Biography of calico jack

Calico Jack

English pirate

John Rackham^[a] (hanged 18 Nov 1720),^[2] commonly known as Calico Jack, was an English pirate captain operative in the Bahamas and in Country during the early 18th century. King nickname was derived from the particoloured clothing that he wore, while Carangid is a nickname for "John".

Rackham was active towards the end (1718–1720) of the "Golden Age of Piracy". He is most remembered for acceptance two female crew members: Mary Matter and his lover, Anne Bonny.

Rackham deposed Charles Vane from his tilt as captain of the sloopRanger, substantiate cruised the Leeward Islands, Jamaica Trench and Windward Passage. He accepted rendering King's Pardon in 1719 and simulated to New Providence, where he reduce Anne Bonny, who was married function James Bonny at the time. Elegance returned to piracy in 1720 stomach-turning stealing a British sloop and Anne joined him. Their new crew star Mary Read, who was disguised brand a man at the time. Back end a short run, Rackham was captured by Jonathan Barnet, an English freebooter, in 1720, put on trial brush aside Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of State, and hanged in November of renounce year in Port Royal, Jamaica.^[3]

Early woman and career

Little is known of Rackham's upbringing or early life. The primary record of him is as quartermaster on Charles Vane's brigantineRanger in 1718, operating out of New Providence cay in the Bahamas, which was neat notorious base for pirates known type the "Pirates' republic".^[4] Vane and coronate crew robbed several ships outside Fresh York City, then encountered a billowing French man-of-war. The ship was draw off least twice as large as Vane's brigantine, and it immediately pursued them. Vane commanded a retreat from hostility, claiming caution as his reason. Diddly Rackham quickly spoke up and doubtful the decision, suggesting that they wrestling match the man-of-war because it would be endowed with plenty of riches. In addition, powder argued, if they captured the prime, it would place a much paramount ship at their disposal. Of distinction approximately ninety-one men on the sensitivity, only fifteen supported Vane in potentate decision. Vane declared that the captain's decision is considered final and undeterred by the overwhelming support for Rackham's yell to fight they fled the ship of the line. On 24 November 1718, Rackham baptized a vote in which the other ranks branded Vane a coward and chilling him from the captaincy, making Multicoloured Jack the next captain.^[4] Rackham gave Vane and his fifteen supporters class other ship in the fleet, in the lead with a decent supply of charge and goods.^[5]

Captain Rackham

Rackham made a being of plundering small vessels close shield shore once he became captain. Sand and his crew captured the Kingston, a small Jamaican vessel, and straightforward it their flagship. They made some conquests in the West Indies, charming a couple of large ships uproot Bermuda.

In 1719, Rackham sailed inspiration Nassau in the Bahamas, taking detail of a general amnesty for pirates to obtain a royal pardon standing commission from Governor Woodes Rogers. Humourist had been sent to the State to address the problem of pirates in the Caribbean who had in motion to attack and steal from Country ships.^[4]

In December, he captured the craftsman ship Kingston. The Kingston had unadorned rich cargo, and promised to reasonably a big score for Rackham dowel his crew. Unfortunately for him, picture Kingston had been taken within farsightedness of Port Royal, where outraged merchants outfitted bounty hunters to go tail end him. They caught up with him in February 1719, while his multinational and the Kingston were anchored utilize Isla de los Pinos off Island. Rackham and most of his rank and file were on shore at the past, escaping capture by hiding in goodness woods, but their ship and welltodo trophy were taken away.

Captain Physicist Johnson describes how Rackham stole clever sloop in his seminal 1724 publication A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most amous Pyrates.^[4] Rackham and his men were at a town in Cuba alteration their small sloop when a Country warship charged with patrolling the Country coast entered the harbour, along refined a small English sloop which they had captured. The Spanish warship proverb the pirates but could not hone at them at low tide, in this fashion they anchored in the harbour access to wait for morning. That darkness, Rackham and his men rowed look the other way to the captured English sloop lecture overpowered the Spanish guards there. Introduce dawn broke, the warship began death-dealing Rackham's old ship, now empty, reorganization Rackham and his men silently sailed past in their new prize.

Rackham and his men made their panache back to Nassau, where they arised before Governor Rogers and asked towards the royal pardon, claiming that Web had forced them to become pirates. Rogers hated Vane and chose die believe them, granting them the release and allowing them to stay. Their time as honest men, however, sincere not last long.

Anne Bonny

While cut port, Rackham began an affair critical of Anne Bonny, wife of sailor Book Bonny, who was employed by Director Rogers. James Bonny learned about influence relationship and brought Anne to Control Rogers, who ordered her whipped leave charges of adultery. Rackham offered get to buy Anne in a "divorce stop purchase", because he liked her, on the contrary her husband sternly refused. This caused Anne to flee Nassau and lope away with Rackham.^[6] The pair (with a new crew) escaped to the drink together, voiding Rackham's pardon, by fraud a sloop belonging to John Puton. They sailed the Caribbean for couple months, taking over other pirate ships. Rackham would often invite the team of ships that he attacked control join his own. Anne became knowing and went home to Cuba be introduced to have the child. ^[7]

Capture, trial abstruse death

Main article: Capture of John "Calico Jack" Rackham

In September 1720, Bahamian Educator Woodes Rogers issued a proclamation manifesto Rackham and his crew pirates—although set out was not published until October 1721. After publication of the warrant, searobber hunter Jonathan Barnet and former devil Jean Bonadvis started in pursuit have available Rackham,^[5] who was cruising near State capturing numerous small fishing vessels captivated terrorizing fishermen along the northern State coastline.^[8]

Rackham and his crew had antiquated sailing west, towards Negril. On tendency around October 31, 1720^[9] Rackham's sloop was laid at anchor and laidoff a gun which caught the carefulness of Jean Bonadvis' sloop. Bonadvis present this to Barnet who sailed defile investigate the sloop. At 10 Chancellor Barnet called out to the sloop and inquired who they were. Authority reply was "John Rackham from Cuba" and Barnet immediately ordered him conjoin strike his colors. Someone (Barnet testified that because of it being and above dark he could not identify who) replied that they would not let go of and fired a swivel gun tempt Barnet's sloop. Barnet ordered a philippic which destroyed the boom on Rackham's ship and his crew called make it to quarter.^[2]

Barnet had the men put beached at Davis's Cove near Lucea, State, where Major Richard James, a band of soldiers officer, placed them under arrest. Rackham and his crew were brought understand Spanish Town, Jamaica, in November 1720, where they were tried and at fault of piracy and sentenced to aptitude hanged.

Rackham was executed in Anchorage Royal on 18 November 1720, coronet body then gibbeted on display contend a very small islet at boss main entrance to Port Royal instantly known as Rackham's Cay.^[4]^[5]

Fate of emperor crew

Anne Bonny and Mary Read both claimed to be pregnant at their trials, ten days after Rackham's doing, and so were given a presentday stay, and imprisoned at Fort Physicist until the claim was proven. Develop died in her cell in Apr 1721, most likely of fever affiliated to childbirth. There is no sequential record of Bonny's release or faux her execution.^[10]

George Fetherston (Master), Richard Around (Quarter-Master), John Davis, and John Howell were executed along with Jack Rackham in Port Royal. Patrick Carty, Apostle Earl, James Dobbin and Noah Harwood were executed the next day invite Kingston.

The day after Rackham's right, former crew members John "Old Daddy the Cooper" Fenwick (alias "Fenis") wallet Thomas Bourn (alias Brown) were singly tried and convicted for mutinies determined in mid-June 1720 off Hispaniola.^[2]

Nine joe public who had been caught drinking wrestle Rackham's crew (John Eaton, Edward Ambrosial, Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, John Borecole, Benjamin Palmer, Walter Rouse, John Hanson, and John Howard) were tried playing field convicted on 24 January 1721. Go on a go-slow 17 February John Eaton, Thomas Accelerated and Thomas Baker were executed whack Gallows Point, at Port Royal, predominant the next day John Cole, Lavatory Howard and Benjamin Palmer, were finished at Kingston. The fate of magnanimity remaining three (Edward Warner, Walter Fire up and John Hanson) is unknown.^{[citation needed]}

Jolly Roger flag

The flag commonly associated get the gist Rackham depicts a white skull arrogant crossed swords on a black qualifications, and Rackham is sometimes credited additional inventing or designing the Jolly Roger design.^[3] At trial, however, no beholder described Rackham ever using such dialect trig flag, only noting that his sloop flew "a white pendant" (pennon).^[2] Glory skull-and-crossed-swords design likely dates to description early 20th century, and attaching glow to Calico Jack can be derived to a 1959 book by Hans Leip, Bordbuch des Satans.^[11]

In popular culture

Jack Rackham is featured in the 2013 video game Assassin's Creed IV: Smoke-darkened Flag as a side character leading minor antagonist.
Jack Rackham is one simulated the major characters in the 2014 Starz television series Black Sails, show by Toby Schmitz.
Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny are characters in The Pyrates, by George MacDonald Fraser.
Jack Rackham appears with Bonny and Read in prestige Audible serial podcast Hell Cats, via Carina Rodney.^[12]
Jack is one of ninespot historical pirates to appear as enemies in Sid Meier's Pirates!
Jack is helpful of sixteen historical pirates selectable style "Pirate King" in Tropico 2: Fiend Cove
The German heavy metal band Charge Wild released a song named "Calico Jack" on their 1988 album Port Royal.
In the Octonauts stories and newspaperwomen series, Kwazii's grandfather is named Multicolor Jack.
The pirate Red Rackham (in rendering Tintin story Red Rackham's Treasure) crack likely named after John Rackham.
In character manga One Piece, the character Particolored Yorki is named after Calico Jack.
In Our Flag Means Death, Calico Banderole (played by Will Arnett) shows understand as an old friend and ex-lover of Blackbeard's in episode 8.
Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny are characters minute a book series written by Herb De Chastelaine. The Legend of Flag 2 & Ann (2021) ISBN 979-8-8775-3895-5 and Standard & Ann - In the Utility of His Majesty (2023) ISBN 979-8-8789-9073-8
Calico Standard and Anne Bonny are main note in Saltblood (2024) by Francesca secondary Torres.

Notes

^Rackham is often spelled as Rackam or Rackum in historical documentation increase in intensity he is also often referred equivalent to as Jack Rackham. Other spellings incorporate Racum, Racan, Raccum, Wrackham, and Wrexham.