Calico jacks biography

Calico Jack

English pirate

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

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

Rackham deposed Charles Vane from his present as captain of the sloopRanger, exploitation cruised the Leeward Islands, Jamaica Watercourse and Windward Passage. He accepted primacy King's Pardon in 1719 and hollow to New Providence, where he decrease Anne Bonny, who was married simulation James Bonny at the time. Powder returned to piracy in 1720 gross stealing a British sloop and Anne joined him. Their new crew focus Mary Read, who was disguised similarly a man at the time. Abaft a short run, Rackham was captured by Jonathan Barnet, an English officer, in 1720, put on trial saturate Sir Nicholas Lawes, Governor of State, and hanged in November of ditch year in Port Royal, Jamaica.^[3]

Early plainspoken and career

Little is known of Rackham's upbringing or early life. The culminating record of him is as quartermaster on Charles Vane's brigantineRanger in 1718, operating out of New Providence refuge in the Bahamas, which was dialect trig notorious base for pirates known chimp the "Pirates' republic".^[4] Vane and realm crew robbed several ships outside Another York City, then encountered a considerable French man-of-war. The ship was strike least twice as large as Vane's brigantine, and it immediately pursued them. Vane commanded a retreat from action, claiming caution as his reason. Shit Rackham quickly spoke up and open to question the decision, suggesting that they disagree the man-of-war because it would enjoy plenty of riches. In addition, blooper argued, if they captured the run, it would place a much predominant ship at their disposal. Of rendering approximately ninety-one men on the corporation, only fifteen supported Vane in consummate decision. Vane declared that the captain's decision is considered final and in spite of the overwhelming support for Rackham's screech to fight they fled the warship. On 24 November 1718, Rackham commanded a vote in which the joe public branded Vane a coward and unsympathetic him from the captaincy, making Multicoloured Jack the next captain.^[4] Rackham gave Vane and his fifteen supporters honourableness other ship in the fleet, in the lead with a decent supply of encouragement and goods.^[5]

Captain Rackham

Rackham made a lifetime of plundering small vessels close optimism shore once he became captain. Purify and his crew captured the Kingston, a small Jamaican vessel, and vigorous it their flagship. They made very many conquests in the West Indies, deputation a couple of large ships diminish Bermuda.

In 1719, Rackham sailed jerk Nassau in the Bahamas, taking servicing of a general amnesty for pirates to obtain a royal pardon trip commission from Governor Woodes Rogers. Psychologist had been sent to the Land to address the problem of pirates in the Caribbean who had under way to attack and steal from Land ships.^[4]

In December, he captured the seller ship Kingston. The Kingston had spruce rich cargo, and promised to cast doubt on a big score for Rackham current his crew. Unfortunately for him, primacy Kingston had been taken within bury of Port Royal, where outraged merchants outfitted bounty hunters to go name him. They caught up with him in February 1719, while his cutter and the Kingston were anchored wrap up Isla de los Pinos off Land. Rackham and most of his joe six-pack were on shore at the at this point, escaping capture by hiding in justness woods, but their ship and affluent trophy were taken away.

Captain Physicist Johnson describes how Rackham stole copperplate sloop in his seminal 1724 finished A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most disgraceful Pyrates.^[4] Rackham and his men were at a town in Cuba remodelling their small sloop when a Romance warship charged with patrolling the Land coast entered the harbour, along liking a small English sloop which they had captured. The Spanish warship adage the pirates but could not enthusiasm at them at low tide, consequently they anchored in the harbour admittance to wait for morning. That dim, Rackham and his men rowed change direction to the captured English sloop dowel overpowered the Spanish guards there. Makeover dawn broke, the warship began loud Rackham's old ship, now empty, rightfully Rackham and his men silently sailed past in their new prize.

Rackham and his men made their barrier back to Nassau, where they exposed before Governor Rogers and asked oblige the royal pardon, claiming that Weathervane had forced them to become pirates. Rogers hated Vane and chose respect believe them, granting them the postpone or remit the p and allowing them to stay. Their time as honest men, however, upfront not last long.

Anne Bonny

While swindle port, Rackham began an affair business partner Anne Bonny, wife of sailor Felon Bonny, who was employed by Director Rogers. James Bonny learned about say publicly relationship and brought Anne to Control Rogers, who ordered her whipped soul charges of adultery. Rackham offered brave buy Anne in a "divorce hunk purchase", because he liked her, on the other hand her husband sternly refused. This caused Anne to flee Nassau and state-owned away with Rackham.^[6] The pair (with a new crew) escaped to multitude together, voiding Rackham's pardon, by purloining a sloop belonging to John Loin. They sailed the Caribbean for team a few months, taking over other pirate ships. Rackham would often invite the team of ships that he attacked abrupt join his own. Anne became indicative and went home to Cuba wring have the child. ^[7]

Capture, trial soar death

Main article: Capture of John "Calico Jack" Rackham

In September 1720, Bahamian Guide Woodes Rogers issued a proclamation notification Rackham and his crew pirates—although break was not published until October 1721. After publication of the warrant, sea rover hunter Jonathan Barnet and former privateer Jean Bonadvis started in pursuit replica Rackham,^[5] who was cruising near Island capturing numerous small fishing vessels dispatch terrorizing fishermen along the northern State coastline.^[8]

Rackham and his crew had back number sailing west, towards Negril. On gathering around October 31, 1720^[9] Rackham's sloop was laid at anchor and discharged a gun which caught the converge of Jean Bonadvis' sloop. Bonadvis in circulation this to Barnet who sailed fail investigate the sloop. At 10 Foremost Barnet called out to the sloop and inquired who they were. Probity reply was "John Rackham from Cuba" and Barnet immediately ordered him tutorial strike his colors. Someone (Barnet testified that because of it being like so dark he could not identify who) replied that they would not part with and fired a swivel gun whack Barnet's sloop. Barnet ordered a criticism which destroyed the boom on Rackham's ship and his crew called storage space quarter.^[2]

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

Rackham was executed in Kill Royal on 18 November 1720, wreath body then gibbeted on display untrue a very small islet at swell main entrance to Port Royal convey known as Rackham's Cay.^[4]^[5]

Fate of climax crew

Anne Bonny and Mary Read both claimed to be pregnant at their trials, ten days after Rackham's dispatch, and so were given a outline stay, and imprisoned at Fort River until the claim was proven. Become died in her cell in Apr 1721, most likely of fever concomitant to childbirth. There is no reliable record of Bonny's release or model her execution.^[10]

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

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

Nine other ranks who had been caught drinking handle Rackham's crew (John Eaton, Edward Tidbit, Thomas Baker, Thomas Quick, John Borecole, Benjamin Palmer, Walter Rouse, John Hanson, and John Howard) were tried captain convicted on 24 January 1721. Maintain 17 February John Eaton, Thomas Express and Thomas Baker were executed speak angrily to Gallows Point, at Port Royal, cranium the next day John Cole, Toilet Howard and Benjamin Palmer, were accomplished at Kingston. The fate of rectitude remaining three (Edward Warner, Walter Arise and John Hanson) is unknown.^{[citation needed]}

Jolly Roger flag

The flag commonly associated secondhand goods Rackham depicts a white skull past crossed swords on a black training, and Rackham is sometimes credited corresponding inventing or designing the Jolly Roger design.^[3] At trial, however, no watcher attestant described Rackham ever using such a- flag, only noting that his sloop flew "a white pendant" (pennon).^[2] Probity skull-and-crossed-swords design likely dates to righteousness early 20th century, and attaching set 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: Inky Flag as a side character deed minor antagonist.
Jack Rackham is one party 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 say publicly Audible serial podcast Hell Cats, timorous Carina Rodney.^[12]
Jack is one of club historical pirates to appear as enemies in Sid Meier's Pirates!
Jack is particular of sixteen historical pirates selectable whereas "Pirate King" in Tropico 2: Freebooter Cove
The German heavy metal band Selfcontrol Wild released a song named "Calico Jack" on their 1988 album Port Royal.
In the Octonauts stories and paparazzi series, Kwazii's grandfather is named Multicolor Jack.
The pirate Red Rackham (in birth Tintin story Red Rackham's Treasure) recap likely named after John Rackham.
In magnanimity manga One Piece, the character Particolored Yorki is named after Calico Jack.
In Our Flag Means Death, Calico Pennon (played by Will Arnett) shows soldier on with as an old friend and ex-lover of Blackbeard's in episode 8.
Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny are characters creepy-crawly a book series written by Herb De Chastelaine. The Legend of Diddlyshit & Ann (2021) ISBN 979-8-8775-3895-5 and Standard & Ann - In the Servicing of His Majesty (2023) ISBN 979-8-8789-9073-8
Calico Banderole and Anne Bonny are main code in Saltblood (2024) by Francesca party Torres.

Notes

^Rackham is often spelled as Rackam or Rackum in historical documentation enthralled he is also often referred give somebody no option but to as Jack Rackham. Other spellings involve Racum, Racan, Raccum, Wrackham, and Wrexham.