Francis Fernando

Francis Fernando[1] (fl. 1715-1716) was a Jamaican pirate and privateer active in the Caribbean. He was one of the few confirmed mixed-race Captains in the Golden Age of Piracy.[2]

Francis Fernando
NationalityJamaican
OccupationPirate
Years active1715-1716
Piratical career
Base of operationsCaribbean
CommandsBennett

History

Francis Fernando, described as “a mulatto commander” and “a tawny Moor,” owned an estate on Jamaica[3] and was prosperous enough to post a security deposit for his voyages. He was granted a privateering commission in late 1715 from Lord Archibald Hamilton, Governor of Jamaica. He also sold Hamilton a share of ownership in his sloop Bennett, which meant Hamilton would personally profit from any prize ships Fernando took.[4]

In early 1716 he captured the Spanish sloop Nuestra Señora de Belen. His commission had been to sail against pirates; he justified taking the Spanish ship on the grounds that had originally been an English vessel (the Kingston or Kensington), unlawfully captured by the Spanish.[5] He returned to Jamaica to have the prize confirmed, though he only left the bulk cargo aboard - he had removed all the jewels, coins, and other valuables, worth 250,000 pieces of eight. Shrewdly, Fernando kept the Bennett offshore while awaiting the prize court’s judgment.[4]

He captured another Spanish ship shortly afterwards, this time sailing to New Providence in the Bahamas to share out the loot with his crew. He sailed back to Jamaica to determine whether he would be allowed to keep his loot and go free, and “if he found he could not, he gave out that he would return to Providence and settle amongst the rovers.”[4]

Later in 1716 he was reported as sailing alongside Henry Jennings, Benjamin Hornigold, and Olivier Levasseur, using New Providence as his home port.[6] That same year Hamilton issued a proclamation demanding that Jennings, Fernando, James Carnegie, Leigh Ashworth, and others surrender to authorities, but Hamilton was soon removed from power over corruption charges.[7] Despite this, by 1717 Hamilton’s successor Nicholas Lawes declared that England would not make any restitution to the Spanish for various offenses, including Fernando’s capture of the Nuestra Señora de Belen.[8]

Further reading

See also

References
  1. First name occasionally Francisco, last name occasionally Farnando. He should not be confused with Dutch buccaneer Michiel Andrieszoon, who may have used the aliases “Francisco Franco,” “Frans Franco,” or “Francis François.” See Marley, op cit.
  2. Powell, M. (2015). British Pirates in Print and Performance. New York: Springer. ISBN 9781137339928. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  3. Little, Benerson (2016). The Golden Age of Piracy: The Truth Behind Pirate Myths. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9781510713048. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  4. Marley, David (2010). Pirates of the Americas. Santa Barbara CA: ABC-CLIO. pp. 597–598. ISBN 9781598842012. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  5. Headlam, Cecil (1930). America and West Indies: October 1717, 1-15 | British History Online (Vol 30 ed.). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 50–68. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  6. Cordingly, David (2011). Spanish Gold: Captain Woodes Rogers and the Pirates of the Caribbean. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 9780747599630. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  7. "Proclamation of King George I - 30 Aug 1716". baylusbrooks.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  8. Brooks, Baylus C. (2017). Quest for Blackbeard: The True Story of Edward Thache and His World. Raleigh NC: Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN 9781365795923. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
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