Bartolomeu Português
Encyclopedia
Bartolomeu Português was a Portuguese
buccaneer
who attacked Spanish
shipping in the late 1660s; he also established one of the earliest sets of rules popularly known in pirate lore as "the Pirate's Code", later used by the pirates of the 18th century such as John Philips
, Edward Low, and Bartholomew Roberts
.
Arriving in the Caribbean
sometime in the early 1660s, as did many others during the decade, Português operated off Campeche
from 1666 to 1669. He later captured a larger Spanish ship with his ship of four guns and a crew of thirty, off Cuba
, after two assaults with over half his crew killed or wounded. With a total of 70,000 pieces of eight
and a large cargo of cacao beans, Português attempted to sail towards Jamaica
; however, due to strong winds, they were unable to return to Port Royal
- instead sailing for western Cuba.
As the ship reached Cape San Antonio
, they were captured by three Spanish warships who seized their cargo. After a violent storm, Português was forced to sail towards Campeche where he was later recognized and captured by authorities. Held prisoner on a Spanish ship, he attempted to escape by stabbing the sentry with a stolen knife, and because he supposedly could not swim, he used wine jars as floaters to swim to shore.
Traveling through over 120 miles of jungle, Português arrived at El Golfo Triste in eastern Yucatan
and found a ship to take him back to Port Royal. Returning to Campeche with 20 men, Português captured the ship in which he had been held prisoner and sailed off with a valuable amount of cargo. The ship soon ran aground near Isle of Pines
off the southern coast of Cuba, losing the entire cargo. With his remaining crew, Português returned to Port Royal before setting out once again. However, nothing more is recorded of Português after this, as Alexander Exquemelin wrote in Buccaneers of America, he “made many violent attacks on the Spaniards without gaining much profit from marauding, for I saw him dying in the greatest wretchedness in the world.”
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
buccaneer
Buccaneer
The buccaneers were privateers who attacked Spanish shipping in the Caribbean Sea during the late 17th century.The term buccaneer is now used generally as a synonym for pirate...
who attacked Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
shipping in the late 1660s; he also established one of the earliest sets of rules popularly known in pirate lore as "the Pirate's Code", later used by the pirates of the 18th century such as John Philips
John Philips
John Philips was an 18th century English poet.- Early life and education :Philips was born at Bampton, Oxfordshire, the son of Rev. Stephen Philips, later archdeacon of Salop, and his wife Mary Wood. He was at first taught by his father and then went to Winchester College...
, Edward Low, and Bartholomew Roberts
Bartholomew Roberts
Bartholomew Roberts , born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate who raided ships off America and West Africa between 1719 and 1722. He was the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy. He is estimated to have captured over 470 vessels...
.
Arriving in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
sometime in the early 1660s, as did many others during the decade, Português operated off Campeche
Campeche
Campeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...
from 1666 to 1669. He later captured a larger Spanish ship with his ship of four guns and a crew of thirty, off Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, after two assaults with over half his crew killed or wounded. With a total of 70,000 pieces of eight
Spanish dollar
The Spanish dollar is a silver coin, of approximately 38 mm diameter, worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform in 1497. Its purpose was to correspond to the German thaler...
and a large cargo of cacao beans, Português attempted to sail towards Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
; however, due to strong winds, they were unable to return to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
- instead sailing for western Cuba.
As the ship reached Cape San Antonio
Cape San Antonio, Cuba
Cape San Antonio, , is a cape which forms the western extremity of Cuba. It extends into the Yucatán Channel.-References:*Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1997....
, they were captured by three Spanish warships who seized their cargo. After a violent storm, Português was forced to sail towards Campeche where he was later recognized and captured by authorities. Held prisoner on a Spanish ship, he attempted to escape by stabbing the sentry with a stolen knife, and because he supposedly could not swim, he used wine jars as floaters to swim to shore.
Traveling through over 120 miles of jungle, Português arrived at El Golfo Triste in eastern Yucatan
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
and found a ship to take him back to Port Royal. Returning to Campeche with 20 men, Português captured the ship in which he had been held prisoner and sailed off with a valuable amount of cargo. The ship soon ran aground near Isle of Pines
Isle of Youth
Isla de la Juventud is the second-largest Cuban island and the seventh-largest island in the West Indies . The island has an area and is 100 km south of the island of Cuba, across the Gulf of Batabanó...
off the southern coast of Cuba, losing the entire cargo. With his remaining crew, Português returned to Port Royal before setting out once again. However, nothing more is recorded of Português after this, as Alexander Exquemelin wrote in Buccaneers of America, he “made many violent attacks on the Spaniards without gaining much profit from marauding, for I saw him dying in the greatest wretchedness in the world.”