Jack Rackham
"Calico Jack" , actually John Rackham , (born December 21, 1682 in Bristol , England , † November 17, 1720 in Santiago de la Vega , Jamaica ) was a British pirate captain of the 18th century. He derived his name from the colorful calico clothing he wore. Nowadays he is best known because his gang included the two most famous pirates, Anne Bonny , with whom he also had two children, and Mary Read . Sometimes he was also called Jack Rackham or Jean Rackam .
Life
Rackham was the helmsman on a ship under the command of Captain Charles Vane . When Vane refused to attack a French ship, the crew was so upset that they mutinied and made Rackham captain. Rackham turned back on the spot, attacked and defeated the French ship.
After this victory and encouraged by the riches he had stolen on board the hijacked ship, Rackham suggested to his crew that they should henceforth devote themselves to piracy . It is possible that the crew's decision was favored by an impending mutiny.
Rackham later accepted an offer of royal pardon and set sail for the New Providence coast . It was around this time that Rackham met and fell in love with a married woman named Anne Bonny. Rackham provided them with large parts of his booty and joined the crew of Captain Burgess, himself a former pirate and now a pirate.
When the affair between Rackham and Anne Bonny became known, the governor of New Providence threatened to flog Anne for adultery. Instead of leaving Anne in the pillory, the couple decided to set up a crew and steal a sloop . Fearing that the crew might refuse to sail with a woman (women on board supposedly bring bad luck), Anne disguised herself as a man named Adam Bonny. She became a valued crew member and proved herself in numerous successful naval battles.
After some success, the Bahamas dispatched a heavily armed ship to capture them. Rackham and some of his men fled. They were later captured by a Spanish ship but managed to escape. On the run around Jamaica they captured some fishing boats and a sloop. Then the governor decided to capture Rackham and put the pirate hunter Captain Barnet on him, who arrested Rackham.
It is reported that Rackham had made a deal with the governor according to which he would surrender if mercy were granted to Anne and the pirate Mary Read. It is not clear whether this tradition is correct. Still, the two women escaped the gallows by pretending to be pregnant.
Rackham and his men were tried in Santiago de la Vega, Jamaica on November 16, 1720, found guilty, and hanged the following day .
Rackham is the role model for the captain Rackham the Red from the albums The Secret of the "Unicorn" and The Treasure Rackham the Red of the comic series Tintin by Hergé .
Individual evidence
- ^ A b Michael Farr: In the footsteps of Tim & Struppi , Carlsen, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 978-3-551-77110-0 ; Page 108
literature
- Robert Bohn : The pirates. 2nd edition, Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-406-48027-6 .
- Diana Norman : On the Shores of Darkness. Fischer (p.), 3rd edition, Frankfurt a. M. September 1999, ISBN 978-3-596-14412-9 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rackham, Jack |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Rackham, Calico Jack; Rackham, John; Rackam, Jean |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British pirate captain |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 21, 1682 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bristol , England |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 17, 1720 |
| Place of death | Santiago de la Vega , Jamaica |