https://assassinscreedwiki.accesstheanimus.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=209.197.169.20Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]2026-06-10T10:04:15ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.42.3https://assassinscreedwiki.accesstheanimus.com/index.php?title=Golden_Age_of_Piracy&diff=256770Golden Age of Piracy2017-10-16T13:42:40Z<p>209.197.169.20: Adding categories</p>
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<div>{{Era|AC4|ACP|ACI}}<br />
{{WP-REAL}}<br />
{{Revamp}}<br />
{{Quote|We fly no colours out here, but praise the lack of 'em. So let the black flag signal nothing but your allegiance to man's natural freedoms.|Edward Thatch, regarding piracy, 1715.|Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag}}<br />
{{Event<br />
|prev= [[Salem witch trials]] / [[War of the Spanish Succession]]<br />
|next= [[1751 Port-au-Prince earthquake]]<br />
|image= [[File:Now Hiring 1.png|thumb|250px]]<br />
|name= Golden Age of Piracy<br />
|timeframe= [[Age of Enlightenment]]<br />
|conflict= [[Piracy|Pirates]]<br />
|date= 1650 - 1730<br />
|place= [[Caribbean]], [[Principe]], [[Madagascar]]<br />
|outcome= *Rise and fall of the [[Republic of Pirates|Pirate Republic]]<br />
*Piracy largely came to an end in the Caribbean<br />
|key= *Pirates<br />
*[[Assassins]]<br />
*[[Templars]]<br />
*[[British Empire]]<br />
*[[Spanish Empire]]<br />
*[[France|Kingdom of France]]<br />
*[[Portuguese Empire]]<br />
|participants= *[[Benjamin Hornigold]]<br />
*[[Edward Kenway]]<br />
*[[Edward Thatch]]<br />
*[[Bartholomew Roberts]]<br />
*[[Mary Read]]<br />
*[[Anne Bonny]]<br />
*[[Charles Vane]]<br />
*[[Jack Rackham]]<br />
*[[Samuel Bellamy]]<br />
*[[Alonzo Batilla]]<br />
*[[Woodes Rogers]]<br />
*[[Olivier Levasseur]]<br />
*[[Francis Hume]]<br />
}}<br />
The '''Golden Age of Piracy''' was an extended period of time lasting from the 1650s to the 1730s, characterized by the excessive outbursts of [[Piracy|piracy]] that occurred throughout several regions around the [[Earth|world]], most notably in the [[Caribbean]].<br />
<br />
Although there had been two previous proclaimed "Golden Ages", the third and final one ranged from 1715 to the mid-1730s, and saw the rise of several infamous pirates, including [[Edward Thatch]], better known as Blackbeard, and [[Bartholomew Roberts]], known after his death as Black Bart.<br />
<br />
The third Golden Age is considered to have started in 1715, with the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht between the [[British Empire|British]] and [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] empires. This rendered hundreds of [[Privateers|privateers]] on either side obsolete and unemployed. Looking for a means to survive, many of the former privateers turned to piracy to support themselves. [[Edward Kenway]], [[Benjamin Hornigold]], [[Charles Vane]], and [[Jack Rackham]] were among those who converted to lawlessness.<br />
<br />
With shipping lanes established throughout the West Indies, several [[Europe]]an powers had colonized islands and coastlines in the area, and began transporting new-found goods and treasures from their holdings back to Europe - prime targets for the new bands of roving criminals. Most pirates profited from looting these Europe-bound [[ships]], usually filled with precious gold and silver or the region's profitable crops, such as sugar and cocoa.<br />
<br />
Although the navies of several empires patrolled the waters for pirates, the criminals still managed to plunder countless ships, [[Sugar plantations|plantations]], and warehouses, as well as the wrecks of ships lost in storms and battles. The loss of a [[Spanish Treasure Fleet|Spanish fleet]] loaded with treasure is believed to be one of the events that helped to instigate the last Golden Age.<br />
<br />
Notably, the pirates who were active during this Golden Age were even able to establish their own short-lived [[democracy]] in [[Nassau]], operating without the interference of any European power. However, the fledgling republic was disbanded by the Governor [[Woodes Rogers]] in 1718, who was even able to convince three hundred pirates to accept a royal pardon. Some of these pirates returned to service under the crown as [[pirate hunters]], devoted to tracking down and eliminating their former allies.<br />
<br />
As the most notorious pirate [[Captains|captains]] eventually died out or accepted royal pardons, the last Golden Age finally came to an end in the 1730s, although piracy in general would continue.<br />
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==Gallery==<br />
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180"><br />
Devil's Advocate 4.png|The ''[[Queen Anne's Revenge]]'' attacking a British [[Man O' War]]<br />
A Last Drink for the Road 3.png|The ''[[Jackdaw]]'' engaging another vessel in combat<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
==Reference==<br />
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''<br />
{{AC4}}<br />
{{Timeline}}<br />
[[Category:Timeline]]<br />
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