THE PIRATE DEVLIN Review

While Patrick Devlin might lack the comic dimension of Jack Sparrow, he does exhibit a similar swashbuckling (there’s no way to avoid that word) and to some extent charming persona—and of course the story, England-native Keating’s debut, involves buried treasure, daring raids and fights between gnarly pirates.

The action unfolds during the Golden Age of Piracy, the early 18th century. Devlin has only recently become a pirate, a career path necessitated by the sinking of a ship on which he’d been the captain’s servant. He possesses a valuable skill, much in demand, for he has mastered the art of navigation. At a beach on the west coast of Africa he finds himself confronting the demise of Philippe Ducos, killed by a bullet to the brain courtesy of Fletcher, an English pirate. 

Before his death, however, the “babbling Frog” had revealed a secret involving hidden gold—and because Devlin is the only one who understands French, he keeps this knowledge hidden. Through a combination of ruthlessness, savvy and a strong will to survive, Devlin eventually becomes captain of the pirate ship and ironically finds himself being pursued by John Coxon, his old master. Keating takes us adroitly through a series of Caribbean adventures, for Devlin is at times imprisoned, attacked or otherwise put in the way of various Portuguese government officials and Dutch and French soldiers. (The author even throws in an encounter with Edward Teach, the notorious Blackbeard.) 

While life both on ship and on land is nasty, brutish and (for some) short, it’s also exhilarating. Devlin reduces life to its essence, for at one point he explains to a Dutch crew that he has “only four rules…Eat well, drink well, fight well and swear to leave me when you have a thousand pounds to your own account.” It’s piracy as the hedonistic American dream.

http://www.thepiratedevlin.com

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Captain Edward Low

Captain Edward "Ned" Low, also Lowe or Loe, (c. 1690 – c. 1724) was a notorious English pirate during the latter days of the Golden Age of Piracy, in the early 18th century. He was born around 1690 into poverty in Westminster, London, and was a thief and a scoundrel from a young age. Low moved to Boston, Massachusetts, as a young man. His wife died in childbirth in late 1719. Two years later, he became a pirate, operating off the coasts of New England and the Azores, and in the Caribbean.

He captained a number of ships, usually maintaining a small fleet of three or four. Low and his pirate crews captured at least a hundred ships during his short career, burning most of them.Although he was active for only three years, Low remains notorious as one of the most vicious pirates of the age, with a reputation for violently torturing his victims before killing them.Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described Low as "savage and desperate," and a man of "amazing and grotesque brutality". The New York Times called him a torturer, whose methods would have "done credit to the ingenuity of the Spanish Inquisition in its darkest days". The circumstances of Low's death, which took place around 1724, have been the subject of much speculation.

According to Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates, Edward Low was born in Westminster, London, England, around 1690. He was described as illiterate, having a "quarrelsome nature", and always ready to cheat, running "wild in the streets of his native parish".As a young man, he was said to be a pickpocket and gambler, playing games of chance with the footmen of the nearby House of Commons.

Most of his family appear to have been thieves. While young and small for his age, his brother is said to have been carried around in a basket on a friend's back. In a crowd, Low's brother would snatch the hats and wigs of passers-by. The brother later took to other forms of criminal activity and ended up hanged at Tyburn for "thievery".

As he grew older, Low tired of pickpocketing and thievery, and turned to burglary. Eventually, he left England, and travelled alone to the New World around 1710. He spent three to four years in various locations, before settling in Boston, Massachusetts. On 12 August 1714, he married Eliza Marble at the First Church of Boston. They had a son, who died when he was an infant, and then a daughter named Elizabeth, born in the winter of 1719.

Eliza died in childbirth, leaving Low with his daughter. The loss of his wife had a profound effect on Low: in his later career of piracy, he would often express regret for the daughter he left behind, and refused to press-gang married men into joining his crews. He would also allow women to return to port safely.At first working honestly as a rigger, in early 1722 he joined a gang of twelve men on a sloop headed for Honduras, where they planned to collect a shipment of logs for resale in Boston.

Low was employed as a patron, supervising the loading and carrying of the logs. One day, he returned to the ship when hungry, but was told by the captain he would have to wait to eat, and that he and his men would have to be satisfied with a ration of rum. At this, Low "took up a loaded musket and fired at the captain but missed him, [and] shot another poor fellow through the throat". Following this failed mutiny, Low and his friends were forced to leave the boat. A day later, Low led the twelve-man gang—which included Francis Farrington Spriggs, who went on to become a notorious pirate in his own right—in taking over a small sloop off the coast of Rhode Island. Killing one man during the theft, Low and his crew turned pirate, determined "to go in her, make a black Flag and declare War against all the World."

Low, using his newly captured ship, lay in wait on the popular shipping route between Boston and New York. Within a few days, he and his crew seized a sloop out of Rhode Island, and plundered it. His crew cut the rigging away to prevent the sloop returning too quickly to port to raise the alarm. He then captured a number of unarmed merchantmen near Port Rosemary.

The pirate flag used by Edward Low

Low headed south and began operating in the waters of the Grand Caymans, with a period as lieutenant to the established pirate George Lowther, who captained the Happy Delivery, a 100-ton Rhode Island sloop with eight cannon and ten swivel guns. When she was "destroyed by Indians" (given the location, these were almost certainly Taíno, inhabitants of the Greater Antilles, which included the Caymans), Lowther and his crew transferred to a sloop named the Ranger. Lowther's crew was constantly expanded by desperate sailors willing to join him.[13] Fast acquiring a taste for cruelty, Low taught Spriggs a torture technique which involved tying a victim's hands with rope between their fingers and setting it alight, burning their flesh down to the bones.

Following a number of successful raids, Lowther eventually captured a large 6-gun brigantine (named Rebecca) on 28 May 1722. He gave it to Low to captain. With a crew of 44, Low amicably dissolved his partnership with Lowther.

In one notable raid in June 1722, Low and his crew attacked thirteen New England fishing vessels sheltering at anchor in Port Roseway, Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Although outnumbered, Low hoisted his Jolly Roger flag and declared that no mercy would be given to the fishermen if any resisted. The fleet submitted and Low's men robbed every vessel. Low chose the largest, an 80-ton schooner which he renamed The Fancy and armed with 10 guns, to become his flagship.

He sank the other ships of the fleet, and abandoned the Rebecca. The Boston News Letter of 9 July 1722 published a list of those captured by Low.[12] A number of the fishermen were forced to join Low, including Philip Ashton who escaped in May 1723 on Roatán Island in the Bay Islands of Honduras, and who wrote a detailed account of life aboard Low's pirate ship.Before Ashton's escape, he had been beaten, whipped, kept in chains, and threatened with death many times, as he refused to sign Low's articles and become a pirate.

Low's tactics consisted primarily of hoisting false colours and approaching an unsuspecting vessel. Off the coast of St John's, Newfoundland, Low mistook a fully armed man-of-war for a fishing boat, and barely escaped. He moved on to Conception Bay, capturing a number of boats around the Grand Banks southeast of Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic to the Azores. There, he captured a French (or Portuguese—sources differ) pink, a narrow-sterned former man of war, which Low rearmed and refitted as his new flagship, naming it the Rose Pink. He also captured an English vessel with two Portuguese passengers aboard. Low had his crew hoist them up and drop them back down from the yard arm several times, until they died. He moved on to the Canaries, Cape Verde and then back across to the coast of Brazil, where he was driven back by foul weather.

Low abandoned his plans for plundering the rich shipping trade off the coast of Brazil, and moved on to the Caribbean. George Roberts, a mate on the British ship King Sagamore, recounted a meeting with Low aboard the Pink. Roberts' ship was captured by Low's fleet, of which he was now styling himself "Commodore".

Forty leagues (120 nautical miles or around 220 km) to the east of Surinam, Low and his fleet of two ships (the Rose Pink and the Fancy, captained by a young Charles Harris) dropped anchor to remove growth such as seaweed and barnacles from the outside of the boats, in a process known as careening, necessary because no dry dock was available to pirates. Still relatively inexperienced, Low ordered too many men to the outside of the boat to work on the buildup, and the Rose Pink tipped over too far. The portholes had been left open, and the vessel took on water and sank, with the death of two men. The Pink had been carrying most of the provisions, and Low—by now captaining a captured schooner, the Squirrel—and his crew were forced to strictly ration their fresh water to half a pint (around 275 ml) per man, per day.

Failing to reach their initial destination of Tobago due to light winds and strong currents, Low's depleted fleet made it to Grenada, a French-owned island. Hiding most of his men belowdecks, he was permitted to send men ashore for water. The following day, a French sloop was sent out to investigate, but was captured when Low's men came out from hiding. Low, now commanding the captured sloop (renamed the Ranger), gave the schooner Squirrel to his quartermaster, Spriggs, who renamed it the Delight before sailing away in the middle of the night with a small crew following a disagreement with Low over the disciplining of one of Spriggs' crew.

The new fleet captured many more sloops, including one Low kept, naming it the Fortune. During a trial on 10 July 1723 for a number of Low's crew, a sailor on board the Fortune named John Welland recalled how Low stripped his boat, including gold to the value of £150, then beat him and cut off his ear with a cutlass.

Following this, Low's fleet captured a Portuguese ship called the Nostra Signiora de Victoria on 25 January 1723. The Victoria's Portuguese captain allowed a bag containing approximately 11,000 gold moidores (worth at the time around £15,000) to fall into the sea rather than see it captured. One of Low's most noted episodes of cruelty followed: in his rage, he slashed off the Portuguese captain's lips with a cutlass, broiled them, and forced the victim to eat them while still hot. He then murdered the remaining crew. Low's own men described him as "a maniac and a brute".

The Cruelties practised by Captain Low, from A Pirate's Own Book (1837)

A story describes Low burning a French cook alive, saying he was a "greasy fellow who would fry well", and another tells he once killed 53 Spanish captives with his cutlass. Some historians, including David Cordingly, believe this was deliberately done to cultivate a ferocious image. Historian Edward Leslie described Low as a psychopath with a history filled with "mutilations, disembowelings, decapitations, and slaughter". Low, like other pirates of the time, tried to intimidate his victims into surrendering, by threatening to kill or torture them. The crew of the targeted ship would hinder the officers from defending the ship, so afraid were they of reprisals. One failed torture session led to one of Low's crew members accidentally cutting him in the mouth. Botched surgery left Low scarred.

A snow called the Unity was added to the fleet, and used as a tender, but was abandoned during an encounter with a man of war named the Mermaid. As Low's success increased in the Caribbean, so did his notoriety. Eventually, a bounty was placed on his head, and Low set out for the Azores, again teaming up with Charles Harris. As they terrorised the Azores, the pressure increased from the authorities, who by then had taken special notice of Edward Low, despite the hordes of pirates in operation at the time.

Low, Harris and their ships left the Azores for the Carolinas. On 10 June 1723, they suffered a resounding defeat in a battle with HMS Greyhound, a heavily armed man of war.The Greyhound had been dispatched under the command of Peter Solgard to hunt down Low and his fleet. Low fled in the Fancy with a skeleton crew and £150,000 on board and headed back to the Azores, leaving Harris and the Ranger behind.Twenty-five of the crew of the Ranger, including the ship's doctor, were tried between 10 July and 12 July, with Solgard giving evidence and recounting the battle. The men were hanged for felony, piracy and robbery, near Newport, Rhode Island, on 19 July 1723.Harris was sent back to England and hanged at Wapping. When Solgard returned to New York, he was presented with the freedom of the city and a gold snuffbox for his part in bringing some of Low's crew to justice.

Low, still captaining the Fancy, sailed north. He captured a whaling vessel 80 miles (130 km) out at sea, and in a foul mood following the encounter with the Greyhound and the loss of his right hand man, Harris, tortured the captain before shooting him through the head. He set the whaler's crew adrift with no provisions, intending them to starve to death (they were lucky, and reached Nantucket after a difficult journey). Remaining off the coast of North America, his crew took a fishing boat near Block Island. Low decapitated the ship's master, and sent the crew ashore. When he captured two more fishing boats near Rhode Island, his actions became so savage his crew refused to carry out his orders to torture the fishermen.

Heading south again, Low captured a 22-gun French ship and a large Virginian merchant vessel, the Merry Christmas, in late June 1723. Following the defeat by the Greyhound, Low became "peculiarly cruel" to his English victims.His fleet of three ships rejoined forces with George Lowther in July. In late 1723, Low and Lowther's fleet captured the Delight off the coast of Guinea, mounting fourteen guns on her, with command being given to Spriggs. Two days later, Spriggs and Lowther both abandoned Low, leaving him the Merry Christmas, by now mounted with 34 guns, as his sole ship.

There are conflicting reports on the circumstances of Edward Low's death. Charles Johnson—considered by some to be Daniel Defoe writing under a pseudonym—stated in his A General History of the Pyrates, at odds with other sources, that Edward Low and the Fancy were last sighted near the Canaries and Guinea but at the time of his 1724 book, no further reports had surfaced. He noted one rumour that Low was sailing for Brazil and another that Low's ship sank in a storm with the loss of all hands.The National Maritime Museum in London states that he was never caught, ending his days in Brazil.

The Pirates Own Book and Ossian both suggest that Low was set adrift without provisions by the crew of the Merry Christmas, in a mutiny brought about by Low's murdering of a sleeping subordinate following an argument.Low was subsequently rescued by a French ship; when the French authorities learned of his identity he was brought to trial, and was hanged in Martinique, in 1724.

Initially, Low used the same flag as Edward Teach ("Blackbeard"). Later, he used his own flag, a red skeletal figure on a black background, which became notorious. He first flew his own flag in late July 1723.

Low also used a green silk flag with a yellow figure of a man blowing a trumpet; this Green Trumpeter was hoisted on the mizzen peak to call his fleet's captains to meetings aboard the

Low had a set of Articles, a code of conduct and an ironic reference to the Royal Navy's own Articles of War. The Articles listed below are attributed to Low by the Boston News-Letter. The first eight of these articles are essentially identical to those attributed to Lowther by Charles Johnson.

It is likely that both reports are correct and that Low and Lowther shared the same articles, with Low's two extra articles being an ordonnance, or amendment, adopted after the two crews separated.

I. The Captain is to have two full Shares; the [Quarter] Master is to have one Share and one Half; The Doctor, Mate, Gunner and Boatswain, one Share and one Quarter.

II. He that shall be found guilty of taking up any Unlawfull Weapon on Board the Privateer or any other prize by us taken, so as to Strike or Abuse one another in any regard, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall see fit.

III. He that shall be found Guilty of Cowardice in the time of Ingagements, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

IV. If any Gold, Jewels, Silver, &c. be found on Board of any Prize or Prizes to the value of a Piece of Eight, & the finder do not deliver it to the Quarter Master in the space of 24 hours he shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

V. He that is found Guilty of Gaming, or Defrauding one another to the value of a Royal of Plate, shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and the Majority of the Company shall think fit.

VI. He that shall have the Misfortune to loose a Limb in time of Engagement, shall have the Sum of Six hundred pieces of Eight, and remain aboard as long as he shall think fit.

VII. Good Quarters to be given when Craved.

VIII. He that sees a Sail first, shall have the best Pistol or Small Arm aboard of her.

IX. He that shall be guilty of Drunkenness in time of Engagement shall suffer what Punishment the Captain and Majority of the Company shall think fit.

X. No Snaping of Guns in the Hould.

Capt Edward Low in ye Hurricane ,

Artist's impression of Ned Low by Marc Davis in 1962, now on the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park ride at Disneyland

Edward Low's acts, along with those of other pirates of the period such as Edward Teach, Bartholomew Roberts ("Black Bart"), and William Fly, led to a great increase in the military presence to protect shipping lanes, resulting in the effective end of the Golden Age of Piracy.

By 1700, the European states had enough troops and ships at their disposal, following the end of a number of wars, to begin better protecting their important colonies in the West Indies and in the Americas, without relying on the aid of privateers. Pirates based in the Caribbean were chased from the seas by a new British Royal Navy squadron based at Port Royal, Jamaica, and a smaller group of Spanish privateers, sailing from the Spanish Main, known as the Guarda de Costa (Coast Guard in English), or simply the Guarda.

Less is recorded of Low than of other equally prolific pirates such as Teach and Stede Bonnet. Howard Pyle, in an 1880 children's book on pirates, said: "No one stood higher in the trade than [Low], and no one mounted to more lofty altitudes of bloodthirsty and unscrupulous wickedness. 'Tis strange that so little has been written and sung of this man of might, for he was as worthy of story and of song as was Blackbeard."[27] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in his work The Green Flag, described Low as "savage and desperate", and a man of "amazing and grotesque brutality".The New York Times said "Low and his crew became the terror of the Atlantic, and his depredations were committed on every part of the ocean, from the coast of Brazil to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland".

Low has featured on stamps and commemorative currency around the Caribbean. A postage stamp featuring Low was commissioned by the Cayman Islands in 1975, and in 1994 the government of Antigua and Barbuda featured Edward Low and his brigantine, Rebecca, on a legal tender one hundred-dollar bill made of gold leaf.

A 1936 Jolly Roger Cups Pirate card featuring an artist's impression of Edward Low

"Ned Low" is one of the pirates featured on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the Disneyland theme park in California. A duplicate of Low's flag was used for the flag of the fictional pirate Sao Feng in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean films. Low is one of the East India Trading Company employees in the game Pirates of the Caribbean Online.

Some of Low's haunts, such as the waters around the Isles of Shoals off New Hampshire and Isle Haute in Nova Scotia, attract treasure hunters who seek artifacts in the ships he sank.

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The Action of 10 June 1723

The Action of 10 June 1723 was a famous British victory over two pirate ships under Captain Edward Low. When off Delaware Bay of North America Low attacked a Royal Navy man-of-war which he mistook for a whaler. The resulting combat lasted several hours and ended with the capture of one pirate vessel.

Edward Low was an eighteenth century pirate from New England known for his extreme cruelty. He personally killed over fifty-men and committed several atrocities such as forcing prisoners he captured to cannibalism. By summer of 1723 Low commanded the eighty ton schooner named Fancy and was the most feared pirate in the Atlantic so the British dispathched several warships on counter-piracy patrols. Accompanying Fancy was the sloop-of-war Ranger under Captain Charles Harris. Fancy was armed with ten guns and had a crew of forty-four, many of whom were forced into service. Ranger was a former French sloop which was captured by Low off Grenada earlier in 1723. Her armament and number of crew is not known. Some accounts cite Low as having commanded the sloop Fortune during the encounter with the British warship HMS Greyhound under Captain Peter Solgard. The sixth-rate mounted a twenty gun armament and a complement of about 120 officers and crewmen.

Low was headed due northwest from the Azores on the right side of the Atlantic to attack shipping off the British North American colonies. Searching for Low was HMS Greyhound. While cruising off Delaware's mouth Low and his pirates sighted the man-of-war and gave chase. Low hoisted his Jolly Rodger fully suspecting his prey to be an English whaler so when the pirate ships drew near the Royal Navy ship opened fire. HMS Greyhound revealed herself with the raising of her colors and released a broadside into the Fancy as the pirates were preparing for boarding.

Low's schooner took damage and began returning shot while Harris in the Ranger maneuvered into firing posistion. Ranger opened fire briefly with her guns but after only a few minutes both the sloop and schooner chose to flee. A running battle then continued for several hours. Fancy was dismasted by well placed cannon fire and fled while Captain Harris in the Ranger could not escape the British sixth-rate. Wind was not in favor of the pirates so they used oars to help steer their ships away from the British. The use of oars proved to be pointless when the faster Greyhound came along side the Ranger and the two crews began skirmishing with small arms. Grappling hooks were thrown and the British sailors boarded the sloop. After a few more moments of intense close quarters combat; the pirates surrendered and were taken prisoner. Low's schooner Fancy is said to have carried around £150,000 in gold during the engagement.

Thirty-seven white and six black pirates were captured. Twenty-five of whom, including the young Harris, were hung near Newport, Rhode Island on June 19th, 1723. Captain Solgard became famous in New York and in England and also received prize money for the sloop he captured which also carried gold during the time of battle. Solgard eventually rose to the rank of admiral in the Royal Navy. Ned Low continued his life of piracy and took several more ships including a twenty-two gun French man-of-war. He seemingly grew more cruel after his defeat particularly to his English captives. Circumstances of his death are unknown though he perished sometime in 1724. Charles Harris ended up joining forces with the Barbary pirates of North Africa and became captain of a Moorish ship before being captured off Ireland and hung in Wapping.

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Diabolito or Little Devil

Diabolito or Little Devil (d. July 1823) was a 19th century Cuban pirate. One of the more violent of the era, he actively engaged the United States Navy and was one of the main fugitives pursued during later American naval expeditions in the Caribbean during the 1820s.

The Cuban-born Diabolito became known as a particularly dangerous pirate operating from his home island during the early 1800s. He among others including Charles Gibbs, Pedro Gilbert and Roberto Cofresí were identified as key figures in piracy when President James Monroe authorized the formation of an anti-piracy squadron to combat attacks on American shipping and naval forces occurring off the Florida coast. Based in Key West under Commodore David Porter, a veteran of the Barbary expedition and the War of 1812, the Mosquito Fleet soon began patrolling the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Diabolito and other Cuban-based pirates were easily able to escape from American vessels, either escaping into the back country of the Florida Keys or retreating to Cuba where Porter's forces were unable to pursue. As the years past however, Cuban ship owners and other businessmen petitioned for authorities to cooperate with The United States. Spanish officials were unable to continue turning a blind eye to piracy, which often amounted to attacks on lone merchant vessels and fishing boats, and agreed to assist in hunting down Diabolito and others.

In April 1823, Diabolito encountered Porter and cornered off the northern coast of Cuba. After a brief fight, he and his crew abandoned their ships and fled inland.  Out of his 70-man crew, 30 were either killed during the fighting or drowned while trying to swim to land. He managed to elude authorities and, acquiring another ship, he set sail for the Yucatan. He again encountered the Mosquito Fleet when the USS Gallinipper and the USS Mosquito, commanded by Lieutenant William H. Watson and Lieutenant William Inman respectively, pursued him upon finding him in Cuba once again. Although outnumbering the Americans, whose total force numbered 31 men compared to the 70 or 80 pirates, Watson gave the order to attack and sailed towards the pirates driving them into the sea. The men began abandoning their ship, the 4-gun schooner Catalina, and the American vessels were "soon in the midst of the swimmers, and, laying about right and left, exterminated dozens of them". All of his men were either killed or were captured by local authorities, Diabolito himself being killed in the water when he refused to surrender.

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The Sims 3 Gets Pirate-y

The latest Sims 3 expansion will add eyepatch-wearing scallywags and plenty of scurvy.

I don't get excited over the announcement of a new Sims expansion often, mostly because there have been thousands of them, but EA's latest has a theme we can all get into: pirates. Revealed today was Barnacle Bay, a downloadable Sims 3 expansion pack that will fill the game with pirates from shore to shore.

Well, maybe not from shore to shore, but it'll add a brand new pirate-filled world at least. Barnacle Bay features 50 new characters to find including gypsies, ghosts, and pirates. It isn't a totally pirate-focused area, but players will be able to eat in the nautical Hogan's Deep Sea Diner and catch bar fights at The Wanderer's Watering Hole pub. They'll also be able to build their own pirate-themed houses with new objects such as porthole doors and wharf fences. The ultimate pirate destination will be the super-secret Pirate's Hideaway, if players can find it.

Not to worry, EA is also releasing the Buccaneer's Bounty, a pirate clothing set of 7 items such as hats and boots, but it won't include a peg leg unfortunately. Players also regretfully will remain landlocked and won't be able to sail the seven seas of Barnacle Bay. I'm liking the partial themes of each of the Sims 3 expansion packs we've seen so far though, featuring mummies, robots, and vampires in the past, and now pirates.
Barnacle Bay will be released exclusively as a download on the online Sims 3 store for a TBD price on September 23.

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Spanish Shipwrecks in 1554: “The Wreck of the 300”

On April 9, 1554, a Spanish convoy set sail from the Veracruz, Mexico, port of San Juan de Ulua, on their homebound voyage to Spain, where anxious merchants awaited the treasury on board. The fleet included four ships—the San Andrés, San Esteban, Espíritu Santo, and Santa María de Yciar—and carried more than 400 people. Among them were prisoners, old conquistadors, merchants, and wealthy citizens returning home to Spain. En route the convoy was to stop off in La Havana, Cuba.

Of the four ships, only the San Andrés was to reach Havana. The remainder met a disastrous fate off the Texas coast. The story of the shipwrecks and the harrowing trials of the survivors provides one of the earliest and most interesting accounts in Texas history.

The convoy was halfway to Havana on April 29, 1554, when a storm hit. San Esteban, Espíritu Santo, and Santa María de Yciar were swept off course and ran aground on the sandbars off Padre Island, about 50 miles south of Corpus Christi Bay. More than 300 people died during the tragic event, which has become known as “The Wreck of the Three Hundred.”

The three ships wrecked within 2½ miles of each other, and it is believed that their crews and passengers banded together for comfort and safety. Master of San Esteban, Francisco del Huerto, salvaged a boat and sailed for Veracruz with a few seamen. Other survivors from the ship started walking southward, believing a Spanish outpost was within only a few days walk. Their assumption proved wrong. Of this group, only a few were to make it to Tampico, which was actually 300 miles away.

Local Karankawa Indians picked off the survivors during their torturous journey. At first, the natives offered some of the injured survivors fish to eat. Once at the campsite, they attacked them. Other Spaniards stripped off their garments along the trail, thinking the Indians wanted their clothing. Without even that meager protection, the group faced even greater hardships—mosquitoes and hot sands. Many traveled with wounds from Indian arrows, including Fray Marcos de Mena, who was shot seven times. His companions, thinking death was imminent, buried him in the sand, leaving only his head exposed. Revived by the warmth of the sand, he crawled from his "grave" and made his way along the coast. Friendly natives helped him make his way to Panuco.

Captain Huerto reached Veracruz safely, and there he told his story to Spanish officials. On June 6, a rescue mission, led by Angel de Villafañe, set out by sea to search for survivors. Meanwhile, a salvage expedition was organized and outfitted in Veracruz. On July 15, 1554, six salvage vessels under Captain García de Escalante Alvarado left Veracruz for the site of the wrecks. The ships had carried a valuable cargo from Spain to Mexico—resins, sugar, wood, cowhides and cochineal (insects from which a red dye could be produced) valued at $9.8 million in Spanish currency, gold bars and silver bullion and bound for the coffers of Charles V, and reales from trade in the New World. In the face of this lost wealth, the ships demanded salvage efforts.

Spanish salvage operations began on July 21, 1554 at San Esteban; Villafañe located Espiritu Santo. According to Spanish accounts, Villafañe's divers found a trunk belong to Pedro Milanes, a man they knew. Milanes' possessions included black satin tunic with blue velvet sash, a cape of sailcloth, a pair of shoes, three small silver disks, and 100 pesos in coin. Alvarado found Santa María de Yciar on August 20. A storm sank her salvage vessel, but uncovered seven boxes of the treasure she carried.

When the recovered treasure arrived in Veracruz it totaled 35,805 pounds. At least 51,000 pounds in precious metals, jewelry and coins was not accounted for by the Spanish auditors. The divers may have overlooked it�or they may have found some of it. As for the rest of the treasure, for four centuries it remained buried undersea, disturbed only by passing hurricanes, or sometime a drifting fishing line.

Modern salvage efforts began in the 1960’s when Platoro, Inc., a private enterprise from Indiana began removing artifacts from Espíritu Santo. This destructive salvage effort by private enterprise alarmed Texas officials because they felt that the recovered artifacts were rightfully the property of the citizens of Texas. They were also concerned that significant historical and archeological data were being destroyed in this unscientific process. Their position was strengthened considerably with the adoption in 1969 of the Texas Antiquities Code, a major protection act directly related to the Platoro controversy. Under this Code, the Texas Antiquities Committee conducted scientific excavation and recovery of San Esteban. The shipwreck has considerable significance; it is among the oldest scientifically recovered shipwreck sites in the Western Hemisphere.

The Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin was given temporary custody of a large portion of the recovered materials in order that they might be properly conserved and catalogued. Thousands of artifacts were processed and classified during the project. Layers of encrustation had to be painstakingly removed from metal artifacts, many of which had formed into large conglomerates. X-rays were taken to discern what lay inside these masses. Analysis and identification of many of the artifacts was successfully completed. In 1984, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History was named repository of the San Esteban collection. Two years later, the Museum was named repository for the Platoro, Keenan, and Purvis Collections.

Among the collections are weaponry, coins, supplies, personal items, and navigational devices. One of the astrolabes is dated 1545 and is the oldest dated mariner's astrolabe in the world.

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Captain Thomas Jones

Major Thomas Jones ... Welsh PrivateerNamesake Jones Beach State Park, New YorkBy Albert WalkerThe family of Major Thomas Jones, sometimes referred to as the Knight, whose descent from a noble Irish family who is intermarried with Wales known, was probably in Glamorganshire Merionethshire have or.

Nevertheless, the racial obviously many Welsh in almost all family members, and are marked to all those who have gained importance in all areas of life. Thomas Jones, who served in the Battle of the Boyne, Aghrim and the capitulation of Limerick, under William III of England and Ireland fought under Jacques II, after serving as Major in the army of the dethroned monarch, who had previously been to England, but the Welsh origin, sat for a long time in Northern Ireland. Major Jones was born around 1665. In 1692, when Major Jones on the island of Jamaica during the great earthquake of 7 July in one of the many expeditions in the "Letter of Marque, engaged, the many British officers and Jacques Irish Type II service, after the defeat in the Battle of the Boyne. In the same year, Major Jones in Warwick, Rhode Iceland, and there met and married Freelove Townsend, daughter of Thomas Townsend.

Freelove was born December 29, 1674. Thomas Townsend is the son of John Townsend, a prominent Quaker, who came to New Amsterdam in the early 17th century 1635th De Norwich, England. The family was very old when they turn their land of William granted to the conquerors. Thomas Townsend, the father of Freelove Townsend, was Thomas Jones and his wife a large piece of land that had once belonged to the Indians Massapequa, on the southern coast of Long Iceland. For this vast territory Major Jones and his wife abducted in 1696, where he built a house of bricks at the top of the stream.

 In 1702 appointed Lord Cornbury, Governor of New York, Major Jones, Captain of the militia of Queens County, New York 20 October in the year October 14, 1704 he was appointed High Sheriff of Queens, and on 3 April 1706 he was appointed Major of the Regiment of Queens County. Governor Hunter, the Province of New York him to General of the Rangers on the island of Nassau (Long Iceland) to him the monopoly of the whale and other fisheries in the north to the south shore of Long Iceland. This commission was dated 4 September 1710th Major Jones died December 13, 1713, and was in a small cemetery on the banks of the brick house then called the Creek buried now Massapequa Creek. The issue of Major Jones and his wife was Freelove seven children.

 A gravestone marks Brown, which wrote the following inscription by himself: "Here lyes the Council of the Major Thomas Jones, who Straubane it was in the Kingdom of Ireland, settled here and interde death in December 1713th "From distant lands to the littering It CameThis seat he choose, and here he has a fixed name Long May, his son the spot in full peace InjoyAnd No curse is thwarting his descendants. For many years after his death, many fictions doubts about Thomas Jones. exercise of his Commission as a privateer sailing under "letters of marque, from French ports to slander that he was a pirate.

These myths have been nurtured for more than a century after his death by ignorance and superstition, ignorance and superstition that these fables in the middle of last century and today are ... In  given the vast expanse of land Thomas Jones and his wife Freelove with further purchases of Major Jones, officially Jones Beach State Park, part of the New York State Park system was Roosevelt through the use of Governor Franklin D., and Robert Moses 'nautical vision.

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Toei Plans CG Captain Harlock

Japan's Toei Animation  is planning to theatrically release computer-graphics (CG) works in Western countries and other locales in 2012. Another anime studio, Production I.G, is also planning to release Titan Rain, a joint production with Singaporea's Storm Lion Pictures (Yona Yona Penguin), in Asia. According to the Nikkei news source, the companies are aiming for theatrical releases overseas in part because the number of anime programs on television has declined, and anime DVD shipments have also dropped.

Toei Animation is making two CG anime works, with 3D animation techniques, in 2011. One of the titles is Space Pirate Captain Harlock, and the other is Daikuu Maryuu Gaiking . Each will have a production budget of several billion yen (about several tens of millions of U.S. dollars), which Toei plans to raise by soliciting capital from multiple companies. Toei Animation is planning to release these works theatrically in Europe, North America, Asia, and elsewhere in 2012 or later.

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Captain Abraham Blauvelt

Abraham Blauvelt  was a Dutch privateer and explorer mapping much of Central America in the 1630s, after whom both the Bluefield River and the neighboring town of Bluefields, Nicaragua were named.

One of the last of the Dutch corsairs of the mid 17th century, Abraham Blauvelt was first recorded exploring the coasts of present day Honduras and Nicaragua in service of the Dutch West India Company. He later traveled to England in an effort to gain support to establish a colony in Nicaragua near the city where Bluefields, Nicaragua presently stands. Around 1640 Blauvelt became a privateer serving the Swedish East India Company and in 1644 he commanded his own ship successfully raiding Spanish shipping from a base in southwest Jamaica, today known as Blewfields Bay, and selling the cargo and prizes to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (New York). After peace between Spain and the Netherlands was reached with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Blauvelt, unable to stay in New Amsterdam, instead sailed to Newport, Rhode Island in early 1649 to sell his remaining cargo. 

However the colonial governor seized one of Blauvelt's prizes and with his crew arguing over their shares, the local colonists, fearing that Rhode Island acquire a reputation of trading with pirates, forced Blauvelt to leave the colony. For the next several years Blauvelt commanded a French ship called La Garse, later living among the natives of Cape Gracias a Dios near the border of Honduras and Nicaragua, until the early 1660s when he was recruited for Christopher Myngs' raid on the Spanish colony of Campeche Bay in 1663. However, nothing more is known about his activities after this time.

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Περιστατικά μανιάτικης πειρατείας

H πειρατεία στις ελληνικές θάλασσες εμφάνισε έξαρ­ση κατά τους δύο τελευταίους αι­ώνες της Τουρκοκρατίας. Σε αυτό συνέβαλε και ο ανταγωνισμός των Δυτικών δυνάμεων με την Ανατο­λή για τον έλεγχο των θαλάσσιων δρόμων που περνούσαν από το Αιγαίο. Η Βενετία, κατά τη διάρ­κεια της πολιορκίας του Χάνδακα από τους Τούρκους, είχε στρατο­λογήσει πειρατές για να αμυνθεί. Οι Ρώσοι, όταν κατέβηκαν στο Αι­γαίο (18ος αιώνας), επάνδρωσαν τα πλοία τους με πειρατές από τη Μάνη, την Πρέβεζα και άλλες περιοχές. Ευρωπαίοι διπλωμάτες συναλλάσσονταν φανερά με τους πειρατές. Ο καθολικός κλήρος, οι Ιησουίτες και οι Καπουτσίνοι μοναχοί εμπλέκονταν συχνά στο κούρσος και λάμβαναν την πειρα­τική λεία ως προσφορά στην εκ­κλησία τους· ενταφίαζαν μάλιστα τους ομόθρησκους πειρατές στον περίβολο των ναών. Το ίδιο συνέ­βαινε και με τον ορθόδοξο κλήρο. Στη Μάνη η Θεία Λειτουργία διε­ξαγόταν με αντικείμενα που προ­έρχονταν από την πειρατεία – ιερά σκεύη, δισκοπότηρα κ.τ.λ. – ενώ οι ορθόδοξοι παπάδες συμμετεί­χαν μόνιμα στις διαδικασίες αρ­παγής και διανομής του πειρατι­κού πλούτου.

Εκείνη την εποχή η εκποίηση της πειρατικής λείας απέφερε τεράστια κέρδη και διατηρούσε σε υψηλά επίπεδα τις πειρατικές επιδρομές, εφόσον υπήρχαν α­κόμα αγοραστές. Η Κίμωλος και η Μήλος ήταν νησιά όπου πραγμα­τοποιούνταν τέτοιου είδους συναλλαγές· το ίδιο όμως συνέβαινε και αλλού. Το Αλγέρι τον 16οαιώ-να είχε πληθυσμό εκατό χιλιάδες, που ζούσαν αποκλειστικά από την πειρατεία. Εκεί ήταν εγκατε­στημένοι ακόμα και οι Ευρωπαίοι έμποροι που συναλλάσσονταν με τους ντόπιους πειρατές. Και οι Μανιάτες όμως είχαν ιδρύσει δική τους παροικία στο Αλγέρι, όπου ανέπτυξαν σημαντικές δραστηρι­ότητες.

Τα περιστατικά της μανιάτι­κης πειρατείας είναι πολυάριθμα και, φυσικά, δεν μπορούν παρά να αναφερθούν μόνο ορισμένα ενδεικτικά. Άλλωστε, η πειρα­τεία διεξαγόταν στο περιθώριο της κοινωνικής ζωής και σε συν­θήκες παρανομίας. Οι πειρατές ήταν άνθρωποι της δράσης και δεν άφηναν πίσω τους γραπτά μνημεία. Ό,τι στοιχείο υπάρχει γι’ αυτούς, διασώθηκε από τις γραπτές καταγγελίες ιδιωτών για πειρατικές πράξεις ή προέρχεται από την αλληλογραφία των τοπικών αρχών προς την Υψηλή Πύλη και τη Δύση, όπου καταγγέλλο­νταν περιπτώσεις πειρατείας. Τα ιστοριογραφικά κενά καλύπτονται συχνά από τη λαϊκή παράδοση, τα δημοτικά τραγούδια, τα μοιρολό­για, τα ποιήματα που εξυμνούν κατορθώματα πειρατών αλλά και τις συμφορές που υπέστησαν οι κάτοικοι του Αιγαίου από τις επι­δρομές τους. Θα αναφερθούμε σε ορισμένα από αυτά.

Σύμφωνα με έρευνα του Γ.Β. Νικολάου στον ΙΖ’ τόμο των «Λα­κωνικών σπουδών», τον Ιούνιο του 1776 έγινε πειρατεία στο στενό μεταξύ των Κυθήρων και της ανα­τολικής πλευράς της μανιάτικης χερσονήσου. Οι πειρατές είχαν επικεφαλής τον Κωνσταντή Κο­λοκοτρώνη, πατέρα του πρωτερ­γάτη της Επανάστασης του 1821 Θεόδωρο Κολοκοτρώνη. Το πλοίο τους ήταν γαλιότα με πλήρωμα ο­γδόντα Μανιάτες και Σφακιανούς και κατέλαβαν δύο βενετσιάνικα πλοία και το γαλλικό «Jean Baptiste», με φορτίο καπνού. Τα τρία πλοία οδηγήθηκαν στην Καρδαμύλη, που ήταν τότε έδρα του η­γεμόνα καπετάνιου Μιχαήλ Τρουπάκη. Ο πλοίαρχος και δύο ναύτες του γαλλικού πλοίου εστάλησαν στον πρόξενο της Γαλλίας, για να διαπραγματευτούν την καταβολή σαράντα χιλιάδων πιάστρων ως λύτρα για την απελευθέρωση των υπόλοιπων μελών του πληρώμα­τος και την επιστροφή του πλοίου και του φορτίου του. Σύμφωνα με έγγραφο που έστειλαν οι οθωμα­νικές αρχές από την Κορώνη στην Κωνσταντινούπολη, συνένοχος στην πειρατεία θεωρήθηκε και ο ηγεμόνας της περιοχής Μιχαήλ Τρουπάκης, καθώς ήταν ιδιοκτή­της της πειρατικής γαλιότας και την είχε πουλήσει εικονικά στον Κολοκοτρώνη, ο οποίος ασκούσε τότε πειρατεία. Το αντάλλαγμα γι’ αυτή τη διευκόλυνση ήταν βέβαια το ήμισυ των λύτρων που θα εισέ­πρατταν οι πειρατές από τους Γάλ­λους. Μετά την αδυναμία της οθω­μανικής διοίκησης να διευθετήσει το όλο θέμα, οι Γάλλοι έστειλαν το

πλοίο «Atalantis» να επιτεθεί στην Καρδαμύλη και στον πύργο του Τρουπάκη. Στόχος τους ήταν να εκφοβίσουν τους κατοίκους, ώστε οι τελευταίοι να τους παραδώσουν την πειρατική γαλιότα. Όμως, οι ε­τοιμοπόλεμοι Μανιάτες τους αντι­μετώπισαν σθεναρά, και μετά τον τραυματισμό του κυβερνήτη και δύο ναυτών οι Γάλλοι αποχώρησαν άπραγοι.

Σύμφωνα με άλλο υπόμνημα του Γάλλου εμπόρου Σοβέ, το 1817 ο Παναγιώτης Τρουπάκης, ο επο­νομαζόμενος Μούρτζινος, διοι­κούσε την καπετανία της Ανδρούβιστας με πρωτεύουσα την Καρδαμύλη. Ο πατέρας του τού είχε διαθέσει μια γαλιότα, με την οποία ασκούσε πειρατεία. Ο Μούρτζινος είχε καταλάβει κοντά στα Κύθηρα δύο εμπορικά πλοία, ένα γαλλικό και ένα βενετσιάνικο, τα οποία ε­ξαγόρασε ο Σοβέ μαζί με τα πλη­ρώματα καταβάλλοντας οκτώμισι χιλιάδες γρόσια. Ο πατέρας του Μούρτζινου, Μιχαήλ Τρουπάκης, είχε εκλεγεί παλαιότερα μπέης της Μάνης. Επειδή όμως ασκούσε πειρατεία αλλά και παρείχε άσυλο στους κλεφτοκαπεταναίους, οι οποίοι απ’ την Καρδαμύλη λεηλα­τούσαν τους Τούρκους της Μεσ­σηνίας, συνελήφθη και κρεμάστη­κε από το κατάρτι της ναυαρχίδας του Τούρκου αρχιναύαρχου στη Μυτιλήνη.

Σύμφωνα με την Αλεξάνδρα Κραντονέλλη, το 1801 οι προεστοί της Ύδρας μήνυσαν στον διερμη­νέα του οθωμανικού στόλου ότι δύο μανιάτικες τράτες κούρσευαν έξω από την Ύδρα. Στις 4 Φεβρου­αρίου 1803, ο Γεώργιος Βούλ­γαρης ανήγγειλε από την Ύδρα στους προεστούς των νησιών του αρχιπελάγους ότι έλαβε διαταγή από τον Τούρκο αρχιναύαρχο να καταδιώξει τον πειρατή Λωβό και άλλους Μανιάτες πειρατές. Γι’ αυ­τόν τον σκοπό, έστειλε τον μπας ρεΐζη των Υδραίων καπετάν Γιάννη Καραντάνη με μια τράτα αρματω­μένη με δύο κανόνια και είκοσι παλικάρια για να συλλάβουν τους Μανιάτες. Ο ίδιος ο Βούλγαρης αναχώρησε από την Ύδρα με μια γαλιότα, με στόχο να αιχμαλωτίσει τους κλέφτες και να τακτοποιήσει την κατάσταση στη Μάνη. Δηλα­δή, να διχάσει τους Μανιάτες και να συλλάβει τον μπέη Παναγιώτη Κουμουνδουράκη, ο οποίος υπέθαλπτε την πειρατεία, παρείχε άσυλο στους πειρατές και διατη­ρούσε οργανωμένο δίκτυο πληρο­φοριών και κλεπταποδόχων.

Σε άλλο περιστατικό, μερικοί Μανιάτες σε επιδρομή στη Σχοινούσσα αιχμαλώτισαν μια βάρκα με το πλήρωμά της και την οικο­γένεια του Γεωργάκη Μπαρδάκα, σούδιτου Ρώσου, ενώ ετοιμαζόταν να αναχωρήσει για τη Νάξο. Οι πει­ρατές ξεγύμνωσαν τον Μπαρδάκα και τη συντροφιά του, που κατέ­φυγαν στις προξενικές αρχές της Νάξου και κατήγγειλαν τα εξής:

«Ναξία 1816, Απρίλιος 2 Ε.Ν. ημέ­ρα Τρίτη επαρουσιάσθηκαν εις την Καντζελλαρίαν του Κονσολάρου του Αυτοκρατορικού των πασών Ρουσιών εις Ναξία οι κάτωθεν υ­πογεγραμμένοι Λάμπρος Ρεΐζης, Νεονής, Ιωβάνης, Ρώσος και Κωνσταντής Μεσμελής οι οποίοι με το να εφέρθησαν με την βάρκαν τους εις το νησάκι ονομαζόμενον Σκοινούσαν, από κάτω από την Ναξίαν διά να πάρουσι και να φέρουσι εδώ εις το πόρτο τον σινιόρ Γεωργάκη Μπαρδάκα, σούδιτον Ρούσσον με την μητέρα του και σύζυγόν του, εκεί είδανε εις τας ένδεκα του Φλεβάρη απερασμένους και επλάκωσαν εις εκείνο το νησί ένα καΐκι κλέπτικο καραβοκυρεμένο από έ­να Κρανιδιώτη ονόματι Σανόπουλο του Σταμάτη Λέκα και οι λοιποί ό­λοι σύντροφοί του ήτονε Μανιάτες και εξεγύμωσαν τον άνωθεν σινιόρ Γεοργάκη Μπαρδάκα με την συντροφία του εις τρόπον οπού τον άφησαν με τον μοναχό πουκάμισο επειδή και ευρίσκονταν εις την στεριάν εκεί που αράξανε το καράβι ό­που ήταν μπαρκάδο του Καπετάν Ιακουμάκη Λάμπρο Σαντορινιός και αφού τους εξεγύμνωσαν τους έβαλαν εις το καΐκι των άνωθεν γεμιτζήδων με τα μοναχά τους κορμιά και ήλθανε εις την Χώραν της Ναξίας. Ταύτα μαρτυρούσι εκ συνειδότος ως είναι γνωστά και εις όλο το νησί της Ναξίας βεβαιωμέ­νο ιδιοχείρως τως.

Λάμπρος Ρεήζης Νεονής μαρτυρώ

Γιάκοβος Ρώσος μαρτυρώ

Γιοβάνης Ρώσος μαρτυρώ

Ιωάννης Χατζής μαρτυρώ

Αργύρης Ταμηράλης μαρτυρώ

Κωνσταντής Μεσμελής μάρτυς

Φραντζέσκος Γεράρδης

υποπρόξενος

σφραγίς δικέφαλος αετός

επιγραφή

Conoslato di Naxia et Paros»

Όμως, και η λαϊκή παράδοση κατέγραψε πειρατικές επιθέσεις των Μανιατών. Όπως αφηγείται ο Γεώργιος Ι. Τζαννετής, εκπαι­δευτικός από τον Καλόξυλο Νά­ξου, «κάποτε, ένας πειρατής από τη Μάνη βγήκε στη Σχοινούσσα για πειρατεία. Διάλεξε λοιπόν να ληστέψει την εκκλησία Παναγία η Ακαθή. Την ώρα της ληστείας όμως ο κουρσάρος βλέποντας την εικόνα της Παναγίας να τον κοιτάζει συνεχώς, νόμισε πως τον παρακολουθούσε. Νευρίασε λοι­πόν, έβγαλε την κουμπούρα του και πυροβόλησε την εικόνα καταστρέφοντάς την. Μετά πήρε τη λεία του και κατέβηκε για να φύ­γει. Αλλά στον δρόμο γλίστρησε, γκρεμίστηκε πλάι σε μια σπηλιά και σκοτώθηκε. Από τότε, η σπη­λιά αυτή πήρε τ’ όνομα “Η σπηλιά του Μανιάτη”».

Περίφημο υπήρξε το περιστα­τικό με πρωταγωνιστή τον λόρδο Βύρωνα: κατά τη διάρκεια μιας εκδρομής στο Σούνιο, εντόπισε στις σπηλιές κάτω από τον Ναό του Ποσειδώνα είκοσι Μανιάτες πειρατές που είχαν αιχμαλωτίσει μερικούς Έλληνες. Όταν οι πειρα­τές συνειδητοποίησαν ότι ένας λόρδος βρισκόταν στον λόφο, ετοιμάστηκαν να επιτεθούν για να τον αρπάξουν, με σκοπό να ζη­τήσουν λύτρα. Τελικά όμως η πά­νοπλη συνοδεία του ποιητή τούς αποθάρρυνε.

Τέλος, πάλι από την Αλεξάνδρα Κραντονέλλη πληροφορούμαστε ότι στις 7 Ιουνίου 1810 ο ιερομό­ναχος Σταυριανός Λεβούμης έ­πεσε θύμα Μανιατών πειρατών έξω από τον Κάβο Μαλιά. Στις 16 Ιουλίου του ίδιου έτους μερικοί Υδραίοι εξόπλισαν και επάνδρω­σαν μια τράτα για να καταδιώξουν τους Μανιάτες πειρατές που λε­ηλατούσαν πλοία στα νερά του Ευβοϊκού Κόλπου, της Τζιας, της Άνδρου, του Τρικερίου και της Σάμου. Το βιβλίο της Αλεξάνδρας Κραντονέλλη «Ελληνική πειρατεία και κούρσος» περιέχει μεγάλο α­ριθμό ανάλογων γεγονότων.

Αν όμως αυτή ήταν η αρπακτική όψη της μανιάτικης πειρατείας, υ­πήρχε πάντα και η άλλη πλευρά. Ο Κωνσταντίνος Ράδιος στο διήγημά του «Κακαβούλια» αναφέρεται σε ένα περιστατικό που έλαβε χώρα στο Πόρτο Κάγιο. Όπως γράφει, οι κάτοικοι της Μέσα Μάνης υπέφε­ραν από λοιμό που είχε προκληθεί από την ανομβρία και την έλλειψη γονιμότητας της γης. Οι γέροι και τα παιδιά είχαν αρχίσει να πεθαί­νουν από την πείνα· οι κάτοικοι εί­χαν φτάσει στα όρια της απόγνω­σης. Η μόνη τους ελπίδα ήταν να εμφανιστεί ένα καράβι στα νερά της Μάνης για να το κουρσέψουν. Πράγματι, κάποια στιγμή ένα ξέ­νο πλοίο παρουσιάστηκε και οι Μανιάτες πανηγύρισαν. Χωρίς να χάσουν καιρό, το κατέλαβαν με γιουρούσι – μέσα όμως βρή­καν ανθρώπους πολύ πιο εξαθλι­ωμένους από τους ίδιους. Ήταν πρόσφυγες από έναν πόλεμο της δυτικής Ευρώπης. Λαβωμένοι, άρρωστοι, ταλαιπωρημένοι απ’ τις κακουχίες και την πείνα, είχαν αρχίσει να αργοπεθαίνουν. Οι Μα­νιάτες αποφάσισαν να τους περι­θάλψουν. Ρυμούλκησαν το πλοίο τους στη στεριά και τους πρόσφε­ραν άσυλο και τροφή, παρόλη την πείνα και τη φτώχεια τους.

http://www.topontiki.gr/Articles/view/8989

Πηγή: Κατερίνα Καριζώνη,

Λεωνίδας Γουργουρίνης,

Χάρης Γιαννόπουλος

Πειρατεία στη Μάνη και στη Μεσόγειο

Εκδόσεις: Αδούλωτη Μάνη,

Γ. Λ. Δημακογιαννης

Σελ.: 158

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George Booth the Gunner

George Booth (died 1700) was an English pirate who was one of the earliest active in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea during the late 17th century. Among his fleet included prominent captains such as Nathaniel North, Thomas Howard and Booth's eventual successor, John Bowen.

Although his early life is largely unknown, he is first recorded in his career as a gunner aboard the Pelican around 1696, and later the Dolphin, both of which operated in the Indian Ocean.

While Booth was still a gunner aboard the Dolphin, she was trapped at Sainte-Marie Island by a British fleet in September 1699. The crew of the Dolphin were offered a pardon by the British commodore. Although some of the pirates surrendered, Booth was among those who escaped to nearby Madagascar after burning the Dolphin. Booth would later participate in the capture of a French merchant ship on the pretence of buying supplies carrying liquor and other goods in exchange for slaves and, elected by the crew as captain, they continued onward to Madagascar.

Booth later encountered fellow British pirate John Bowen and, choosing to join forces, they later captured the Speaker, a 450 ton slaver carrying 50 guns, near Majunga in April, 1699. As captain of the newly captured prize, Booth eventually sailed towards Zanzibar and arrived towards the end of 1700. While going ashore for provisions, Booth and Bowen were attacked by Arab troops and Booth was killed in the fighting. After the death of Booth, Bowen was voted by the crew to replace Booth as captain of the small fleet.

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Captain John Halsey

John Halsey (died 1708) was a colonial American privateer and a later pirate who was active in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans during the early 18th century. Although much of his life and career is unknown, he is recorded in A General History of the Pyrates which states "He was brave in his Person, courteous to all his Prisoners, lived beloved, and died regretted by his own People. His Grave was made in a garden of watermelons, and fenced in with Palisades to prevent his being rooted up by wild Hogs."

Born in Boston, Halsey became a privateer in the service of Great Britain commanding the 10-gun brigantine Charles during the War of the Spanish Succession, or Queen Anne's War as it was known in the American colonies, and raided French fishing fleets in the Newfoundland and later sailed to Fayal in the Azores and the to the Canary Islands where he attacked Spanish ships en route to Barcelona during 1704. During the voyage, several of his men deserted as he put his lieutenant ashore at Cape Verde. However they were subsequently returned to Halsey by the Portuguese governor who recognized the validity of his privateer's commission.

However, as his letter of marque expired the following year, he turned to piracy and sailed to Madagascar. As he made his way through the Cape of Good Hope, putting into Augustine Bay for water, wood and other provisions, Halsey picked up several castaway sailors of the lost Degrave, formerly under the command of Captain Young. Leaving Augustine, he sailed for the Red Sea in search of treasure ships the Great Mogul of India operated in the Indian Ocean.

In late 1706, the Charles spotted a large Dutch ship which Halsey declined to attack, reluctant to offend a European power. His crew condemned the captain and his gunner for cowardice and relieved them of their posts. The crew, who presumed the ship to be a lone merchantman, pressed forward with their attack only to discover, as they approached their intended victim, that the Dutch ship was well gunned. It fired a warning shot towards the Charles, which injured a crew member manning the wheel as well as unstripping the swivel gun and severely damaging the topsail. The Dutch attack caught the crew off guard and many to fled into the ship's hold. Despite the damage, the Charles escaped and Halsey was reinstated as commander shortly afterwards.

After seizing two coastal traders off the Nicobar Islands in February 1707, he sailed to the Straits of Malacca fared poorly due to the low morale of the crew following the incident of the Dutch ship.

Returning to Madagascar, Halsey recruited additional men including his Quartermaster Nathaniel North. Setting sail for Mocha, he encountered a British squadron consisting of five warships shortly after entering the Red Sea in August 1707. Despite facing a combined 62 guns, Halsey chose to engage the British fleet and, after forcing the largest to flee, the remaining warships scattered with Halsey capturing two of the warships, along with £50,000 in money and cargo.

Following his return to Madagascar in January 1708, his flotilla was virtually destroyed in a hurricane. Halsey died of a fever soon after.

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Against All Flags

After James Stewart's financial windfall attending his "percentage of profits" deal on Winchester 73, Errol Flynn decided to cash in by making his own deal with Universal Pictures, accepting a moderate fee up front and a huge chunk of the gross for Against All Flags.

Set in the 16th century, the film casts Flynn as a British naval officer unjustly condemned for desertion. He escapes punishment and joins Anthony Quinn's pirate band, wherein he and Quinn vie for the attentions of glamorous female buccaneer Maureen O'Hara. Flynn incurs O'Hara's wrath when he rescues a lovely middle-eastern princess (Alice Kelley) from slave traders, but O'Hara still comes to Flynn's aid when he is left to die by Quinn. Flynn and O'Hara team up to thwart Quinn's evil schemes, whereupon it is revealed that Flynn's "disgrace" was a ruse, concocted by the British government to stem pirate activities in Madagascar.

Though suffering several injuries during shooting, Errol Flynn  was back in his old fighting form in Against All Flags, requiring a double only in a few scattered longshots. The film was poorly remade in 1967 as The King's Pirate, with Doug McClure inadequately filling Errol Flynn's seven-league boots. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Cast

    * Errol Flynn - Brian Hawke
    * Maureen O'Hara - Spitfire Stevens
    * Anthony Quinn - Roc Brasiliano
    * Alice Kelley - Princess Patma
    * Mildred Natwick - Molvina MacGregor

Robert Warwick - Capt. Kidd; Harry Cording - Gow; John Alderson - Jonathan Harris; Phil Tully - Jones; Lester Matthews - Sir Cloudsley; Tudor Owen - William the Armourer; Maurice Marsac - Capt. Moisson; James Craven - Capt. Hornsby; James Fairfax - Cruikshank the Barber; Charles Fitzsimmons - Flag Lieutenant; Arthur E. Gould-Porter - Lord Portland; Chuck Hamilton - Pirate; Olaf Hytten - King William; Ethan Laidlaw - Townsman; Keith McConnell - Quartermaster; Paul Newlan - Crop-ear Collins; Bill Radovich - Hassan; Michael Ross - Swaine; Lewis L. Russell - Oxford; Carl Saxe - Pirate; John Anderson - Jonathan Harris

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The History of Turtle Ship

The 'Turtle War' Ship (Keo-Book-Sun) is a very famous Korean war ship that was under the command of Admiral Lee Sun Shin (1545-1598). The Ship played a significant role in driving back the Japanese fleet during the Hydeyoshi Invasion of Korea in the year 1592. It was also used in many other naval battles as well as the 'Han-San Naval Engagement' which was one of four major naval engagements worldwide.
Designed by Admiral Lee, and built with a steel dome cover over the deck of a classical type Korean ship called, 'Phan-Ok', hundreds of sharp swords were installed on the outer surface of the dome to make boarding the ship by enemies difficult and hazardous. The name is derived from the Korean word for turtle, (Keo-book-ee). Also because of its shape which resembled that of a turtle. A large dragon`s head was attached to the bow of the ship to make it appear more threatening and terrifying to its enemies. Along its sides were mounted numerous cannons at each of the many openings as well as one in the bow structure.

The 'Turtle-War-Ship' sailed amidst the Japanese fleet inflicting many casualties on Hydeyoshi`s naval forces, using its many cannons and sulfuric fires during the 'Im-Jin Engagement' of 1592. This ship became a very famous ship in Korea and was upgraded on a yearly basis during the Chosun Dynasty.
The model kit of the 'Turtle-War-Ship' uses many evidential materials referred to in Admiral Lee`s diary, figures, rebuilt models, etcetera. This particular kit is a copy of the 'Turtle-War-Ship' from the 'Left Oceanic District' in Jeon-Ra province of Korea. Even though the detailed structural drawings and dimensions are not available today, the two deck structure was used in keeping with the known ship designs and schematics from that period in Korean History that are available to us today.

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18th-Century Ship Found at Trade Center Site

18th-Century Ship Found at Trade Center Site
By DAVID W. DUNLAP

In the middle of tomorrow, a great ribbed ghost has emerged from a distant yesterday.

On Tuesday morning, workers excavating the site of the underground vehicle security center for the future World Trade Center hit a row of sturdy, upright wood timbers, regularly spaced, sticking out of a briny gray muck flecked with oyster shells.

Obviously, these were more than just remnants of the wooden cribbing used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to extend the shoreline of Manhattan Island ever farther into the Hudson River. (Lower Manhattan real estate was a precious commodity even then.)

“They were so perfectly contoured that they were clearly part of a ship,” said A. Michael Pappalardo, an archaeologist with the firm AKRF, which is working for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to document historical material uncovered during construction.

By Wednesday, the outlines made it plain: a 30-foot length of a wood-hulled vessel had been discovered about 20 to 30 feet below street level on the World Trade Center site, the first such large-scale archaeological find along the Manhattan waterfront since 1982, when an 18th-century cargo ship came to light at 175 Water Street.

The area under excavation, between Liberty and Cedar Streets, had not been dug out for the original trade center. The vessel, presumably dating from the mid- to late 1700s, was evidently undisturbed more than 200 years.

News of the find spread quickly. Archaeologists and officials hurried to the site, not only because of the magnitude of the discovery but because construction work could not be interrupted and because the timber, no longer safe in its cocoon of ooze, began deteriorating as soon as it was exposed to air.

For that reason, Doug Mackey, the chief regional archaeologist for the New York State Historic Preservation Office, was grateful for the rainfall. “If the sun had been out,” he said, “the wood would already have started to fall apart.”

As other archaeologists scrambled with tape measures over what appeared to be the floor planks of the ship’s lowermost deck, Mr. Mackey said, “We’re trying to record it as quickly as possible and do the analysis later.” All around the skeletal hull, excavation for the security center proceeded, changing the muddy terrain every few minutes.

Romantics may conjure the picture of an elegant schooner passing in sight of the spire of Trinity Church. Professional archaeologists are much more reserved.

They were even careful not to say for certain whether they were looking at the prow or the stern of the vessel, though the fanlike array of beams seemed to suggest that the aft (rear) portion of the ship was exposed. Mr. Pappalardo said the whole vessel may have been two or three times longer than the portion found.

Perhaps the most puzzling and intriguing find was a semicircular metal collar, several feet across, apparently supported on a brick base, built into the hull. Perhaps it was some sort of an oven or steam contraption.

About the farthest Mr. Mackey and Mr. Pappalardo would go in conjecture was to say that the sawed-off beams seemed to indicate that the hull had deliberately been truncated, most likely to be used as landfill material.

A 1797 map shows that the excavation site is close to where Lindsey’s Wharf and Lake’s Wharf once projected into the Hudson. So, no matter how many mysteries now surround the vessel, it may turn out that the ghost even has a name.

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Πειρατικές ιστορίες στη Μεσόγειο

Στα τέλη του 16ου αιώνα χρι­στιανοί πειρατές έκαναν την εμφάνισή τους στην ανατολική Μεσόγειο, ασκώντας πειρατεία παράλληλα με μουσουλμάνους, Βέρβερους και Οθωμανούς. Οι χριστιανοί κουρσάροι βρίσκο­νταν συνήθως στην υπηρεσία του πάπα, των Ισπανών αντιβασιλέων της Νάπολης και της Σικελίας, καθώς και των Μεδίκων της Φλω­ρεντίας. Πρέπει να σημειωθεί ότι οι Μέδικοι της Φλωρεντίας χρηματοδότησαν πάρα πολλές κουρσάρικες επιδρομές ενάντια στην Οθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία. Κινητήρια δύναμη σε αυτές τις επιδρομές υπήρξε το Τάγμα του Αγίου Στεφάνου, που ιδρύθηκε το 1561 στην Πίζα και το χρημα­τοδοτούσε με προσωπικά του κεφάλαια ο εκάστοτε Δούκας της Φλωρεντίας. Το 1608 τα λάφυρα μόνο των οκτώ ιστιοφόρων της Φλωρεντίας ανέρχονταν στο α­στρονομικό ποσό του ενός εκα­τομμυρίου δουκάτων. Αξιοσημεί­ωτο είναι το γεγονός ότι η Μεγάλη Δούκισσα Χριστίνα, πριγκίπισσα της Λορένης, χρησιμοποίησε όλα τα χρήματα της προίκας της για την κατασκευή ιστιοφόρων, που θα ταξίδευαν και θα κούρσευαν με τα προσωπικά της εμβλήματα. Η πειρατεία αποτελούσε εκείνη την εποχή εξαιρετικά κερδοφόρα επένδυση.

Την ίδια τακτική ακολούθησαν και οι Ισπανοί αντιβασιλείς της Νάπολης και της Σικελίας. Κύριος εκφραστής αυτής της πολιτικής υπήρξε ο Δον Πέδρο Τελέζ Γκιρόν, ο Δούκας της Οσούνας. Κατά τη δεκαετή θητεία του ως αντιβασι-λέας της Νάπολης δημιούργησε ίσως τον μεγαλύτερο χριστιανικό κουρσάρικο στόλο της εποχής και τον χρηματοδοτούσε ο ίδιος. Στη Νάπολη είχε συγκεντρωθεί η αφρόκρεμα των χριστιανών κουρ­σάρων. Οι επιδρομές του στο αρ­χιπέλαγος δεν είχαν στόχο μόνο το κέρδος, αλλά και την πρόκλη­ση όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερων ζημιών στην Οθωμανική Αυτο­κρατορία, με την παράλυση του εμπορίου της και την αύξηση του κύρους της Ισπανίας σε ολόκληρη τη Μεσόγειο. Ο Δον Πέδρο Τελέζ Γκιρόν είχε αποκτήσει τόσο με­γάλη δύναμη, που προσπάθησε ακόμα και να καταλάβει την ίδια τη Βενετία· την τελευταία στιγμή όμως τα σχέδιά του αποκαλύφθη­καν. Το γεγονός αυτό αποτέλεσε και την αιτία της πτώσης του.

Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι τόσο ο Δούκας της Τοσκάνης όσο και ο αντιβασιλέας της Νάπολης είχαν στενές σχέσεις με το ελληνικό στοιχείο. Οι εντολές που έδιναν στους καπετάνιους των πλοίων τους ήταν σαφείς: να μην επιτί­θενται σε ελληνικά πλοία ούτε να πλήττουν τα χωριά και τις περιου­σίες των Ελλήνων. Αντίθετα μάλι­στα, τους παρότρυναν να παρέ­χουν στους Έλληνες κάθε δυνατή βοήθεια και να καλλιεργούν το ε παναστατικό πνεύμα τους ενάντια στους Τούρκους. Δεν είναι λίγες οι καταγραφές που αναφέρουν ότι ισπανικές γαλέρες αλλά και γαλιόνια της Φλωρεντίας εφοδία­σαν τους κατοίκους της Μάνης με μπαρούτι, αρκεβούζια και άλλα πο­λεμοφόδια. Η πολεμική ενίσχυση που πρόσφεραν όμως στη Μάνη έ­κρυβε ένα κρυφό σχέδιο: είχαν την ελπίδα ότι οι Μανιάτες τελικά θα απογοητεύονταν από τις συνεχείς συγκρούσεις και θα μετανάστευαν στην Τοσκάνη και στη Νάπολη. Στις εν λόγω περιοχές υπήρχε μεγάλη ανάγκη για εργατικά χέρια, προκει­μένου να καλλιεργηθούν τα χωρά­φια και να αρχίσουν να αποδίδουν. Το σχέδιό τους όμως δεν πραγμα­τοποιήθηκε. Εξάλλου, η πολιτική της Βενετίας ήταν αντίθετη, καθώς επιδίωκε την παραμονή των Μα­νιατών στην πατρίδα τους, επειδή οι Βενετοί χρησιμοποιούσαν τα λι­μάνια τους για ανεφοδιασμό και ως καταφύγιο. Επίσης, συχνά πυκνά κατέφευγαν στη Μάνη για να επαν­δρώσουν τις γαλέρες τους.

Παρά την έντονη πειρατική δρά­ση στα επόμενα τριάντα χρόνια μέ­χρι τις αρχές του 17ου αιώνα, ξεκί­νησε πιο συστηματικά ο επανεποι-κισμός των νησιών από χριστιανι­κούς, ελληνικούς και αλβανικούς πληθυσμούς, με πρωτοβουλία κατά κύριο λόγο της Πύλης, κα­θώς και η οικιστική ανοικοδόμη­ση στο Αιγαίο. Εκείνη την περίοδο οι κάτοικοι των νησιών άρχισαν να παίρνουν κάποια μέτρα προστασί­ας για να μπορούν να προφυλάσ­σονται από τις πειρατικές επιδρο­μές. Απομακρύνθηκαν από τα πα­ράλια και μετοίκησαν στα βουνά, ώστε να έχουν τη δυνατότητα να διακρίνουν καλύτερα την έλευση πειρατικών πλοίων. Επίσης, για την καλύτερη προστασία τους άρχισαν να χτίζουν κάστρα. Συνή­θως ήταν μικρά και μπορούσαν να φιλοξενήσουν περιορισμένο αριθ­μό κατοίκων. Με την πάροδο του χρόνου όμως έγιναν μεγαλύτερα και μπορούσαν να συντηρήσουν σχεδόν όλους τους κατοίκους του εκάστοτε νησιού για αρκετά μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα. Λόγω του περιορισμένου χώρου των κά­στρων, οι κάτοικοι έχτιζαν ψηλές κατοικίες και οι δρόμοι ήταν στε­νοί για οικονομία χώρου. Ένα άλλο μέτρο που λάμβαναν οι νησιώτες ήταν ότι έχτιζαν τα χωριά τους με μια ιδιαίτερη αρχιτεκτονική, ώστε οι εξωτερικοί τοίχοι των σπιτιών να σχηματίζουν οχυρωμένα τείχη. Μέσα στον οικισμό υπήρχαν πολ­λά στενά και δαιδαλώδη δρομά­κια, τα οποία οι κάτοικοι γνώριζαν καλά, όχι όμως και οι επιδρομείς. Επίσης, οι κάτοικοι έσκαβαν κρύ­πτες στα σπίτια τους και έκρυβαν εκεί τα πολύτιμα αγαθά τους ή κρύβονταν και οι ίδιοι για να μη συλληφθούν από τους πειρατές.

Πολλά νησιά του Αιγαίου γνώ­ρισαν πρωτοφανή άνθηση, διότι αναδείχθηκαν ως σταθμοί μετα­πρατικού εμπορίου, καθώς και ορμητήρια για τους πειρατές και τους κουρσάρους που δρούσαν στο αρχιπέλαγος. Οι κοινότητες των νησιών και των παραθαλάσ­σιων περιοχών, αν δεν ασκούσαν οι ίδιες πειρατεία, συνεργάζονταν με τους πειρατές προσφέροντας ασφαλές καταφύγιο, φτηνή δια­σκέδαση και αγορά για τα προϊό­ντα της πειρατείας. Η Μήλος απο­τελεί χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγ­μα. Ήταν το σημαντικότερο λιμάνι στο Αιγαίο, ένα από τα κυριότερα κέντρα πειρατικού εμπορίου, και χρησιμοποιήθηκε αποκλειστικά από χριστιανούς κουρσάρους και πειρατές. Η Μήλος αποτελούσε ταυτόχρονα και ένα από τα βασι­κότερα πειρατικά ορμητήρια των Κυκλάδων. Η δύναμη που απέκτη­σε ήταν τέτοια, ώστε όταν το 1670 ο οθωμανικός στόλος προσπάθη­σε να αποκαταστήσει την τάξη στο νησί, εκδιώχθηκε από τους ίδιους τους πειρατές. Δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι η Μήλος κατάφερε να ανακηρυ­χθεί το μοναδικό πειρατικό κρά­τος στον κόσμο, υπό την εξουσία του διαβόητου Ιωάννη Καψή. Στις αρχές του 17ου αιώνα έμποροι, μι-κροτραπεζίτες αλλά και μεγάλες εμπορικές επιχειρήσεις της Ευρώ­πης έστελναν εκεί αντιπροσώπους για να διαπραγματευτούν την αγο­ρά των προϊόντων της πειρατείας σε εξαιρετικά χαμηλές τιμές.

Τα κυριότερα λάφυρα της πει­ρατείας ήταν οι άνθρωποι γιατί μπορούσαν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως κωπηλάτες στις γαλέρες, να πουληθούν ως σκλάβοι ή να εξαγο­ραστούν από τους συγγενείς τους, ειδικά εάν ήταν εύπορα πρόσωπα. Πρέπει να τονιστεί ότι η εξαγορά των αιχμαλώτων ήταν μία από τις πιο επικερδείς επιχειρήσεις εκείνη την εποχή. Αυτή ήταν και η αιτία που συγκροτήθηκαν ειδικά ταμεία από τους Έλληνες, για να μπορούν να προσφέρουν το αντίστοιχο χρη­ματικό ποσό («σκλαβιάτικα») για την εξαγορά των αιχμαλώτων. Στη δυτική Ευρώπη είχαν δημιουργη­θεί εταιρείες για την εξαγορά αιχ­μαλώτων από τους πειρατές. Όταν ένας σκλάβος κατάφερνε να πλη­ρώσει τα λύτρα που του ζητούσαν, τότε απελευθερωνόταν και του χο­ρηγούσαν ένα πιστοποιητικό («τε-σκερές»), με το οποίο ο ιδιοκτήτης του σκλάβου βεβαίωνε ότι είχε λά­βει τα λύτρα.

Σημαντικά λάφυρα επίσης ήταν τα ζώα και οι σοδειές, γιατί μπο­ρούσαν να εκποιηθούν άμεσα και ταυτόχρονα να θρέψουν το πλήρω­μα του εκάστοτε πειρατικού πλοί­ου. Άλλη αξιόλογη λεία ήταν τα εμπορεύματα, ιδιαίτερα τα πολύ­τιμα, που μετέφεραν τα εμπορικά πλοία. Βέβαια, οι πειρατές που τα άρπαζαν δεν μπορούσαν να απο­κομίσουν κέρδος ανάλογο με την αξία τους. Ο κυριότερος λόγος ή­ταν ότι επιθυμούσαν να βγάλουν το κέρδος της λείας τους γρήγορα, με αποτέλεσμα να εκποιούν τα εμπο­ρεύματα σε πολύ μικρότερη τιμή από την πραγματική τους αξία.

Ο 17ος αιώνας χαρακτηρίζεται από τη μεγάλη βενετοτουρκική σύγκρουση, με επίκεντρο πλέον την Κρήτη, που βρισκόταν υπό βενετική κατοχή και αποτελούσε την τελευταία μεγάλη κτήση της Βενετίας. Η Κρήτη κατακτήθηκε γρήγορα από τους Οθωμανούς, αλλά η τελευταία ελεύθερη πόλη της, ο περίφημος Χάνδακας, πολι­ορκήθηκε για είκοσι πέντε ολόκλη­ρα χρόνια, μέχρι ο Μοροζίνι να συν­θηκολογήσει και να τον παραδώσει στους Οθωμανούς. Η πολιορκία του Χάνδακα έγινε για την Ευρώπη σύμβολο της αντίστασης κατά του οθωμανικού επεκτατισμού, ενώ αποτελεί και τη μακροβιότερη πο­λιορκία στην ιστορία. Στο πλαίσιο των βενετοτουρκικών πολέμων πολλοί πειρατές και κουρσάροι, ανάμεσά τους και Έλληνες νησιώ­τες, επετίθεντο και στις δύο αντι­μαχόμενες δυνάμεις, ανάλογα με τα συμφέροντά τους, γεγονός που αποτέλεσε ένα νέο είδος ναυτικού πολέμου στο Αιγαίο.

Το 17ο αιώνα τρεις κυρίαρχες δυ­νάμεις λειτουργούσαν παράλληλα και ανταγωνιστικά, προσπαθώντας να κερδίσουν το έπαθλο που λεγό­ταν αρχιπέλαγος: οι Οθωμανοί, οι Βενετοί και οι πειρατές. Αυτή η ρευστή κατάσταση διαμόρφωσε ένα πλαίσιο αυτονομίας για τα νη­σιά του Αιγαίου· αναπτύχθηκε ένα διανησιωτικό πλέγμα επικοινωνίας και εμπορικής κίνησης, που συνυ­πήρχε με την πειρατεία. Με την οριστική λήξη των βενετοτουρ-κικών πολέμων το 1699 με τη Συν­θήκη του Κάρλοβιτς, άρχισε και η οικονομική και οικιστική ανάπτυ­ξη του Αιγαίου. Η πειρατεία εξακο­λουθούσε να υφίσταται, φαίνεται όμως ότι είχε ενταχθεί σε μεγάλο βαθμό στην οικονομική και κοινω­νική πρακτική και νοοτροπία των αιγαιοπελαγίτικων κοινοτήτων.

Τον 18ο αιώνα στόχος των χρι­στιανών κουρσάρων, με πρωτο­στάτη την Αγγλία, δεν ήταν πλέον οι μουσουλμάνοι αλλά τα γαλλικά εμπορικά πλοία, τα οποία συνερ­γάζονταν στο εμπόριο με την Οθω­μανική Αυτοκρατορία και κυριαρ­χούσαν. Ταυτόχρονα, η Ρωσία προ­ωθούσε τα επεκτατικά σχέδιά της προς τον Νότο, εις βάρος της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας. Γι’ αυ­τόν τον σκοπό χρησιμοποιούνταν και Έλληνες νησιώτες ως κουρσά­ροι. Η Γαλλία βρισκόταν στο μάτι του κυκλώνα, καθώς τα υπόλοιπα ευρωπαϊκά κράτη δημιουργούσαν συμμαχίες προσπαθώντας να δια­κόψουν τη συνεχώς εντεινόμενη επεκτατική πολιτική των Γάλλων. Παράλληλα, και η ίδια η φύση της πειρατείας άλλαξε· στόχος πλέον ήταν κατά κύριο λόγο τα πλοία εν κινήσει και τα εμπορεύματά τους και όχι οι άνθρωποι με προορισμό την υποδούλωση. Καταλυτικό ρό­λο σε αυτό έπαιξε η διάδοση του ιστιοφόρου, γεγονός που ανέκο­ψε τη ζήτηση για κωπηλάτες στις γαλέρες.

Από τις αρχές του 18ου αιώνα, υπό αυτές τις νέες συνθήκες, ανα­πτύχθηκε μια νέα εμπορική και ναυ­τική τάξη που λειτουργούσε στα ό­ρια μεταξύ εμπορίου και πειρατείας στις αιγαιοπελαγίτικες κοινότητες. Αυτή ανέλαβε και τον πολιτικό έ­λεγχο των κοινοτήτων στο πλαίσιο της αυτοδιοίκησης. Στα τέλη του 18ου αιώνα εκμεταλλεύτηκε τις ρωσοτουρκικές και αγγλογαλλικές συγκρούσεις, και με την εμπορική και πειρατική της ιδιότητα σχεδόν μονοπωλούσε την εμπορική κίνη­ση στο Αιγαίο και στην ανατολική Μεσόγειο μέχρι το τέλος των Να­πολεόντειων Πολέμων.

Οι Έλληνες μέσα από την πειρα­τεία κατόρθωσαν να αποκτήσουν τα απαραίτητα κεφάλαια για να μπορέσουν να κατασκευάσουν μεγάλα ιστιοφόρα, κάτι που δεν τους επέτρεπε η Πύλη. Αυτά τα πλοία τα χρησιμοποίησαν κυρίως για εμπόριο, δημιουργώντας έναν από τους μεγαλύτερους εμπορι­κούς στόλους της Μεσογείου. Ως έμποροι, ρίσκαραν συνεχώς ανα­λαμβάνοντας μεταφορές που οι ξένοι ανταγωνιστές τους δεν τολ­μούσαν να πραγματοποιήσουν. Αξιοσημείωτο είναι το γεγονός ότι έσπαγαν τον αγγλικό αποκλεισμό των γαλλικών και των ισπανικών α­κτών συνεχώς και τους εφοδίαζαν με τρόφιμα, αποκομίζοντας τερά­στια κέρδη.

Πρέπει να τονιστεί ότι η πειρα­τεία πρόσφερε στους Έλληνες την πολεμική πείρα και τα απαραίτητα κεφάλαια, ώστε να είναι άκρως ε­τοιμοπόλεμοι για την Επανάσταση του 1821. Μέσα από την πειρατεία προέκυψαν η ελληνική ναυτιλία και το ελληνικό εμπόριο. Οι Έλλη­νες πειρατές ασκούσαν πειρατεία με σκληρότητα αλλά ταυτόχρονα με φαντασία και μεράκι. Η σχεδόν μυθιστορηματική πολλές φορές δράση τους δεν παύει να ασκεί μια έντονη γοητεία. Με την πτώση της Κωνσταντινούπολης το 1453, οι Έλληνες έπρεπε να αντισταθούν στους Οθωμανούς κατακτητές για να διασφαλίσουν την ύπαρξή τους, και μια μορφή αντίστασης που επέλεξαν ήταν η πειρατεία.

http://www.topontiki.gr/articles/view/8804
Πηγή: Κατερίνα Καριζώνη,
Λεωνίδας Γουργουρίνης,
Χάρης Γιαννόπουλος
Πειρατεία στη Μάνη και στη Μεσόγειο
Εκδόσεις: Αδούλωτη Μάνη,
Γ. Λ. Δημακογιαννης
Σελ.: 158

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