Peace of Utrecht
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the powers involved in the War of the Spanish Succession, namely Spain, Great Britain, France, Portugal, Savoy and the Dutch Republic,[1] between April 1713 and February 1715 in the city of Utrecht. The treaties ended the War, resolving many territorial disputes and settling the question of the Spanish Succession, allowed Philip V of Spain to remain as King of Spain[2] in return for permanently renouncing his claim to the French throne.[3] Missing from any of the treaties, however, was the problem of the unprotected coastline in the Caribbean.[2]
With the end of hostilities between the major empires, prospects of British privateers dried up,[4] with Great Britain demobilizing a large part of its navy. Taking advantage of the lack of authority in the region, several unemployed sailors regrouped and formed crews to attack Spanish ships.[2]
On 28 July 1713, then-privateer Edward Thatch received a message informing him of the treaties being signed.[1] Rather then becoming one of hundreds of unemployed sailors,[5] he then announced to his crew that they would become a pirate vessel and allowed them to leave if they wanted. Edward Kenway and Charles Johnson both decided to remain with Thatch.[1] Thatch would later adopt the moniker of "Blackbeard" and become one of the most notorious pirates active in the region.[6][7]
The signing of the final treaty in 1715 marked the start of the Third Golden Age of Piracy,[8] and barely a year later, it had become impossible to keep up honest work as a privateer, as British Governors were skittish about breaking the terms of the treaty.[9]
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag: Blackbeard – The Lost Journal (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag: Blackbeard – The Lost Journal – 28 July, 1713
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Database: Before the Golden Age
- ↑
Peace of Utrecht on Wikipedia
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Database: Edward Kenway
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Initiates – Dossier: "Blackbeard"
- ↑ Echoes of History – Behind the Legends – Episode 6: Blackbeard
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Database: Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch
- ↑ The Twelve Trials – Set 7, Question 7
- ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Database: Charles Vane