Captian John taylor: the unsung king of pirates

[The Scarborough]

Hello pyracy! This being my first post, i would like to start off with possibly the most underrated pirate captain: John Taylor. If your a big pirate afficianado, you may recall Taylor as the man who sacked England from his position after one of the largest pirate prizes being taken from the ship Cassandra; a booty worth tens of millions of dollars in modern currency. However, his story does not end there, and from the accounts of his deeds it is a shame he is known as a mere footnote in the shadow of E. England. Captain Taylor, although not the flashiest, most bloodthirsty, or richest pirate, is probably the most efficient pirate to ever sail.

Taylor, unlike the overly sympathetic England or the cruel crew murdering Bart Roberts, maintained a healthy medium; instagating just enough fear while maintaining a steady influx of prizes to keep the crew complacent. Unlike most pirates, who ended there careers in violent deaths, Taylors end is a mystery; a mark of a sucessful crimanal, or "the one that got away" persay. He kept good political standings with the dutch and spanish, allowing him a net of safe havens as well as a way to actually spend his gains. Many pirates, while successful in taking valuable prizes, did not have a way to launder the goods to create a profit unless they were given privateer status from a powerful nation.

Taylor was able to use bribery and intamadation to get the goveners of many settlements/colonies to give him anything he reasonably desired. The Dutch, upon seeing him on several occasions, were overjoyed at his presence and the value contained within. Having sailed the caribbean and the coasts of Africa, he is also well traveled. He was the bane of the English, who sent out dozens if not well over a hundred ships and men of war to put an end to him without even the slightest bit of success. His path of destruction was vast, as he would burn or take prize of his captures at leasure it is hard to calculate how many hundreds of ships were sacked by him and his crew. One highley succesful raid, although paled by the prize of the Cassandra raked in an estimated four miilion dollars ( valued a the time of capture) of diamonds and precious valuables. In the end, reports indicate he was given a postion in the spanish navy, complete with his own man of war; although it has never been confirmed and was only rumoured.

So i am opening up a discussion, why is Taylor so unknown compared to less succesful pirates such as Kidd or Roberts? Do you feel he deserves more merit, or do you have a differing opinion? These are a general outline for discussion, but any thoughts or debates are greatly welcome!

looking foward to hearing from you scurvy dogs- The Scarborough

[Fox]

I agree entirely, Captain Taylor (whose first name was probably Richard, by the way) is one of the great unsung pirates of the 'golden age'. I strongly suspect that the reason he didn't get so well known as others is simply that he didn't get a chapter in Johnson's General History.

According to a number of sources, Taylor was granted a Spanish pardon in 1722 and retired on his wealth. Jacob du Bucquoy claimed in 1744 that he was living in Cuba on his own plantation.

Incidentally, the capture of the Nuetra Senora de la Cabo, the rich prize you allude to, was probably the single richest prize taken by a pirate of the 'golden age', and was worth far more than the Cassandra.

[sea haugh]

Did Taylor not actually get his command once Cocklin died at Madagascar? He was quarter master to a lot of takings , was he not? Had an ego for sure.

I would say Condent got away with it better than Taylor ,Condent gets his freedom and moves back to France , and becomes rather successful. Taylors story is not completed yet , he didn't get away with it.

Off topic , whatever happened to Richard Holland? Am curious if the Deposition of Richard Taylor being taken by pirates was / if it may be him , the turning point for Taylor into pyracy?

The "Cabo" on a par with the Judda ship ,taken by the Dragon , cpt Condent took? which had the greater wealth? . Cabo , carrying religious items , personal wealth of viceroy , the archbishop , other priests , the 4 yearly revenues from Goa , diamonds from the south east India mines , not to mention a chinese vessel on its way to Lisbon with gifts for the king to open up direct trade.

Condent took the Austrian vessel from China.