Robert Culliford
Encyclopedia
Robert Culliford was an English
pirate from Cornwall
who is best remembered for repeatedly checking the designs of Captain William Kidd
.
broke out, Kidd, Culliford, and their British comrades mutinied against a French prize crew, taking the ship and renaming it the Blessed William, with Kidd put in command. But in February, 1690, Culliford led his own mutiny and deprived Kidd of his command. The pirates elected William Mason as captain.
Culliford sailed with the pirates through the Caribbean, sacking ships and attacking a town. They went to New York to sell their booty. Mason was granted a letter of marque by Jacob Leisler
, then acting governor of New York, and Culliford accompanied the pirates as they ransacked and laid waste two French Canadian towns. The pirates also captured a French frigate named L'Esperance. Mason granted this ship to Culliford, who renamed it the Horne Frigate, Culliford's first pirate command. However, the pirates lost most of their booty when the two ketches they sent to bring their wealth to New York fell into the hands of French privateers. The disappointed Culliford returned to New York with Mason, where they returned aboard a single ship, the Jacob, another captured French vessel, and set sail in December 1690. Culliford served as captain's quartermaster, one of two quartermasters aboard the Jacob.
Culliford and his fellow pirates eventually made their way to India, landing at Mangrol
in 1692, where they robbed and abused the local population. The Indians captured Culliford and seventeen of his comrades. Culliford spent the next four years in a Gujarati prison.
Near the Nicobar Islands, the crew retook the ship and marooned him. He was rescued by Ralph Stout, captain of the Mocha. When Stout was killed in 1697, Culliford became captain. He then pursued the British ship Dorill. But the Dorill opened fire and cut off the Mocha's main mast. Culliford retreated to St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie
) off eastern Madagascar
, plundering ships along the way. At Saint Mary's, Culliford plundered a French ship with £ 2,000 worth of cargo.
Meanwhile, William Kidd had pirated and divided his most famous haul, the Quedah Merchant, and met up with Culliford at St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie
). Kidd forgave Culliford and most of Kidd's crew enlisted with Culliford. Culliford and his new crew then set off in late June, 1698.
Shortly after departing Saint Mary's Island, Culliford met up with Dirk Chivers. They joined forces and captured the Great Mohammed in the Red Sea in September of 1698. The Great Mohammed carried £ 130,000 in cash. While returning to Saint Mary's Island they plundered another ship in February 1699. While at Saint Mary's Island, four British warships arrived. The pirates were offered a royal pardon, which Culliford accepted.
There, he was arrested, and taken to the Marshalsea
prison on August 1, 1700. He was tried for piracy of the Great Mohammed and his pardon was ruled invalid. He was saved from hanging, because he was needed in Samuel Burgess' trial. Following the trial, Culliford disappeared from record, and rumor has it that he next served on a naval ship after which he disappears from the records like another famous pirate Henry Every
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
pirate from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
who is best remembered for repeatedly checking the designs of Captain William Kidd
William Kidd
William "Captain" Kidd was a Scottish sailor remembered for his trial and execution for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean. Some modern historians deem his piratical reputation unjust, as there is evidence that Kidd acted only as a privateer...
.
Early career and capture
Culliford and Kidd first met as shipmates aboard the French privateer Sainte Rose in 1689; there were only six other Britons aboard. After the War of the Grand AllianceWar 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...
broke out, Kidd, Culliford, and their British comrades mutinied against a French prize crew, taking the ship and renaming it the Blessed William, with Kidd put in command. But in February, 1690, Culliford led his own mutiny and deprived Kidd of his command. The pirates elected William Mason as captain.
Culliford sailed with the pirates through the Caribbean, sacking ships and attacking a town. They went to New York to sell their booty. Mason was granted a letter of marque by Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler
Jacob Leisler was a German-born American colonist. He helped create the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle in 1688 and later served as the acting Lieutenant Governor of New York...
, then acting governor of New York, and Culliford accompanied the pirates as they ransacked and laid waste two French Canadian towns. The pirates also captured a French frigate named L'Esperance. Mason granted this ship to Culliford, who renamed it the Horne Frigate, Culliford's first pirate command. However, the pirates lost most of their booty when the two ketches they sent to bring their wealth to New York fell into the hands of French privateers. The disappointed Culliford returned to New York with Mason, where they returned aboard a single ship, the Jacob, another captured French vessel, and set sail in December 1690. Culliford served as captain's quartermaster, one of two quartermasters aboard the Jacob.
Culliford and his fellow pirates eventually made their way to India, landing at Mangrol
Mangrol
Mangrol is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat.-Geography:Mangrol is located at . It has an average elevation of 18 metres .-Demographics:...
in 1692, where they robbed and abused the local population. The Indians captured Culliford and seventeen of his comrades. Culliford spent the next four years in a Gujarati prison.
Escape and new adventures
In spring, 1696, Culliford and some of his comrades escaped and made their way to Bombay, where they signed aboard the East India Company ketch Josiah. In Madras they commandeered the ship, returned to piracy, and sailed for the Bay of Bengal.Near the Nicobar Islands, the crew retook the ship and marooned him. He was rescued by Ralph Stout, captain of the Mocha. When Stout was killed in 1697, Culliford became captain. He then pursued the British ship Dorill. But the Dorill opened fire and cut off the Mocha's main mast. Culliford retreated to St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie
Île 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 :...
) off eastern Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, plundering ships along the way. At Saint Mary's, Culliford plundered a French ship with £ 2,000 worth of cargo.
Meanwhile, William Kidd had pirated and divided his most famous haul, the Quedah Merchant, and met up with Culliford at St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie
Île 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 :...
). Kidd forgave Culliford and most of Kidd's crew enlisted with Culliford. Culliford and his new crew then set off in late June, 1698.
Shortly after departing Saint Mary's Island, Culliford met up with Dirk Chivers. They joined forces and captured the Great Mohammed in the Red Sea in September of 1698. The Great Mohammed carried £ 130,000 in cash. While returning to Saint Mary's Island they plundered another ship in February 1699. While at Saint Mary's Island, four British warships arrived. The pirates were offered a royal pardon, which Culliford accepted.
There, he was arrested, and taken to the Marshalsea
Marshalsea
The Marshalsea was a prison on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark, now part of London. From the 14th century until it closed in 1842, it housed men under court martial for crimes at sea, including those accused of "unnatural crimes", political figures and intellectuals accused of...
prison on August 1, 1700. He was tried for piracy of the Great Mohammed and his pardon was ruled invalid. He was saved from hanging, because he was needed in Samuel Burgess' trial. Following the trial, Culliford disappeared from record, and rumor has it that he next served on a naval ship after which he disappears from the records like another famous pirate Henry Every
Henry Every
Henry Every, also Avery or Avary, , sometimes given as John Avery, was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the mid-1690s. He likely used several aliases throughout his career, including Benjamin Bridgeman, and was known as Long Ben to his crewmen and associates...
.