Charles Vane (pirate)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Charles Vane

Charles Vane († March 29, 1721 in Port Royal , Jamaica ) was a pirate in the 18th century.

Little is known about his youth. He is associated with the wreck of a Spanish galleon that ran aground off Florida at the beginning of the 18th century. Some pirates fought over the wreck and the goods on it. The Spaniards sent warships and chased away the pirates. Vane waited aside for the Spaniards to leave and hijacked the makeshift galleon . This was one of the greatest prey in a single capture in historical piracy. When he operated in the Bahamas, he found refuge on Green Turtle Cay , a small island of Abaco - archipelago .

Vane became known in June 1718. Woodes Rogers was the new governor of New Providence at the time , and Vane operated from this port until his arrival. The other pirates surrendered to Rogers, who should end the "pirate plague" in the Bahamas; only Vane resisted. He lit a fresh hijacked ship in the harbor and left it as Brander on the anchored ships of the governor to run. Then he ran out of New Providence with his crew.

Vane was very popular with his crew as he was a leader and was lucky enough to find rich booty.

At the height of his career, however, he made the mistake of letting a French warship pull because he feared he would be the weaker one in this duel. His men under the leadership of Calico Jack Rackham interpreted this as cowardice in front of the enemy and deposed him as captain. He and some of his followers were abandoned in a small, unarmed sloop . Three months later, however, he had a small pirate fleet under control again; an achievement that made him even better known.

It is rumored Vane, with the pirate Blackbeard (Engl. Black Bart ) to have been good friends when he off the coast of North Carolina operated.

A cyclone sank Vane's ship in the Bay of Honduras ; he was the only survivor able to save himself on a small island. There he lived on fish and bananas until the ship of his former friend Holiford, who was now loyal to the king, passed. Holiford refused to take him away. He was afraid Vane might persuade his crew to mutiny .

A ship passing later took him on board as a sailor, unaware of his identity. There he quickly became popular as a hardworking and experienced seaman.

A meeting of his captain with Holiford on the high seas turned out to be Vane's undoing. He recognized Vane and reported his true identity to the captain.

Vane was brought to Port Royal in chains and hanged there within a week on March 29, 1721. Among other things, he was accused of having captured the sloop John and Elisabeth off the coast of Abaco .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ When did Charles Vane die? on republicofpirates.net
personal data
SURNAME Vane, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION pirate
DATE OF BIRTH 17th century
DATE OF DEATH March 29, 1721
Place of death Port Royal