The modern vision of a pirate is one of relentless action, swashbuckling explorers seeking constant
adventure, planks and parrots and treasure, men and women taking what they want from who
they want, whenever they want.
Whilst there is no doubt some truth behind this notion, the reality in most cases is
likely very different.
Take the focus of our story today for example, one of the most famed pirates to have sailed
the seven seas, his legend laced with stories of incredible escapades, rigged trials, executions,
even some long-lost hidden treasure.
But was this really the life he lived?
Can it really have been as dramatic as the legends suggest?
Hoist the sails and batten down the hatches my friends, as we reveal the truth behind
the legend of the renowned accidental pirate, Captain Kidd.
Our story begins in Scotland, with a young boy named William Kidd who grew up in a town
by the sea.
Much of his childhood was spent watching the ships and dreaming of the bold adventures
that lay beyond the blue horizon.
Little did this boy know however, that the story he was about to write would be told
for centuries to come and that his name would go down in history as one of the most infamous
pirates to have ever lived.
As he grew, so did his love for the ocean and it wasn’t long before he left Scotland
behind, taking apprentice roles on any ship he could and sailing across the vast waters
of the world.
He honed his skills, learning everything there was to know about sailing and life at sea.
Our story picks up several years later, William Kidd by now a member of a pirate crew operating
in the Caribbean.
Few details are known as to exactly how or why, but a mutiny took place and the ships
existing captain was ousted.
By this time, Kidd was an experienced sailor and whether by vote or decree, he was declared
the captain.
He sailed with his new crew to the British colony of Nevis where the ship was renamed
the Blessed William and the legend of Captain Kidd was officially born.
The backdrop to Kidds entire story was the ongoing war between England and France that
had spilled into the Caribbean waters.
As such, the British Governor of Nevis recruited Captain Kidd and his new ship to defend the
colony from the French.
As was common in these times, no payment was offered but instead an understanding that
any plunder from victories against the French could be kept.
Kidd and his men attacked a nearby French island and were successful in destroying the
town, looting around 2000 pounds sterling.
Shortly after this victory, Kidd and his crew joined the British navy in a battle against
the French, but his crew were not pleased as there was no treasure to steal on the enemy
warships.
Kidd pleaded that it was their duty as allies of the British Navy but his largely pirate
crew were unmoved.
They often say, what comes around goes around, and just as he had himself led a mutiny to
obtain his position and his ship, it was now his turn to be deposed.
As he rowed ashore, his crew, led by the notorious pirate Robert Culliford, stole the anchored
ship and his 2000 pound fortune, sailing off into the sunset.
The governor of Nevis granted him another ship and left him to hunt down his disloyal
crew.
Whilst out at sea however, Captain Kidd decided to change course and instead headed for New
York which was in open revolt against the British.
Still at this point, Kidd retained a sense of loyalty to the crown and he lent his aid
to the British forces.
His reputation grew and he settled in New York, marrying Sarah Bradley Cox ort, a widowed
English woman who had inherited a vast fortune from her first marriage.
Whilst in the city, he mingled with many nobles and high-ranking officials, power and wealth
now his, courtesy of his wife and the significant reputation he had built as a leader and sailor.
For many, this life would have been enough, he had legitimacy, no reputation for piracy
and all the comfort he could have desired.
But not for Captain Kidd, who once more felt that longing, the pull of the deep blue waters.
Several years later he was approached by the Earl of Bellomont, now Governor of New York
and well known to Kidd, with an opportunity to return to the sea.
Tasked by the King to rid the seas of the pirate scourge, the Earl presented Captain
Kidd with exactly the justification he had been looking for to not only get back on board
a ship, but let loose his seemingly natural pirate tendencies, albeit under the guise
of legitimacy.
The expedition was backed by many prominent British nobles, including King William the
third himself.
A new ship was commissioned, the Adventure Galley, and was a sight to behold.
34 cannons and 150 men, additional oars providing extra speed and mobility that was a key advantage
in naval warfare.
Kidd took great pride in selecting a formidable crew, but an unfortunate incident with the
British Navy involving ignored pleasantries and disrespectful backside salutes led to
many of his hand picked men being forcibly drafted into the Royal Navy and stripped from
his voyage.
He was forced to recruit replacements in New York, the majority of which were hardened
criminals, some no doubt former pirates.
His mission was clear, remove the pirate threat to British shipping channels as well as attacking
ships of enemy countries such as France, Portugal and Spain whilst leaving English ships alone.
As before, any loot he captured he was free to keep.
Think of it as legalised and targeted piracy, but under the banner of the British empire.
He sailed to Madagascar, a hotbed of pirate activity.
But whilst Kidd had the best intentions to follow the scope of the mission, his newly
formed crew had no such moral delusions and were intent on attacking any ship, English
or otherwise.
Kidd resisted this, failing to attack several ships when he had the chance, leading to some
of the crew abandoning him.
To make matters worse, he struggled to find the pirates he had come to hunt and things
started to spiral out of control.
A heated debate with one crewmember William Moore who was frustrated at Kidds reluctance
to attack ended in violence, as an enraged Captain Kidd struck him across the head with
an Iron bucket, the injury killing him within a day.
A moment of passion that at the time, did little to ease the pressure from the crew,
but more significantly would come back to haunt him in the not so distant future.
Costs increasing, crew morale at rock bottom, his hand was forced and when they came across
the 400 ton Indian treasure ship the Quedagh Merchant, Kidd reluctantly attacked, desperate
to retain the fragile loyalty of his men.
The ship was easily taken and was a truly enormous catch, stocked full of gold, silver
and extremely valuable goods.
However, upon boarding the ship he discovered the captain was an Englishman, sailing on
behalf of the east India trading company.
Captain Kidd was immediately anxious and attempted to convince his crew to release their prisoners
and abandon their prize.
They refused however, and upon discovery that the English captain had French passes that
granted the protection of the French navy for their voyage, were able to persuade Kidd
that this was evidence enough the ship could be considered French and therefore fair game
for them.
His command over the crew already on a knife edge, Kidd reluctantly agreed and they kept
their trophy, renaming the ship the Adventure Prize.
But when word reached England, the news was not received well.
The Furious and highly influential east india trading company put pressure on the King to
denounce Kidd as a pirate and orders were quickly given to British forces to hunt and
capture the now rogue sailor.
Captain Kidd navigated to Madagascar and there was reunited with Robert Culliford, the pirate
that had stolen his first command.
Whilst accounts differ as to the nature of their meeting, most suggest that Kidd ordered
his men to attack culliford as revenge for the earlier slight.
His men refused however, sick of his perceived weakness, all but 13 abandoning him and instead
joining Culliford.
Forsaking the heavily damaged Adventure Galley, he took off with his few remaining loyal men
in the Adventure Prize.
Hearing news that he was now considered a pirate and being actively hunted, he decided
to hide the treasure ship in a lagoon on the small island of santa Catalina.
Here he received word from his ally and backer the Earl of Bellomont to meet him in New York
with promises of clemency.
Leaving his prize, he travelled to New York on a smaller ship, hiding a portion of his
treasure on Gardiners island on route, hoping to use its location as a bargaining chip if
needed.
But when he arrived in New York, instead of finding a friend and forgiveness as promised,
he was arrested and thrown into jail.
Terrified of being implicated in piracy himself, Bellomont had betrayed him.
After a year in a hellish prison where only his battle-hardened constitution kept him
alive, he was transported to England for trial.
It was only here he learned that he was to be tried for both piracy and the murder of
William Moore.
Captain Kidd pleaded his innocence repeatedly, desperately claiming that he had never attacked
english vessels and had only been carrying out the commission given to him by the very
people now keeping him detained.
Key evidence such as the French passes obtained from his greatest prize were mysteriously
missing and questionable testimonies on the accusation of murder given against him by
two former crew members in exchange for pardons saw to his swift conviction on all charges.
Terrified of their own implication in piracy and embarrassed by their connection to his
name, the nobles that had previously funded and supported him now abandoned him and were
key in ensuring his conviction in the controversial trial.
He was hanged shortly after, although even that was not a straightforward affair, the
first rope snapping and breaking.
He survived and although some of the crowd called this a sign from God that he should
be released, he was quickly hanged again, this time successfully.
His body was strung up above the river thames for three years, a warning to future pirates.
Whilst he died still protesting his innocence, determined to not be branded with the pirate
tag, he is nevertheless known to this day as one of the most famous pirates to have
ever lived.
Partly due to his adventures in the Caribbean and his fearsome reputation as a captain in
combat, but also the persistent legend of his mystery buried treasure.
For you see, whilst the man himself had been captured and executed, his treasure ship remained
at large as well as the stolen gold and valuables it contained.
As time passed and they went longer without discovery, the legend grew into myth and became,
as these things often do, larger than life.
Countless expeditions over the next several centuries were mounted to locate the elusive
treasure of Captain Kidd, but all were in vain.
It was not until 2007 that the wreckage of the adventure prize was located in shallow
waters off the Dominican Republic, the treasure however was long since gone.
A fascinating story that shows how easily a legend can grow, whether desired or not.
It would be interesting to know what Captain Kidd would think of his modern depiction as
a fearsome pirate.
No doubt his life ticked many of the boxes, epic naval warfare, mutinies, plunder and
treasure, murder, a tragic death even – but perhaps not quite in the way you would expect.
A fitting title then maybe, the accidental pirate.
However you view him, there is no doubt that he created an incredible story across the
course of his life and cemented his place in history forever.