Pirate Round > Second Pirate Round
Second Pirate Round
Background
The Pirate Round saw resurgence in the late 1720's as the pirates were forced from the Caribbean by tougher Imperial naval forces and the pacification of the Bahamas by Governor Woodes Rogers who offered the Kings Pardon (1718) and sent pirate hunters to anyone who did not comply.
This coupled with the increased efforts of the North American colonies such as the Colony and Dominion of Virginia and the Province of South Carolina completely eradicated piracy in the West Indies. Eventually as the authorities caught up to them the deaths of the notorious pirates like Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach and Charles Vane really cemented the end of classical piracy in the region. However, the story does not stop there. The remaining pirates who chose to pursue the lifestyle instead adapted by finding other places to ply their trade.
The second Pirate Round began around 1719 and ended about 1721. It featured some of the Flying Gang such as Edward England, John Taylor, Olivier La Buse and Christopher Condent. Instead of Nassau, pirates including James Plantain built a new pirate base at Ranter Bay in Madagascar.
In fact it was during this second Pirate Round that the greatest prize was ever taken in the area, and possibly in the entire history of piracy. In 1721 pirates Olivier La Buse and John Taylor captured the Portuguese East India ship the Nossa Senhora Do Cabo. The ship was carrying the royal Governor and the Archbishop of Goa along with about £800,000 in gold, diamonds and other wealth including a massive golden, gem laden cross that took three men to carry. I wonder how many natives died making that cross?
Anyways the Second Pirate Round was as short lived as the first, a brief respite from the normal haunts of the Atlantic and African coasts. Eventually Edward England was marooned and died on Ile de France also known as Mauritius and Taylor and La Buse were dead not too long after. Despite these pirates successes, eventually when this era died out this was the end of the classical Golden Age of Piracy for good. Pirates like Edward Low, George Lowther and Bartholomew Roberts who are considered the last pirates of the Golden Age never even attempted the pirate round. We're not quite sure Black Bart would not have gone into the region eventually however, he was killed off the coast of Africa before he got a chance to really cement his reputation as the greatest pirate who ever lived.
The decline of piracy in general and the increasing authority of the British East India Company, along with the decline and end of the Mughal Empire pretty much made sure the second Pirate Round was the last.
