Jump to content

Of loot and income...


Recommended Posts

I know I've seen some references to some total hauls and annual amounts of loot taken - and compared to equivalent modern monetary amounts - but can't seem to find them anywhere now.

Likely in the books that got waterlogged...

Anyone have any of these sources handy? Was asked recently about how much pyrates "earned," either on a general level or for some specific historical figures or ships.

Thanks for any help that's forthcoming.

sig2.jpg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Gregory King's Scheme of the income & expence of the several families of England' calculated for the year 1688 states Common Seamen had a yearly income per family of 20pounds per year. and the yearly income per head was 7 pounds with yearly expenses per head of 7 pounds 10 shillings.. so they seemed to be spending more then they made ... I realize this is not pyrates but it might help put things in perpective when the pyrate figures roll in....


"I being shot through the left cheek, the bullet striking away great part of my upper jaw, and several teeth which dropt down the deck where I fell... I was forced to write what I would say to prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by speaking."~ Woodes Rogers

Crewe of the Archangel

http://jcsterlingcptarchang.wix.com/creweofthearchangel#

http://creweofthearchangel.wordpress.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

There is a number of tables of the richest prizes captured by various pirates during various periods in J.Rogozinski's "Dictionary of Pirates" (Wordsworth Editions 1997). There are some figures:

Caribbean and South America's Pacific Coast, 1628-1686:

(the greatest) P.Hein commanding 31 vessels and 2300 men - 11-14 million Dutch guilders,

F.L'Ollonnais with 8 ships and 660 men - 260000 pesos=65000 pounds,

H.Morgan with 10 small ships and 500 men - 250000 pesos=62500 pounds,

etc.;

Indian Ocean and Red Sea, 1690-1722:

(the greatest) J.Taylor and O.La Bouche - 875000 pounds, being 3600 pounds per share,

H.Every and his squadron - 325000 pounds, being 1000 pounds plus jewels per man from Every's "Fancy" (who took most of the loot),

E.Condent - 150000 pounds, being 2000 pounds per share,

etc.

These are the maximum, the minimum being nothing at all, and a death in the first battle, so it's hard to calculate a mean sum :ph34r:

There are more figures in the book, so I'll put them here too if you wish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
&ev=PageView&cd%5Bitem_id%5D=7812&cd%5Bitem_name%5D=Of+loot+and+income...&cd%5Bitem_type%5D=topic&cd%5Bcategory_name%5D=Captain Twill"/>