Nathaniel North (pirate)
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel North was a pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy
who operated in the Indian Ocean
. He served under John Bowen
and succeeded him as captain of the Defiant following Bowen's retirement in 1704. After losing the Defiant, he was ruler of a pirate colony at Ambonavoula made up of his former crew for a number of years before returning briefly to sea. Following his retirement as a wealthy man in 1709, he settled in Rajapura, married a local girl but was shortly murdered by her family for his poor treatment of her. The year he was killed was never recorded but it is clear that he was killed after 1709. In fact, there is no documentation proving his actual birth date or the year of his birth but it is clear in one document date sometime in 1689 that he could have been born in late 1671 or early 1672.
attacking French shipping during the War of the Grand Alliance
. He was impressed
into the Royal Navy
but made his way to Jamaica
. There he again met British press gangs, but escaped by jumping overboard and swimming to shore. By 1696 North was a crewman in a band of privateers who captured the 18-gun Brigantine called Pelican off Newfoundland. While the privateer obtained a commission to attack French holdings in West Africa
, they instead travelled to Madagascar
where they searched for Moor
ships to take. When they failed to find any ships, the Pelican instead raided villages on the Comoro Islands
.
Upon returning to Madagascar, North was elected quartermaster by the crew. The Pelican then joined Dirk Chivers
and Robert Culliford
and the three ships together captured the Great Mohammed. Chivers and Culliford however refused to share the spoils from the Great Mohammed, claiming that the Pelican had not taken part in the battle. Following this event, the Pelican left the trio and later captured three small ships, keeping one and renaming her Dolphin. Damaged caused to both ships in a hurricane forced a return to Madagascar, where the plunder was divided, with each of the pirates receiving around £700.
and divided the plunder with each man receiving around £400. While at the Île Sainte-Marie however, four British warships
arrived, forcing Inless to burn the Dolphin. While a pardon was offered to the pirates - several of whom accepted it - North instead fled, mistrusting the English commodore, in the ship's longboat
, escaping to Madagascar des
as quartermaster on the brigantine
Charles. During this period, two British ships were captured, one of which Halsey took for himself and returned to Madagascar, leaving North in command of the Charles. This proved to be short-lived, as the Charles ran aground shortly after. North then returned to Madagascar and lived with the King of Maratan. In 1709 North returned to Ambonavoula where he traded with Mauritus and occasionally acquired slaves from Johanna. At some period after this he was, during a native conflict, captured and later murdered by the opposing natives.
Golden Age of Piracy
The Golden Age of Piracy is a common designation given to one or more outbursts of piracy in maritime history of the early modern period. In its broadest accepted definition, the Golden Age of Piracy spans from the 1650s to the 1730s and covers three separate outbursts of piracy:the buccaneering...
who operated in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. He served under John Bowen
John Bowen (pirate)
John Bowen was a pirate of Créole origin active during the Golden Age of Piracy. He sailed with other famous contemporaries, including Nathaniel North and George Booth, who was his captain when he served under him as a crewman aboard the Speaker...
and succeeded him as captain of the Defiant following Bowen's retirement in 1704. After losing the Defiant, he was ruler of a pirate colony at Ambonavoula made up of his former crew for a number of years before returning briefly to sea. Following his retirement as a wealthy man in 1709, he settled in Rajapura, married a local girl but was shortly murdered by her family for his poor treatment of her. The year he was killed was never recorded but it is clear that he was killed after 1709. In fact, there is no documentation proving his actual birth date or the year of his birth but it is clear in one document date sometime in 1689 that he could have been born in late 1671 or early 1672.
Early life
In 1689, at the age of seventeen North was a crewman aboard an English privateerPrivateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
attacking French shipping during the War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
. He was impressed
Impressment
Impressment, colloquially, "the Press", was the act of taking men into a navy by force and without notice. It was used by the Royal Navy, beginning in 1664 and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, in wartime, as a means of crewing warships, although legal sanction for the practice goes back to...
into the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
but made his way to 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...
. There he again met British press gangs, but escaped by jumping overboard and swimming to shore. By 1696 North was a crewman in a band of privateers who captured the 18-gun Brigantine called Pelican off Newfoundland. While the privateer obtained a commission to attack French holdings in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, they instead travelled to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
where they searched for Moor
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
ships to take. When they failed to find any ships, the Pelican instead raided villages on the Comoro Islands
Comoro Islands
The Comoros Islands form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the south-east coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. They are divided between the sovereign state of Comoros and the French overseas department of Mayotte...
.
Upon returning to Madagascar, North was elected quartermaster by the crew. The Pelican then joined Dirk Chivers
Dirk Chivers
Dirk Chivers was a Dutch pirate active in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean during the 1690s.-Early career:Dirk Chivers is first recorded as a crew member of the Portsmouth Adventure, a privateering ship bound for the Red Sea, under Captain Joseph Farrell in early 1694...
and Robert Culliford
Robert Culliford
Robert Culliford was an English pirate from Cornwall who is best remembered for repeatedly checking the designs of Captain William Kidd.-Early career and capture:...
and the three ships together captured the Great Mohammed. Chivers and Culliford however refused to share the spoils from the Great Mohammed, claiming that the Pelican had not taken part in the battle. Following this event, the Pelican left the trio and later captured three small ships, keeping one and renaming her Dolphin. Damaged caused to both ships in a hurricane forced a return to Madagascar, where the plunder was divided, with each of the pirates receiving around £700.
Early career
In 1699 served again as quartermaster under captain Samuel Inless, who had been given command of the Dolphin. After taking a large Danish ship they sailed to Île Sainte-MarieÎle Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie, known as Nosy Boraha , is an island off the east coast of Madagascar. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The city covers an area of 222 km2, and had a population estimated at 16,325 in 2001.- City :...
and divided the plunder with each man receiving around £400. While at the Île Sainte-Marie however, four British warships
Royal Navy surface fleet
The Surface Fleet is the name given to the collection of surface vessels of the Royal Navy. In 2008 it consisted of two flotillas based at Portsmouth and Devonport, both on the south coast of England and a flotilla based at the Clyde Naval Base at Faslane in Scotland.The Surface Fleet consists of...
arrived, forcing Inless to burn the Dolphin. While a pardon was offered to the pirates - several of whom accepted it - North instead fled, mistrusting the English commodore, in the ship's longboat
Longboat
In the days of sailing ships, a vessel would carry several ship's boats for various uses. One would be a longboat, an open boat to be rowed by eight or ten oarsmen, two per thwart...
, escaping to Madagascar des
Later career and death
It was not until 1707 that North joined John HalseyJohn Halsey
John Halsey 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...
as quartermaster on the brigantine
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
Charles. During this period, two British ships were captured, one of which Halsey took for himself and returned to Madagascar, leaving North in command of the Charles. This proved to be short-lived, as the Charles ran aground shortly after. North then returned to Madagascar and lived with the King of Maratan. In 1709 North returned to Ambonavoula where he traded with Mauritus and occasionally acquired slaves from Johanna. At some period after this he was, during a native conflict, captured and later murdered by the opposing natives.