The Black Corsair
Encyclopedia
The Black Corsair is an 1898
adventure novel
written by Italian novelist Emilio Salgari
. Set in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy
, the novel narrates the exploits of Emilio Roccanera, Lord of Ventimiglia and his attempts to avenge his brothers, slain by the Duke Van Guld, now Governor of Maracaibo
. The Lord of Ventimiglia, known throughout the Spanish Main as the Black Corsair, allies himself with some of the greatest pirates and buccaneers of the era: François L'Ollonais
, Michael the Basque and Henry Morgan
, vowing never to rest until he attains his vengeance.
. The Black Corsair decides to sneak into the city to retrieve his brother's body and give him an honourable burial at sea.
Carmaux and Van Stiller accompany the Corsair to the city, and aided by their friend Moko, manage to steal the body. After a series of adventures the Corsair and his men return to the Thunder with the body. On the night the Corsair buries his brother he vows to slay Van Guld and all those that bear his name.
En route to Tortuga
, the pirates attack and capture a Spanish ship. They find a young noblewoman aboard, Honorata Willerman, the Duchess of Weltrendrem. She is taken captive to Tortuga where she is to await payment of her ransom. Struck by her beauty and spirit, the Corsair frees her and the two quickly fall in love.
The hunt for Governor Van Guld resumes and the Black Corsair and L'Ollonais lead an attack on Maracaibo. Unfortunately the governor escapes and the Black Corsair and his companions must track him through the jungles of Venezuela. There they encounter savage beasts, quick sand, and cannibals. Van Guld proves illusive and to capture him the pirates must make an assault on the city of Gibraltar, Venezuela
.
.
directed the first remake of Il corsaro nero and Italian fencing champion Ciro Verratti was cast to play the Black Corsair. In 1944, Mexican director Chano Urueta
filmed the first Spanish language adaptation. In 1976, Kabir Bedi
and Carole Andre
were reunited to portray The Black Corsair and Honorata in another Sergio Sollima
adaptation of a Salgari classic, The Black Corsair
. Urueta's and Sollima's films are available on DVD. In 1999 Mondo TV
(Italy
) created a 26-episode animated TV series "The Black Corsair".
, Italy's Royal family to show his gratitude. Yolanda, the Black Corsair's daughter is named after Princess Yolanda of Savoy.
Salgari used A History of The Buccaneers of America by Alexandre Exquemelin
as one of his main references. Van Guld, the Governor of Maracaibo, is based on the real life Governor of Merida
. The attacks on Maracaibo and Gibraltar are based on true events as are the biographies of the pirates that appear in the novel.
Il corsaro nero sold 80,000 copies in it's first printing, a record in Italy at the time.
1898 in literature
The year 1898 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Elizabeth von Arnim - Elizabeth and Her German Garden*F. W. Bain - A Digit of the Moon*L...
adventure novel
Adventure novel
The adventure novel is a genre of novels that has adventure, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger, as its main theme.-History:...
written by Italian novelist Emilio Salgari
Emilio Salgari
Emilio Salgari was an Italian writer of action adventure swashbucklers and a pioneer of science fiction.For over a century, his novels were mandatory reading for generations of youth eager for exotic adventures. In Italy, his extensive body of work was more widely read than that of Dante. Today...
. Set in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
, the novel narrates the exploits of Emilio Roccanera, Lord of Ventimiglia and his attempts to avenge his brothers, slain by the Duke Van Guld, now Governor of Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
. The Lord of Ventimiglia, known throughout the Spanish Main as the Black Corsair, allies himself with some of the greatest pirates and buccaneers of the era: François L'Ollonais
François l'Ollonais
Jean-David Nau , better known as François l'Olonnais , was a French pirate, active in the Caribbean during the 1660s...
, Michael the Basque and Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan
Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...
, vowing never to rest until he attains his vengeance.
Plot summary
Two pirates, Carmaux and Van Stiller, are rescued by the Thunder, a pirate ship under the command of Emilio of Roccanera, Lord of Valpenta and of Ventimiglia, and feared throughout the Caribbean as the Black Corsair. Once aboard, the two inform the captain that his younger brother the "Red Corsair" has been hanged by the Governor of MaracaiboMaracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
. The Black Corsair decides to sneak into the city to retrieve his brother's body and give him an honourable burial at sea.
Carmaux and Van Stiller accompany the Corsair to the city, and aided by their friend Moko, manage to steal the body. After a series of adventures the Corsair and his men return to the Thunder with the body. On the night the Corsair buries his brother he vows to slay Van Guld and all those that bear his name.
En route to Tortuga
Tortuga
Tortuga is a Caribbean island that forms part of Haiti, off the northwest coast of Hispaniola. It constitutes the commune of Île de la Tortue in the Port-de-Paix arrondissement of the Nord-Ouest Department of Haiti. The island covers an area of 180 km² and its population was 25,936 at the...
, the pirates attack and capture a Spanish ship. They find a young noblewoman aboard, Honorata Willerman, the Duchess of Weltrendrem. She is taken captive to Tortuga where she is to await payment of her ransom. Struck by her beauty and spirit, the Corsair frees her and the two quickly fall in love.
The hunt for Governor Van Guld resumes and the Black Corsair and L'Ollonais lead an attack on Maracaibo. Unfortunately the governor escapes and the Black Corsair and his companions must track him through the jungles of Venezuela. There they encounter savage beasts, quick sand, and cannibals. Van Guld proves illusive and to capture him the pirates must make an assault on the city of Gibraltar, Venezuela
Gibraltar, Venezuela
Gibraltar is a town located in Zulia State in Venezuela between Bobures to the south and Boscan to the north. It is on the shore of Maracaibo Lake. The population is around 4,000....
.
Sequels
The quest for vengeance stretches over the course of several novels: The Queen of the Caribbean (La regina dei Caraibi), Yolanda, Daughter of The Black Corsair (Jolanda, la figlia del Corsaro Nero), and The Son of the Red CorsairSon of the Red Corsair
The Son of the Red Corsair is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1908...
.
Film versions
There have been several film versions of the novel. In the 1920s, director Vitale DiStefano first brought the Corsair trilogy to the screen with a series of silent films. In 1937, Amleto PalermiAmleto Palermi
Amleto Palermi was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 71 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed The Old Lady, which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film.-Selected filmography:...
directed the first remake of Il corsaro nero and Italian fencing champion Ciro Verratti was cast to play the Black Corsair. In 1944, Mexican director Chano Urueta
Chano Urueta
-Filmography:-External links:....
filmed the first Spanish language adaptation. In 1976, Kabir Bedi
Kabir Bedi
Kabir Bedi is an Indian television and film actor. His career has spanned three continents including India, the United States and many European countries in three mediums: film, television and theatre. He is noted for his role as Emperor Shah Jahan in Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story...
and Carole Andre
Carole André
Carole André is a French film actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1967 and 1991, including two films screened at the Cannes Film Festival.-Selected filmography:* Face to Face * Oh, Grandmother's Dead...
were reunited to portray The Black Corsair and Honorata in another Sergio Sollima
Sergio Sollima
Sergio Sollima is an Italian former film director and script writer.Like many Italian cult directors, Sollima started his career by directing mostly sword and sandal movies that were very popular in the early 1960s. After the genre's popularity quickly died out, Sollima was among the first ones to...
adaptation of a Salgari classic, The Black Corsair
The Black Corsair (film)
The Black Corsair is an Italian Adventure movie. It is based on two Emilio Salgari's novels, The Black Corsair and The Queen of the Caribbean....
. Urueta's and Sollima's films are available on DVD. In 1999 Mondo TV
Mondo TV
Mondo TV is one of the major production and distribution animation companies in Europe. Founded by Orlando Corradi in 1985 and based in Rome, Mondo TV is a public company, quoted on the STAR segment of the Italian main stock exchange, Borsa Italiana, a part of the London Stock Exchange Group since...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) created a 26-episode animated TV series "The Black Corsair".
Trivia
In the late 19th century Emilio Salgari was Italy's foremost writer of adventure novels. He was knighted in 1897 in recognition for his work. The Black Corsair, the Chevalier Emilio, is named after himself. He also pays tribute to the House of SavoyHouse of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
, Italy's Royal family to show his gratitude. Yolanda, the Black Corsair's daughter is named after Princess Yolanda of Savoy.
Salgari used A History of The Buccaneers of America by Alexandre Exquemelin
Alexandre Exquemelin
Alexandre Olivier Exquemelin was a French writer best known as the author of one of the most important sourcebooks of 17th century piracy, first published in Dutch as De Americaensche Zee-Roovers, in Amsterdam, by Jan ten Hoorn, in 1678.Born about 1645, it is likely that Exquemelin was a native of...
as one of his main references. Van Guld, the Governor of Maracaibo, is based on the real life Governor of Merida
Merida
Places of the world named Mérida or Merida include:*Mérida, Spain, capital city of the Spanish Community of Extremadura*Mérida, Yucatán, capital city of the Mexican state of Yucatán*Merida, Leyte, a municipality in Leyte province in the Philippines...
. The attacks on Maracaibo and Gibraltar are based on true events as are the biographies of the pirates that appear in the novel.
Il corsaro nero sold 80,000 copies in it's first printing, a record in Italy at the time.
See also
- Sandokan series
- SandokanSandokanSandokan is a fictional pirate of the late 19th century, who first appeared in publication in 1883, created by Italian author Emilio Salgari. He is the protagonist of eleven adventure novels and is known throughout the South China Sea as "The Tiger of Malaysia".-Sandokan novels:Emilio Salgari...
- The Mystery of the Black JungleThe Mystery of the Black JungleThe Mystery of the Black Jungle is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1895. It features two of his most famous characters, the hunter Tremal-Naik and his loyal servant Kammamuri. The adventure continues in The Pirates of Malaysia.-Plot summary:Few can...
- The Tigers of MompracemThe Tigers of MompracemThe Tigers of Mompracem is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1900. It features his most famous character, Sandokan.-Plot introduction:...
- The Pirates of MalaysiaThe Pirates of MalaysiaThe Pirates of Malaysia is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1896. It features his most famous character, Sandokan, and is a sequel to The Tigers of Mompracem....
- The Two TigersThe Two TigersThe Two Tigers is the fourth adventure novel in the Sandokan series written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1904.-Plot summary:...
- Son of the Red CorsairSon of the Red CorsairThe Son of the Red Corsair is an exotic adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1908...