Giles Shelley (born May 1645 (?), died 1710, last name occasionally Shelly) was a pirate trader active between New York and Madagascar.
Giles Shelley (born May 1645 (?), died 1710, last name occasionally Shelly) was a pirate trader active between New York and Madagascar.
Shelley commanded the 4-gun or 6-gun vessel Nassau [lower-alpha 1] on supply runs between New York and the pirate trading posts of Madagascar, including Ile Ste.-Marie. He delivered goods in demand by pirates such as gunpowder and alcohol, returning with slaves as well as merchandise stolen from East India Company ships. Backed by New York merchants such as Stephen Delancey, the voyages were immensely profitable: a pipe of Madeira wine bought for £19 in the American colonies sold for £300 on Madagascar. [2] Despite not engaging in direct piracy of his own, Shelley's trips were not always safe: in 1696 pirates who had come aboard posing as merchants robbed the Nassau. [3]
His best-known voyage took place in early 1698, one that made his backers over £30,000. With Delancey's investment he made the usual trip around Africa to Madagascar and sold his cargo. For the return trip in December he took aboard over fifty pirates who wanted to retire in New England, each of which paid for their passage in captured gold. [4] Many of the pirates had sailed under Dirk Chivers, Robert Culliford, or William Kidd. Among the pirates he carried were Otto Van Tuyl and Paul Swan. [5] Culliford sent a treasure chest back with Shelley along with a letter addressed to the widow of one of his crew, explaining that the gold was her late husband's share of their loot. [6]
After a brief stop at Cayenne to drop off some of the pirates, he sailed back to Cape May in early 1699. Several pirates trying to avoid authorities were put ashore there, while a sloop met the Nassau at sea and took aboard several more who wanted to avoid New York entirely. Shelly beached the Nassau to offload the rest of the pirates and crew and their treasure. [7] Many of the transported pirates were arrested by local authorities; New Jersey Governor Jeremiah Basse personally boarded a sloop to apprehend a group of them, though New York's Governor Bellomont later accused him of having taken bribes to let them go. [4]
While offshore Shelley wrote a letter to Delancey detailing the voyage, a letter which was seized by authorities attempting to arrest the pirates:
Giles Shelley to Mr. Delencie, or, in his absence, Mr. John Barbarie in New York. Cape May, May 27, 1699. At St. Mary's in Madagascar I sold the goods for muslin, calicoes, a ton of elephants' teeth and 2 or 3 cwt. of opium. I took on board 75 passengers: 24 went ashore at Fort Dolphin, where I bought a few negroes and some pigs of tooth and egg. [lower-alpha 2] Most of the passengers design for Virginia and Horekills with Andrew Graverard. I have for their passages about 12,000 pieces of eight and about 3,000 Lyon dollars. I hear there is no man-of-war at New York, and design to come to Sandy Hook. Capt. Burgess arrived at St. Mary's the day I sailed, and sold his goods very well. Signed, Giles Shelley. [8]
Bellomont had Shelley arrested and accused of piracy. Through his lawyer Edward Antill, Shelley was released on bail then cleared of all charges. Shelley went on to become a respected merchant in New York and purchased a number of properties in the state. [9] He was married but had no children, adopting Anthill's son after the elder Antill died. Shelley died in 1710, leaving a great deal of land and money to his adopted son as well as various friends and relatives; his widow died in 1718. [lower-alpha 3] [10]
William Kidd, also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd, was a Scottish privateer. Conflicting accounts exist regarding his early life, but he was likely born in Dundee and later settled in New York City. By 1690, Kidd had become a highly successful privateer, commissioned to protect English interests in North America and the West Indies.
Robert Culliford was a pirate from Cornwall who is best remembered for repeatedly checking the designs of Captain William Kidd.
Captain Samuel Burgess was a member of Captain William Kidd's crew in 1690 when the Blessed William was seized by Robert Culliford and some of the crew, with William May named as captain.
Edward Coates was a colonial American privateer in English service during King William's War and later a pirate operating in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
Adam Baldridge was an English pirate and one of the early founders of the pirate settlements in Madagascar.
Dirk Chivers was a Dutch pirate active in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
James Gilliam, or James Kelly was an English pirate and buccaneer active off the coasts of Spanish South and Central America and later in the Indian Ocean. He sailed under several different pirate captains but is best remembered for his brief association with William Kidd.
The Pirate Round was a sailing route followed by certain, mainly English, pirates, during the late 17th century and early 18th century. The course led from the western Atlantic, parallel to the Cape Route around the southern tip of Africa, stopping at Madagascar, then on to targets such as the coast of Yemen and India. The Pirate Round was briefly used again during the early 1720s. Pirates who followed the route are sometimes referred to as Roundsmen. The Pirate Round was largely co-extensive with the routes of the East India Company ships, of Britain and other nations.
Joseph Bradish (1672–1700) was a pirate best known for a single incident involving a mutiny.
Quedagh Merchant, also known as the Cara Merchant and the Adventure Prize, was an Armenian merchant vessel famously captured by Scottish privateer William Kidd on 30 January 1698.
Abraham Samuel, also known as "Deaan Tuley-Noro" or "Tolinar Rex", was a mulatto pirate of the Indian Ocean in the days of the Pirate Round in the late 1690s. He was said to be born in Martinique or Jamaica, or possibly or Anosy, Madagascar. Shipwrecked on his way back to New York from Madagascar, he briefly led a combined pirate-Antanosy kingdom from Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, from 1697 until he died there in 1705.
John Ireland was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean. He is best known for sailing with Thomas Tew.
Thomas Mostyn was a sea captain and slave trader active between New York and the Indian Ocean, and later in the Caribbean. He was one of the traders employed by New York merchant Frederick Philipse to smuggle supplies to the pirates of Madagascar.
Nicholas Clough was a merchant captain, slave trader, and pirate active in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa. He is best remembered for leaving behind a well-documented Pirate Code, his "Articles of Agreement".
William Mayes was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean. He was best known for taking over William Kidd’s ship Blessed William and sailing with Henry Avery. William Mayes is american, specifically from Rhode Island. Mayes was one of the original founders of Libertalia. A civil war came about and William was poisoned by Henry Avery and Thomas Tew.
Joseph Wheeler was a pirate active in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. He is best known for sailing alongside Dirk Chivers and Robert Culliford.
John Swann was a minor pirate in the Indian Ocean, known almost entirely for speculation about his relationship with Robert Culliford.
Tempest Rogers was a pirate trader active in the Caribbean and off Madagascar. He is best known for his association with William Kidd.
Evan Jones was a Welsh-born pirate from New York active in the Indian Ocean, best known for his indirect connection to Robert Culliford and for capturing a future Mayor of New York.
Edward Welch was best known for leading a pirate settlement and trading post at Madagascar.
