Benjamin Hornigold, The Loyal Englishman

Benjamin Hornigold was the man who established the pirate base in Nassau, Bahamas, and in conjunction with John Cockram arranged for stolen goods to be sold into legitimate markets.

Hornigold began as a privateer during Queen Anne’s war, and when it ended in 1713 he set up a base in the Bahamas and continued to raid Spanish merchants.  Although branded a pirate, he refused to attack British ships and maintained that he was a loyal Englishman seeking retribution against the Spanish who were preying on British merchant vessels.  He was the first to accept King George’s amnesty and became a pirate hunter, helping to round up those pirates who refused the amnesty and bring them to justice.  At the outbreak of the War of Quadruple Alliance he again became a privateer and sailed back into the Caribbean.  He died when shipwrecked in a hurricane off the coast of Cuba.