed piracy while Pearse was present.
A more successful attempt occurred in 1718 when the new governor and former privateer, Woodes Rogers, arrived in Nassau with a fleet of several ships, bringing with him the authority to grant the King's Pardon.[5] Among those who accepted was Benjamin Hornigold, and, in a shrewd move, Rogers commissioned Hornigold to hunt down and capture those pirates who refused to surrender and accept the royal pardon. As a former privateer himself, Hornigold was well placed to understand what needed to be done, and he pursued his former comrades with zeal. Although pirates such as Charles Vane and Blackbeard evaded capture, Hornigold did take ten pirates prisoner and on the morning of 12 December 1718, nine of them were executed. This act re-established British control and ended the pirates' republic in the Bahamas. Those pirates who had fled successfully continued their piratical activities elsewhere in the Caribbean in what has become known as the Golden Age of Piracy.[1][5]
The pirates ran their affairs using what was called the pirate code, which was the basis of their claim that their rule of New Providence constituted a kind of republic.[19] According to the code, the pirates ran their ships democratically, sharing plunder equally and selecting and deposing their captains by popular vote.[20] Many of the pirates were privateers out of work since the end of the Queen Anne's War and ex-sailors who had revolted against the conditions on merchant and naval ships.
Members of the republic came from various backgrounds. Africans could be equal members of the crew, and several people of mixed European and African descent became pirate captains. Some of the pirates were also Jacobites, who had become pirates to help restore the recently deposed Stuart line to the throne. A few female pirates like Anne Bonny and Mary Read were also present.[21] A tenant of the pirate code is the instruction that pirates keep their weapons and equipment clean and in working order; a rule that was punishable if not followed.[22][23] There were also rules specific to pistol and sword duelling; an activity that was usually conducted to settle leadership vacancies and disputes.[22]
Famous members
Benjamin Hornigold: A former privateer turned to piracy in the aftermath of the War of the Spanish Succession, seeing great opportunity in the Bahamas to intercept Spanish and French shipping. He was one of the founder of the Flying Gang but faced decreased popularity due to his dislike of attacking British vessels. When in September 1717 King George I issued a proclamation granting royal pardon for all piracies committed, Hornigold, who regularly regarded himself as more a privateer than a pirate, defected and became a pirate hunter under Governor Rogers.[24]
Henry Jennings: The Flying Gang's co-founder, Henry Jennings, started his infamous pirating career after the War of the Spanish Succession and his fearsome reputation developed after one venturous raid in July, 1715, when he and others attacked a Spanish salvage camp full of treasure from the 1715 Treasure Fleet.[25] He became the unofficial governor of Nassau and received a formal pardon from Governor of Bahamas, Woodes Rogers. Henry Jennings was an unusual pirate because he lived to enjoy retirement.[26]
Edward Teach: more famously known as Blackbeard, he may be the most legendary and terrifying pirate from the Golden Age of Piracy. Teach would wear three pistols across his chest and put lit matches under his hat to create a terrifying mist, creating a notorious and fearsome look about him. In November 1717, Teach attacked a French merchant vessel La Concorde off the coast of Saint Vincent. He took the ship for his own and renamed it Queen Anne's Revenge, equipping it with 40 guns.[30]
Charles Vane: a pirate renowned for his sadistic and cruel ways. He ignored the Pirate code and showed little respect for his fellow crew members, despite his wittiness and skillfulness when it came to sailing. He was merciless towards his prisoners, turning to torture and murder when given the opportunity. Yet, Vane was admired for his great navigating and fighting skills. Vane's piracy career was the most lucrative of any pirate, but it was his ego that eventually cost him his life. Vane was hanged on 29 March 1721 and his body was hung at Gun Bay as a warning to others who defied the law.[17]
Stede Bonnet: a plantation owner on Barbados before he became a pirate. He became known as the "Gentleman Pirate". He plundered ships on the east coast of America before meeting up with Blackbeard in Nassau. During his battles he was wounded and could not lead, instead he followed Blackbeard and his crew during many successful raids. He and his crew became legendary during an engagement with the Royal Navy that became known as the Battle of Cape Fear River..[31]
Samuel Bellamy: One of the most successful pirate of the republic who rose to fame after a mutiny to Benjamin Hornigold in 1716. Bellamy earned many names during his time such as "Black Sam", "Prince of Pirates", with his crew being called "Robin Hood's Men". One of his greatest feats was capturing th state-of-the-art slave trade ship, the Whydah Gally.[32]
Olivier Levasseur: Like so many other Pirates, Olivier Levasseur did not want to stop being a pirate after the end of the War of Spanish Succession. He was called the "Buzzard" for his bold attacks and raids. Levasseur had an enormous treasure that is worth an estimated £1 billion. allegedly When he was about to be hanged in 1730, he threw away a cryptogram that he said would lead to his treasure. However, this story did not appear until 1934. Many adventurers and treasure hunters have searched for the treasure, but none have found it.[33]
Edward England: a sailor who was captured by the pirate captain Christopher Winter and forced to join the crew.[34] He took part in Henry Jennings' expedition for the sunken 1715 Treasure Fleet off the coast of Florida, and then began sailing with Charles Vane in 1718. Other prominent pirates accepting the King's Pardon, England and some of his men sailed for Africa. Along his way he spawned the career of Bartholomew Roberts, among others.[35]
The TV series Black Sails is largely based on the history and famous historical pirate inhabitants of Nassau. Several characters' motivations are rooted in the idea of establishing a true "Republic of Pirates" in Nassau.[38]
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