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Home , Benjamin Hornigold, Charles Vane, Christopher Winter, Edward England, Edward Low, John Auger

Unification of the

Committee Official Soundtrack​ ​™

BearMUN 2020 Chair: Ammar Ansari Crisis Director: Sameer Kazim

Table of Contents

I. Welcome Letters

II. Committee Guidelines

III. Reference Map

IV. Historical Background A. Before “The Golden Age of ” B. European Struggles C. War of Spanish Succession 1. European Theater 2. Caribbean Theater D. and Piracy E. Discovery of Uncharted Islands

V. Current Situation

VI. Questions to Consider

VII. Character List

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Dear Delegates, My name is Ammar Ansari, and it is my privilege to serve as your Chair for the Unification of the caribbean committee at BearMUN 2020! I am thrilled to observe delegates engage in interesting and entertaining discussions regarding piracy during a significant historical period in the Caribbean. The history of piracy is quite fantastic, and the has been a hotspot for pirate activity. While we have learned of pirates from American popular culture growing up, the actual activities of these seafaring men and women are quite fascinating to read about. Politics, alliances, , and swordfights… all together in this historical moment! I believe that the story and arcs in this committee provide you with a fun and memorable delegate experience. As for myself, I am deeply passionate about international relations, history, cooking, adventuring, and meme-making! I was born in Fremont, to two Pakistani immigrants and was raised in Sacramento for most of my life. I am also proud to be a transfer student from Sacramento City College, graduating with two Associates Degrees within one year before transferring to University of California, Berkeley. I am currently a double major in History and Political Science, and plan to graduate by Spring 2022. I also plan to study under the General Course at the School of Economics during my senior year, since the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to change my original plan for participation in my junior year. Developing the Unification of the caribbean committee with Sameer Kazim (my roommate!) has been a great honor, and I am positive that his creativity and guidance will bring great momentum to the committee and make this a delegate-led experience to remember! We look forward to seeing you at sea…I mean, at BearMUN!

Sincerely yours, Ammar Ansari Chair Unification of the Caribbean

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Hello Delegates! My name is Sameer Kazim. I will be serving as your Crisis Director for the Unification of the caribbean committee at BearMUN, and I could not be more excited. I have had an affinity for the romanticized idea of caribbean Pirates from a very young age. I’ve seen dozens of movies, tv shows, and online series on the subject, and I’ve kept coming back for more every time. Something about the idea of sailing out on the open ocean, crashing against the waves and belting sea shanties with your comrades screams the allure of romanticism to me. That (and perhaps a certain Ubisoft game) have cemented my love for the sea. Seriously, if you’ve ever driven down the California-1 highway, you know exactly what I am talking about. A little about myself. I am a second year studying Data Science and Economics, and plan on pursuing a career in litigation and eventually public office in the future. I was born in India, but moved to Sacramento, CA when I was little; that’s how I know your Chair! #ForeverPurple. Since then, I’ve always been a huge fan of reading novels, watching videos on filmography on youtube, and playing games with my friends. This is also how I’ve managed to stay sane during the quarantine! I’m also a huge fan of movies, and am working my way through the X-Men series right now. My favorites include Jurassic Park, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Shawshank Redemption, and I’m always up to talk about films. I am a huge fan of Hamilton, I’ve known nearly every line in the show since 2016, and it’s just never gotten old for me. I’ve never gotten to see the show though, but I’m willing to “Wait for It”. I can’t wait to take on this project with my partner, and roommate, Ammar. His patience, poise, and understanding will be assets to this team. I am always available as a resource to you and your fellow delegates, so please don’t hesitate to reach out! I look forward to embarking on this voyage with you, Sincerely, Sameer Kazim Crisis Director Unification of the Caribbean

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Committee Guidelines

Committee is set to commence in the year 1718, on the island of .

Piracy, especially in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the most complex phenomena during this historical era. This committee seeks to combine history with creativity and strategy.

However, as it is commonly known, the deeper into an historical account, the fewer records we have about the events that have occurred. The information you compile may not be extremely accurate; in fact, a lot of it may be based on legends. For the purposes of this committee, it is more important to understand the general historical background and the political dynamics of the time rather than the specific actions of individuals.

The character list should provide you with a general sense of your character, and it is up to you to develop your character during the committee. Your portfolio powers will indicate the resources you will have, but it is never too early to start thinking about how to execute your ambitions! In terms of Crisis Notes and Backroom, drawn out and developed arcs will be appreciated. We know that many of you have great ambitions in your backroom progress, so make sure your bases are covered and your portfolio powers are being used wisely. However, be warned: arcs exploiting COVID-19, genocide, sexual violence, and racism will not be entertained. Additional research upon this period of history is highly encouraged, but you must proceed with caution—some of these pirates have never encountered each other! If there is any confusion or clarifications needed, please do not hesitate to reach out to us; we are more than happy to help you out! As

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always, we strive to make our committee the best it can be, and we hope that you are excited too! Enjoy your research; we look forward to meeting you at BearMUN!

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Reference Map

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Historical Background

Before “The ”

Before the first European contact in the Caribbean in 1492, there were predominantly three groups of indigenous peoples settled in the islands: the Ciboney, the Caribs, and the Taino.

● The Ciboney ​ - settled in modern-day Cuba, ​the name comes from an Arawak

term for “cave dweller”. Their linguistic characteristics and origins are mostly

unknown, but many of their technologies were derived from seashells.

However, a century after European contact with the Caribbean, much of

Ciboney culture would go extinct, with some descendants surviving to this

day.1

● The Caribs ​ - settled in the Lesser Antilles, the name of the indigenous people

would be used as the root of the term C​ aribbean Sea​. Speaking predominantly

the Arawak language, the Caribs were maritime people. One popular activity

was conducting sea raids, which would serve as their main source of warfare.2

● The Taino ​- settled in the Greater Antilles, the Taino was the most numerous

indigenous people in the Caribbean. The Taino was in constant hostility with

1 “The Indigenous Peoples.” GlobalSecurity.org, 31 March 2013. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/cuba/indigenous.htm.

2 “The Carib.” Sheppard Software. https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/carribeanweb/factfile/Unique-facts-Caribbean5.htm.

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the Ciboney, but would focus much of their activities on agriculture. However,

much of Taino culture and population dramatically declined due to Spanish

conquests of the 16th century. 3

Many of these indigenous groups began settling in the region around 8,000 years ago, reaching the land by canoeing from Central and northern South America.

Indigenous culture and societies flourished across the sea, advancing in fishing techniques, metallurgy, linguistics, and administration, to name a few.4

Shortly after Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain and Portugal developed a strong interest in colonizing what they termed as, “The ”. The two colonial powers already had strong imperial interest in both and India, which resulted in a strong, hostile rivalry between the two. However, the two colonial nations did not want to initiate an expensive war with one another, so they settled with a treaty that divided up much of the Western Hemisphere. In June 1494, Spain and

Portugal, under the supervision of the Catholic Church, signed the Treaty of

Tordesillas.5 The treaty ​implemented a line of demarcation in the , about

345 miles west of the Islands. All land east of that line was claimed by

3 “The Indigenous Peoples.” GlobalSecurity.org, 31 March 2013. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/cuba/indigenous.htm.

4 “Culture.” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations. https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/mandated-areas1/culture.html.

5 “Jun 7, 1494 CE: Treaty of Tordesillas.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/thisday/jun7/treaty-tordesillas/.

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Portugal and all land west of that line was claimed by Spain. As such, much of the

Caribbean Sea was under Spanish occupation, and became known as the .

European Struggles

After the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas, Spain and Portugal began profiting tremendously from their imperial efforts. As a result, other European countries sought to limit their increasing wealth and power. Some European royalties, especially the

British and French monarchs, hired sailors to attack and capture resources from

Spanish ships. In fact, the Kingdom of France gave these sailors legal status in order to damage Spanish monopolies. These sailors famously became known as “privateers”.

Thus, the was not the only European power that wanted to colonize the

Caribbean Islands; the Dutch, French, English, and other European nations took an interest in the Caribbean. Most European powers already had significant seafaring activities in the , for example, but much of their historical rivalries translated to the Caribbean Sea. Competing for coastal lands, control over territorial conquests would continually shift between different European powers, until becoming, for the most part, established around the early 17​th​ century.

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European powers colonized and claimed different lands for different reasons

(such as strategic locations, resources, or power-countering), but much of the basis for colonization was to increase their wealth and respectively, their international power.

Spain gained control over modern-day Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic. The

British Empire claimed numerous small islands, including , ,

Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent,

Grenada, Barbados, Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Montserrat, Anguilla, and St.

Kitts and Nevis. The Dutch gained control over Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, St. Eustatius, and Saba and Sint Maarten, while the French dominated Haiti, Guadeloupe, ,

St. Martin (the north half), and St. Barthelemy.

However, in their pursuit for wealth and domination, the European nations accelerated one of the most inhumane phenomena in human history: the . It was during this time ​that European powers forced millions of slaves from

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Africa, all to support the plantation system that spread through the Caribbean islands,

South America, and eventually, to British .

During the mid-18​th ​ century, the British and French empires became more hostile towards one another. Britain’s growing naval power and French’s political instability would factor into tensions between the two empires. Aside from their long historical rivalry, the two nations started to gain more territory and power on the international stage. Concurrently, the Spanish Empire started to decline in regards to its international influence. The defeat of the Spanish Armada off the coast of in

1588 solidified the decline of Spanish power, leading to the British Empire becoming the most powerful naval power in the world. As a result, British naval forces became more influential in the naval affairs of the Caribbean Sea.

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War of Spanish Succession

The War of Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714) was the precursory conflict to the Golden

Age of Piracy. In fact, it is one of the primary reasons that many of our favorite buccaneering adventurers eventually got into their professions. It is also the primary reason for the more complex geopolitical eras in European history. There are a few key players to consider:

● The Spanish Empire ​- By the end of the seventeenth century, Spain no longer

had the title of the strong imperial power that it once held. The throne was held

by a Hapsburg king named Charles the II, and when he died with no heir, he

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wrote in his will that the empire should be passed to the leadership of the

grandson of French King Louis XIV, Pillip of Anjou.

● The Hapsburg Dynasty ​- Family of Charles II of Spain (French Coalition),

Leopold I of HRE (British Coalition), and Archduke Karl VI (British Coalition).

● The Bourbon Dynasty ​- Family of Louis XIV of France (French Coalition) and

Phillip of Anjou of Bourbon Spain (French Coalition).

● Bourbon Spain ​- This is the name given to wartime Spain, governed by Philip of

Anjou. The name “Bourbon” is derived from the dynasty that housed the family

of French Louis XIV.

● The French Empire -​ Led by Louis XIV, this era marked the beginning of the

end for France as an absolute dynastic monarchy. The Bourbons fought for one of

their own to ascend to the Spanish Throne.

● The Holy Roman Empire -​ This state was led by the Hapsburg Leopold I. He

wanted another Hapsburg to ascend to the throne, and nominated his son,

Archduke Karl VI, to rule the Spanish Empire.

● The British Empire ​- An ally state to the Holy Roman Empire. The majority of

its interests were to diminish Spanish naval operations in the , and

take French imperial possessions in North America. Both of these goals would be

accomplished by 1750.

The European Theatre

Starting as a conflict based on who should succeed the Spanish throne after the death of the childless Charles II, the conflict was extended to the entirety of European powers.

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While the main belligerents were the French Empire and Bourbon Spain, many proxy authorities did the majority of the fighting. On one side, a coalition was led by Britain and the Holy Roman Empire, while their opponents were a mainly French-led coalition.6

The Hapsburg king Leopold I of the

Holy Roman Empire was outraged when

Charles II named a French Bourbon (Phillip of

Anjou) as his successor rather than a fellow

Hapsburg. In response, he named his son,

Archduke Karl VI, as the new Spanish ruler.

This divided Europe on the issue, with the

French Coalition composed of France, Bourbon

Spain, Hungary, and Portugal; and the British

Coalition being led by Great Britain, the Holy Roman Empire, the Netherlands, and

Prussia. These coalitions were mainly based off of preexisting alliances with France and

Britain. Since France had a considerable amount of hegemony over European affairs, many flocked to the British side as an effort to maintain some semblance of a balance of power. The war went strongly for the British alliance at the beginning, with influential victories at Vigo Bay and an occupation of major Spanish cities such as Barcelona and

Valencia.7

6 “War of the Spanish Succession.” New World Encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/War_of_the_Spanish_Succession.

7 “The English 1688-1715.” The Spanish Succession. http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/naval/english_navy.html.

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However, despite numerous losses early in the war, Louis XIV persisted and held out for a victory. In a peculiar turn of fate, his ambitions eventually came true.8 In 1705,

Leopold I died, and in 1711, his eldest son passed as well. This left Archduke Karl IV, the original nominee of the British coalition, as the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. At this point, it was against all powers’ interests to allow Karl VI to control all of the

Spanish ​and ​ the Holy Roman Empire. Thus, without a suitable replacement, the coalition eventually fell apart. While French Phillip of Anjou remained on the Spanish throne, expansive territories and trade deals were ceded to the opposition alliance, much of it going to Britain, This is when the British acquired vast territories in the New

World as well, both in the Caribbean and in Canada. These events prompted the start of

Pax Britannica and Great Britain’s overwhelming supremacy over the world’s trade, territory, and political structures.

The Caribbean Theatre

Since many of these leading combatants were empires which stretched across the globe, the War of Spanish Succession impacted the European powers' colonies as well.9 ​Many of these colonies were located in the Caribbean, which possessed a vast amount of natural resources such as sugar and other agricultural products. Often, these resources would be transported back to the home country via imperial convoys. In order to disrupt their counterparts’ supply chain, belligerents began to hire sailors to harass and capture

8 “The War of the Spanish Succession.” Google Sites. https://sites.google.com/site/group11louishist/the-war-of-the-spanish-succession.

9 “Did You Know the Golden Age of Piracy Spread Across Two Oceans.” QAR Project. Eastern Carolina University Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab, 24 May 2017. https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2017-05-24/did-you-know-golden-age-piracy-spread-across-two-oceans.

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these convoys. These sailors were known as Privateers, much like Sir earlier. These imperial agents were hired in the early stages of the war, around 1703, and were incredibly effective in their efforts. Out of the empires that practiced this, the

British and the Spanish were the most successful, with Britain having a slight advantage. This was mainly due to the overwhelming investment that the English government put into the development of a strong navy. Much of the reason behind

British Supremacy was the island nation’s ability to use and control marine trade routes through their navy.10

10 Onnekink, David. “War of the Spanish Succession.” Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press, 8 June 2017. https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199730414/obo-9780199730414-0100.xml.

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In addition, Britain’s numerous natural resources (from colonies in North

America and Africa) and industrial production capability allowed them to quickly launch ships into service.11

These agents of the empire specialized in disrupting, attacking, and pillaging resources of rival empires throughout the war. However, as the conflict drew to a close and Phillip of Anjou arose to the Spanish throne, many of these sailors now found themselves to be unemployed. In order to put their newly acquired ships, guns, and mastery of the Caribbean seas to use, many of these ex-Privateers directed their pillaging and robbing efforts to a​ ll​ government and merchant ships in their waters.

Many of the people that sit at the table in committee share a past of Privateering for their respective crowns. These people became the first Pirates.

Privateers and Piracy

The use of Privateers as resources for empires in the New World gradually grew in popularity across Europe’s great powers. One of the most famous of these Privateers was contracted by English monarch Elizabeth I in the sixteenth century in order to harass Spanish ships and destroy coastal possessions along California and the gulf; his name was Sir Francis Drake. He was famous for marauding the military and merchant ships of the Spanish Empire on the western coast of the Americas. In fact, he was so successful in hindering Spanish imperial efforts, that King Phillip II placed a bounty on

11 Jacobsen, Barry C. “Great Warships of History: Ship of the Line, The King of Naval Battle in the Age of Sail.” The Deadliest Blogger: Military History Page, 18 November 2017. https://deadliestblogpage.wordpress.com/2017/11/18/great-warships-of-history-ship-of-the-line-the-king-o f-naval-battle-in-the-age-of-sail/.

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his head. Phillip demanded that Elizabeth extradite him to Madrid for , and in response, Elizabeth famously knighted him.

Privateering became commonplace between all of the empires operating in the region, and was most prevalent during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Privateers were hired to fight European wars in the Caribbean as representatives of their respective nations. The most notable of these conflicts was the War of Spanish

Succession. However, as the official conflicts in the European theatre drew to a close, so did the employment of these sailors for hire. Eventually, they ended up without stable sources of income from empires whose pockets had run out.

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Still equipped with their ships, cannons, and weapons, the Privateers took to robbing merchant ships instead of the vessels of rival militaries. These efforts would mostly be targeted towards acquiring gold, spices, and other valuable trade. The staggering amount of trade between the Old and New World in this era gave these sailors, who had become known as “pirates”, plenty of wealth to siphon from.12 Much of this trade would be done with rival empires, who would do anything to get an upper hand in their imperial-scale conflicts. Eventually, these conditions facilitated the growth of thousands of pirates in the Caribbean. Thus began the Golden Age of Piracy, in which many of our now famous pirate names plundered their way to their future fortunes. This era is considered to have lasted from 1650 to 1730.13

12 Donofrio, Craig. “The Filthy Finances of Pirates in the Golden Age of Piracy.” Make Change. Aspiration Partners, Inc. https://www.makechange.aspiration.com/articles/finances-of-pirates-in-the-golden-age-of-piracy.

13 Hall, Mark F. “Golden Age of Piracy: A Resource Guide.” Web Guides. United States Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/pirates/index.html.

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It was during the Golden Age of Piracy that some of the most famous pirates in human history gained international attention for their adventures. Some of these well known pirates became legendary figures, including Edward Thatch (more famously known as ) and , who led attacks on many European ships that left countless people dead. These pirate legends would become the inspiration for several hundred years throughout many stories about pirates.

However, this would not last. In the aftermath of Blackbeard’s raid and short-lived occupation of Charlestown, South Carolina was the last straw for the British colonial administration. In an effort to acquire medicine and supplies for an epidemic hitting the , Edward Thatch laid siege to the port town of

Charlestown in the British colonies; this ended in the death of a number of imperial officers. This skirmish was the last straw for colonial officials in the area, and they started a region-wide crackdown on pirate activity in response. Naval patrols and cargo inspection increased dramatically, along with severe punishments (usually hanging) being introduced into the judicial system. These events would imperil the future of piracy forever.14

14 Woodard, Colin. “The Last Days of Blackbeard.” Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institute, February 2014. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/last-days-blackbeard-180949440/.

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Discovery of Uncharted Islands

The War of Spanish Succession left many islands in the Bahamas in terrible shape. After a series of peace treaties from the war between European nations, many Privateers, especially from Britain, were taken off military duty and pushed towards commercial trading. Privateering was restricted by European powers in the treaties to reduce the risk of another war and to uphold the promised peace. As a result, some of these state-sanctioned Privateers turned to pirating, given their vast expertise in the waters and desire to make more profit for themselves. Many of these ex-privateers would conduct various raiding missions across the Caribbean. Numerous famous pirates, some who will also serve in this committee, originated from this historical phenomenon, including , , , Henry Jennings, and

Edward England. These pirates would come together to form a group and perform numerous raids of English and Spanish ships that have recovered sunken treasures, under the name of the ‘Republic of Pirates’. The Republic of Pirates was a self-proclaimed confederation including some of the notorious pirates in the Caribbean

Sea, and would be governed through a “Code of Conduct”. The Code detailed important procedures for pirates, such as voting power, wealth distribution, and punishments for crime. In addition, the Code gave pirates the legitimacy to raid European ships under one unified flag. Many of these raids were incredibly successful, creating a legend of piracy that spread throughout the Caribbean Sea. European powers started to recognize these pirates as a serious threat to their prosperity and control in the region.

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Now much richer, the Republic of Pirates faced the question of where to spend the loot they had been amassing. However, with news of pirate activity spreading across the Caribbean, many governors shut their ports and prohibited pirates from spending in their local economies. As a result, pirates became very limited with their options, and all hope was lost, until…

A particular island was discovered by this group of pirates. They discovered the capital of the island, Nassau, to be mostly abandoned. This island used to be a Spanish and French allied territory, but the War of Spanish Succession caused the island to lose most of its population. Pirates soon settled on this island due to its lack of military

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presence. Benjamin Hornigold was the first pirate to set foot on the island. He renamed it to New Providence, and began ruling the island as a pirate republic in 1715. Pirate

Thomas Barrow would claim governorship of the island, with the intention to “to make war on the French and Spaniards, but for the English, they don't intend to meddle with them, unless they are first attack'd by them”. With plenty of supplies and resources on the island, over 1,000 pirates have now taken refuge on Nassau, outnumbering the 400 remaining “law-abiding” civilians left on the island.

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Current Situation

But a pirate stronghold in the Caribbean is greatly upsetting to the European powers. In

1718, British forces sought to take control of New Providence. King George the I of

Britain appointed as Royal Governor, with the sole mission to take back the island. 15 Colonial are now closing in on Pirate territory, and tightening their grips on the profits of plunder. The Republic is in greater peril than it ever has been in, and the next few weeks will determine the future of piracy forever.

The committee will start at this moment in history. You will be part of the

Republic of Pirates, and work to determine how the island of New Providence will take action to the incoming threat of European colonial powers. It is now the duty of every pirate on these open waters to protect and preserve the Republic.

Will ye be up to the task? Or will ye flounder down to Davy Jones’ locker?

15 “A History of Nassau’s Pirates: The Golden Age.” Nassau Paradise Island. Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, 18 July 2018. https://www.nassauparadiseisland.com/a-history-of-nassaus-pirates-part-3-the-end-of-the-golden-age.

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Questions to Consider

1. How should the Republic of Pirates prepare for a possible invasion by a European

power? Should they go on the offensive or defensive?

2. Should there be a of Conduct? If so, how should it be created?

3. How should the pirates unify against European colonial power? What

compromises should be made?

4. Should there be a structure of leadership succession? If so, how should it be

structured?

5. What should the role of “law-abiding” civilians in New Providence be?

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Character Descriptions

Benjamin Hornigold Benjamin Hornigold was one of the most well known pirates present in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. Born in England in the late 1600s, Hornigold began his career in piracy in the Bahamas. He then formally took on the role of External President of the Republic of Pirates, which means that he handles all interactions with other entities and the Republic. He also manages Republic Membership,shares ships belonging to Fleet, and serves as a representative of the Republic to outside engagements.

Henry Jennings Henry Jennings is a respected figure in the community of Pirates in the region. Born to English parents in the colony of Bermuda, the Caribbean and its people are important to Jennings. After serving in the Navy during the war of Spanish Succession, like many ex-sailors, he turned to piracy. He serves as the Internal President of the Republic of Pirates and manages its funds and treasury. He also has close connections with the pirates which served as the defense force of the nation.

Edward Thatch Edward Thatch, or Blackbeard, as he is known in popular fiction and media, is the most well-known name in relation to the Golden Age of Piracy. Blackbeard serves under the Pirate Republic as the Governor of Nassau. With this, he holds considerable sway in internal political affairs between pirates. He also commands the most powerful ship in the fleet, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, which he can operate at any time. His highly paid crew proudly serves alongside him on the vessel.

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Stede Bonnet was born to a wealthy family in the English colonies. Growing up, he had the luxuries of an upper class life. This granted him a large heritage to pull funds and resources from, and a safehouse on the Eastern Coast. He eventually joined the British Army forces and grew to the rank of an officer, before leaving the forces and becoming a pirate. This has left him with close connections in the army forces and favor with current officers in uniform. He can take advantage of this to avoid prying eyes and protect himself and his operations.

Sam Ballamy Sam Ballamy is often described as the wealthiest pirate to have ever lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. He has a vast amount of funds and resources to pull from in both direct and personal affairs. Along with this, he has an incredibly loyal crew, as all of decisions are made democratically on his ship. Furthermore, much of his crew is made up of former slaves, as he often attacks slave ships and free their captives. This makes him an especially important target for the Crowns’ navies.

Calico Jack Ratham Born as John Ratham to a middle class family in the Bahamas, this figure is familiar with the underworld on the high seas. He started pirating at a very young age, which resulted in his connections across the pirate world growing to the largest of all major figures during the Golden Age of Piracy. His connections also brought him a sizable fleet of ten fully equipped ships under his command. If you need goods smuggled or passengers transported, Ratham is your man.

Charles Vane Vane was born to a military family in the Kingdom of England, and is accustomed to doing battle at sea. Vane is known for his cunning naval strategy, besting opponents with much greater numbers than he. His skill at navigation allowed him to traverse the open waters with the most ease and efficiency. This is essential to his profession as a smuggler. It has also propelled him to build his vessels for

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speed, thus providing him with the fastest ships in the Republic Navy.

Mary Reed This figure is widely attributed to ‘breaking the glass ceiling of piracy” in the Golden Age. Mary Reed was one of the first and only female pirate captains that ever sailed with their fleet of ships. Her crew was made up largely of women as well, and tales of their privateering spread across the Caribbean. Their pact was also known to be incredibly loyal and close, as many of the crew would not be allowed to sail under male captains elsewhere. Reed controlled a squadron of eight ships in total.

Anne Bonny is arguably the most famous female pirate of the era of piracy. Born to Irish parents in the British Isles, Bonny came to the Caribbean during the early Golden Age. She made her home in the Bahamas, and worked alongside many of the leaders of the Republic of Pirates to ensure and enforce sovereignty over controlled areas around the Bahamas, particularly through enforcement of Republic Law. Additionally, she manages most of the medicine supply available to the pirates.

Bartholomew Blackbart Roberts This figure is famous for more than just his namesake in T​ he Princess Bride,​ as he commanded a vast array of ships and specialized in plundering merchant ships in the surrounding waters of the Caribbean. He was specifically known for his crew's strong ability to raid these ships, which often involved him attacking military convoy vessels as well. As a result of these raids, Roberts amassed a vast amount of wealth.

Jacquotte Delahaye Delahaye was born in San Dominique in modern day Haiti. After the murder of her father, she turned to a life as a pirate in order to escape her destitute economic situation. After faking her own death and changing her name, she took up

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her new life. She was known to command hundreds of men on her island base in the Haitian area. Thus, her reputation grew as she became a master military commander. In head-to-head combat, she would always emerge victorious. She commands an extremely loyal group of two-hundred pirates upon the seas.

Edward Low was born to an impoverished family in the area of in London. After migrating to the colonies and losing his wife to childbirth, Low turned to a life in piracy. Having learned to thrive off of theft since his youth, he was adept at the ways of a thief on the high seas. This often allowed him to slip past different forces of authority. He was also known for his lack of inhibition towards violent crime and methods for achieving his goals.

Christopher Winter was originally born to parents in the Spanish Empire. He, along with a long line of navy personnel in his family, sailed with the Spanish Naval forces for a significant amount of his early life. After the war of Spanish Succession, he left the military and set sail as a pirate on the Caribbean Seas. However, he did not leave behind his connections in his past life. He retains a multitude of contacts within the Navy and uses them often to get out of the reach of colonial law.

Edward England Edward England was born to a destitute Irish family in the British Isles. Upon moving to the New World, he embarked on the search for the Spanish fleet and established close connections with the Republic of Pirates leadership. He eventually settled on the African coast at the end of his career. He was known for his compassion as a leader, and even when some of his crew mutinied in 1720, 40% of them stayed with him marooned on an island. He has access to this very loyal group of civilians at his will.

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Nicholas Brown was an English tailor that eventually turned to a life of crime on the high seas after a run-in with corrupt colonial authorities. He operated off of the coast of Jamaica after gathering a crew of similarly disillusioned youth in the town in which he was working. Eventually, after a short career, he became close with the governor of colonial regions in the Southern Caribbean. He can utilize these connections to smuggle more effectively in the future.

Thomas Barrow Thomas Barrow was a pirate that operated in the early Golden Age of Piracy. His career spanned the greatest amount of time of any of the pirates present at the table in the committee. He originally operated through robbing ships in the Old World, before eventually joining his comrades in the Caribbean. He declared himself Governor of the Jamaican island of New Providence later on in his life. From this position, he commands a loyal army and a sizable fleet of fifteen ships. This also grants him a safe haven from other pirates.

John Auger was a pirate operating off of and around the Republic of Pirates territories in the northern Caribbean. He was famously one of the most troublesome pirates for the British colonial authorities. He would often convince different government figures that he would accept their pardons by giving up piracy and helping them find other pirates. In reality, he would always turn coat and loot his new allies. This has earned him a considerable amount of funds to finance his future endeavours.

Turn Joe Turn Joe, much like his unique and recognizable name, also had a very unique career in the Caribbean. He was born to an Irish family but was soon forced into piracy after being unable to find any work. He started out working with the to spy on other pirates and arrest them. But eventually became a Pirate off of the Bahaman coast. He is a master of espionage, and his and his crew’s skill at tracking

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and criminal enterprise on the ocean is unmatched by any others on the water.

John Cockram As of the end of the seventeenth century, is a trader in the New World. As British and Spanish taxes and tariff laws took their toll on the shipping industry, Cockram eventually turned his shipping business into a smuggling business. In addition to these strengths, he is also incredibly skilled at navigating the oceans in a quick manner. Cockram can get from one side of the Caribbean to the other in a matter of days, rather than the normal time span of several weeks. He also has close ties with the leadership of both the Republic of Pirates and the colonial government.

Josiah Burgess Josiah Burgess has considerable influence over the state, which allows him to have considerable sway over the decisions many of the mid-level leadership make. He has also secured the loyalty of many of these individuals. This translates to him often operating outside of the reach of the law, where he can commit crimes without any accountability.

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