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Golden Age of pirates

As an island, Britain was home to several pirates and privateers. Piracy was so prevalent in fact that an era during the Elizabethan period was known as the Golden Age of Piracy.

The Golden Age of Piracy covers a time period between the 1650s and 1730s, when piracy was rife around the North Atlantic and Indian Oceans. It was typically split into three different eras, the Buccaneering Period, which mostly covered the Caribbean and saw ships attacking Spanish vessels and those transporting goods around the Pacific; the Pirate Round which involved long distance voyages between the Americas and mostly involved the East India Company and the Post Spanish Succession period, where sailors left unemployed after the end of the War of Spanish Succession turned to piracy.

History of piracy

As an island, Britain was home to several pirates and privateers. Piracy was so prevalent in fact that an era during the Elizabethan period was known as the Golden Age of Piracy.

History of piracy

Piracy began to emerge following conflicts over trade and colonisation among rival European powers, including Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and France. Most pirates in this era were of Welsh, English, Dutch, Irish and French origins and tended to come from poorer areas.

When it comes to British pirates, the majority came from coastal towns, like Bristol, Plymouth and other areas of the West Country, hence the accent we all recognise. Others came from London docklands areas.

It is believed that the Golden Age of Piracy began around 1650 following the Wars of Religion which allowed European countries to resume the development of their colonial empires. This involved sea travel, leading to rival countries attacking and raiding ships for the goods they were carrying, much of it high in value.

The increase of piracy around Tortuga began after the English captured Jamaica from Spain. The early governors freely allowed buccaneers and fellow Englishmen to raid passing shops and to sell anything they had stolen around the markets. It was around this time that the pirate Henry Morgan plundered, sacked and burned Panama City.

1690s-1700

During this decade, pirates began looking beyond the Caribbean. The Glorious Revolution in England had restored the traditional rivalry between Britain and France and ended the friendship between English Jamaica and French Tortuga.

Post Spanish Succession

From around 1714, various peace treaties ended the War of the Spanish Succession and thousands of men, who had been employed in several European navies found themselves unemployed and looking for ways to make money at the time when cross Atlantic shipping was starting to boom.

This led to a rise in piracy around the Atlantic, the majority of the British names from this time were ex-privateers and included Charles Vane, Samual Bellamy, Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings.

As part of the settlement following the War of the Spanish Succession, the British South Sea Company was awarded a contract to supply slaves to Spain’s colonies and contributed heavily to the rise in piracy in this part of the world. Living conditions and wages at this time were so bad that many sailors preferred the freedom of being a pirate compared to living within the law. Sailors for the Royal Navy often had little to eat and rarely saw their families, which led to many of them deserting the crown and turning to piracy instead. This is one of the reasons why pirates were so well equipped at fighting the navy.

Pirates vs Privateers

During the Golden Age of Piracy, many that undertook piracy were excused of their crimes for being privateers. There are a few differences between the two, however, the name pirate was originally given to buccaneers who operated around the Caribbean when they were paid by the government to attack Spanish ships. Later, they started doing this without the incentive of pay.

Privateers on the other hand were private persons who engaged in maritime warfare under a commission of war, which gave them the authority to raid enemy ships with exemption from piracy charges. Privateers have been in existence since the Middle Ages, when ship owners were given permission to attack in revenge for a loss of their own ships.

The end of piracy

By the 18^th century, tolerance for privateers was wearing thin across the world, especially after the Treaty of Ultrecht, which was the result of the War of the Spanish Succession. The Treaty allowed the British to establish naval superiority in Europe, as well as control of Menorca and Gibraltar, which remains under British ownership.

Best known privateers

A Privateer is a private person who was granted permission to engage in maritime warfare. Many were awarded letters of marque from the monarch or government, which empowered them to attack foreign vessels, seize the goods and then divide the proceeds between themselves, the issuer of the letter, the crew and any sponsors.

Sir Francis Drake
Best known for circumnavigating the world in a single expedition. He would become a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and was involved in the Spanish and English Armadas.

Sir John Hawkins
Hawkins was an early promoter of the English slave trade and was a cousin of Francis Drake. He served in the victory against the Spanish Armada and was also involved in the English Armada.

Sir George Somers
Somers was knighted for his achievements as part of the Virgina Company of London, he is remembered as the founder of the English colony of Bermuda.

Sir Walter Raleigh
Another of Queen Elizabeth’s favourites, Raleigh was granted a royal charter which allowed him to explore, colonise and rule any land that was not “possessed of any Christian Prince or inhabited by Christian People."

Best known British pirates

Black Sam Bellamy
Known as the Robin hood of Pirates, he prided himself on his ideological justifications for piracy. He was the captain of the Wydah Gally and was lost in a storm off Cape Cod in 1717.

Stede Bonnet
A rich land owner, Bonnet turned to piracy in search of adventure and was captain of the Revenge. He was caught and executed in 1718.

Henry Every
One of the major pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy who actually managed to retire without being arrested or dying in battle. He was known to captain the Ganj-i-Sawai.

William Fly
His execution is said to have ended the Golden Age of Piracy.

William Captain Kid
Supposedly left behind buried treasure that has never been found, he was executed for piracy at Execution Dock in London.

Edward Low
Unlike most pirates, who came from Britain’s coastal towns, Low was born in Westminster. He was never captured but was feared throughout the world for torturing his prisoners.

Henry Morgan
The pirate who was famous for taking Panama City and burning it to the ground. He was supposed to executed but was instead knighted and made governor of Jamaica, you might recognise his name from the brand of rum.

Calico Jack Rackham
Was known for partnering with infamous female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. He was captured and executed in Port Royal, Jamaica.

Black Bart Roberts
Believed to be the most successful western pirate of all time.

Edward Blackbeard Teach
The most notorious pirate, he was best known for captaining the Queen Anne’s Revenge, he was eventually killed by British sailors.

Charles Vane
Unpopular with his crew, Vane was marooned by his fellow pirates before being captured and executed.

Benjamin Hornigold
An English pirate who founded the Republic of Pirates and mentored Blackbeard. He was pardoned by the monarchy and became a pirate hunter.

Anne Bonny and Mary Read
These were the best known female pirates. Bonny had a notorious reputation and eloped with Calico Jack Rackham. Read had been posing as a man her entire life and had even been in the British Military. She joined Rackham’s crew and the three of them had a polyamorous relationship. When they were attacked, both women were captured and sentenced to death but stalled their executions by claiming to be pregnant.

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Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens

Address

Main Road, Kelmarsh, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 9LY

Telephone
01604686543

marketing@kelmarsh.com

Northampton

Nestled in rural Northamptonshire, Kelmarsh Hall and Gardens is an elegant Grade I listed country house surrounded by award winning historic gardens, offering a fantastic day out for the whole family.

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Alnwick Castle

Address

The Northumberland Estates Office, Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1NQ

Telephone
01665 511100

info@alnwickcastle.com

Alnwick

Home to the Duke of Northumberland's family, the Percys, for over 700 years; Alnwick Castle offers history on a grand scale.

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Wilton House

Address

Wilton, Salisbury, SP2 0BJ

Telephone
01722 746728

tourism@wiltonhouse.com

Salisbury

Whether you come to stroll in the grounds, watch your children let off steam in the adventure playground, or enjoy the art collection in the House, come and enjoy Wilton House.

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Wotton House

Address

Wotton Underwood, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0SB

Telephone
01844 238363

landscape@wottonhouse.com

Aylesbury

The Capability Brown Pleasure Grounds at Wotton, currently undergoing restoration, are related to the Stowe gardens, both belonging to the Grenville family when Brown laid out the Wotton grounds between 1750 and 1767.

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Hodnet Hall Gardens

Address

Hodnet, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3NN

Telephone
01630 685786

secretary@heber-percy.freeserve.co.uk

Market Drayton

It was predicted in 1958 that Hodnet "would one day take its place among the major gardens of Britain." Now the glorious fulfillment of that prophecy is simply waiting for you to enjoy.

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Painshill

Address

Painshill Park Trust, Painshill, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1JE

Telephone
01932 868113

info@painshill.co.uk

Cobham

Painshill is an award-winning 18th century landscape garden where you are invited to walk around a work of art. Winding paths will take you on a journey to discover a living canvas with beautiful vistas and dramatically placed garden buildings.…

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Castle Rising Castle

Address

Castle Rising, Norfolk, PE31 6AH

Telephone
01553 631330

thecastle@castlerising.com

Norfolk

Castle Rising Castle is a fine example of a Norman castle. The rectangular keep, one of the largest, was built around 1140 by William D'Albini.

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Wakefield Lodge

Address

Wakefield Lodge Estate, Potterspury, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 7QX

Telephone
01327 811218

Towcester

The most striking feature of Wakefield Walk was the large expanse of Wakefield Lawn.

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Aberystwyth Castle

Address

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 2AG

Telephone
01970 612125

aberystwyth.tic@ceredigion.gov.uk

Ceredigion

In the marvellous sweep of Cardigan Bay stand the ruins of one of Edward I's late 13th century castles. Of the seven major English strongholds he established in Wales, Aberystwyth Castle has fared least favourably in the survival stakes.

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Dunvegan Castle & Gardens

Address

Dunvegan Castle, Isle Of Skye, Scotland, IV55 8WF

Telephone
01470 521206

info@dunvegancastle.com

Isle Of Skye

Any visit to the Isle of Skye is incomplete without enjoying the wealth of history on offer at 5* Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years and the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland.

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Goodnestone Park Gardens

Address

Goodnestone, Wingham, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 1PL

Telephone
01304 840107

enquiries@goodnestoneparkgardens.co.uk

Canterbury

Goodnestone Park Gardens is a peaceful and romantic garden with connections to Jane Austen. One of the loveliest gardens in Kent and a haven of beautiful tranquillity, the gardens and the house have been in the FitzWalter family for over 300 years.

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Meols Hall

Address

Churchtown, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 7LZ

Telephone
01704 228326

events@meolshall.com

Southport

Meols Hall manor-house and estate have been in the Hesketh family for 27 generations and is still a privately-owned home

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Sufton Court

Address

Mordiford, Hereford, HR1 4LU

Telephone
01432 850328

james@sufton.co.uk

Hereford

A small Palladian mansion designed by James Wyatt. Park and grounds by Humphrey Repton whose 'Red Book' along with antique china and watercolours are on display.

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Hatfield House

Address

Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 5HX

Telephone
01707 287010

visitors@hatfield-house.co.uk

Hatfield

Splendid Jacobean House and Garden in a spectacular countryside setting. Childhood home of Elizabeth I.

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The Manor, Hemingford Grey

Address

High Street, Hemingford Grey, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 9BN

Telephone
01480 463134

diana_boston@hotmail.com

Huntingdon

Hemingford Manor, built circa 1130 and one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in England, was the home of the author Lucy Boston from 1939 until her death in 1990.

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Tabley House

Address

Tabley Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 0HB

Telephone
01565 750151

tableyhouse@btconnect.com

Knutsford

The finest Palladian house in the northwest, Tabley was designed by John Carr of York for the Leicester family. It houses one of the finest collections of English paintings, including works by Turner, Reynolds, Lawrence and Dobson.

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Kew Gardens

Address

Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE

Richmond

Since their creation in 1759, the Royal Botanic Gardens have made a significant contribution to the study of plant diversity and economic botany and formed a unique testimony to developments in garden art that were subsequently diffused around the…

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Penshurst Place and Gardens

Address

Penshurst, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 8DG

Telephone
01892 870307

enquiries@penshurstplace.com

Tonbridge

Set in the rural Weald of Kent surrounded by picturesque countryside and ancient parkland. Penshurst Place and Gardens has changed little over the centuries. This medieval masterpiece has been the seat of the Sidney family since 1552.

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Fairfield House

Address

Stogursey, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 1PU

fairfieldvisits@gmail.com

Bridgwater

Fairfield is a medieval manor house and the family home of the Acland-Hood family for over eight centuries. The first manor house was built as early as 1166. The house has passed numerous times through the female line, so the family name of the…

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The Manor, Hemingford Grey

Address

Hemingford Grey, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 9BN

Telephone
01480 463134

diana_boston@hotmail.com

Huntingdon

Built about 1130. Famous as the House of Green Knowe in the children's books by Lucy Boston. Her patchwork collection is on display. Garden, topiary and roses.

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Golden Age of pirates

History of piracy

History of piracy

1690s-1700

Post Spanish Succession

Pirates vs Privateers

The end of piracy

Best known privateers

Best known British pirates

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