Pirates - William Kidd

Welcome to our podcast on the infamous pirate William Kidd, a figure whose life and legacy continue to captivate audiences centuries after his death. Today, we'll explore the dramatic rise and fall of Captain Kidd, separating fact from fiction and delving into the complex world of 17th-century piracy. William Kidd was born in Dundee, Scotland, around 1645. His early life remains largely shrouded in mystery, but we know he went to sea as a young man, following in the footsteps of his father, John Kidd, who was also a seaman. By the 1680s, Kaidd had made his way to New York City, where he married Sarah Bradley Cox Oort, a wealthy widow, establishing himself as a respectable member of colonial society. Kidd's career at sea began as a privateer, a common practice in the 16th and 17th centuries. Privateers were essentially government-sanctioned pirates, allowed to attack and plunder enemy ships during times of war, sharing their spoils with the sponsoring government. This blurred line between legal privateering and illegal piracy would ultimately play a crucial role in Kidd's downfall. During the war between England and France in the 1690s, Kidd gained a reputation as a successful privateer. He commanded a vessel called the Blessed William, defending English and American trade routes in the West Indies. His success in these endeavors caught the attention of powerful figures in England, setting the stage for the most fateful voyage of his life. In 1695, Kidd received a commission from the English government to lead an expedition against pirates in the Indian Ocean. This mission was backed by some of the most influential men in England, including the Earl of Bellomont, who would later become the governor of New York. Kidd was given command of a new ship, the Adventure Galley, a formidable vessel weighing over 280 tons and armed with 34 guns. The Adventure Galley set sail from England in 1696 with a crew of 150 men. Kidd's mission was ostensibly to hunt down pirates and protect English shipping, but there was likely an unspoken understanding that he would also seize enemy ships with valuable cargo. This dual purpose would later contribute to the ambiguity surrounding Kidd's actions. As Kidd and his crew sailed towards the Indian Ocean, they faced numerous challenges. The journey was long and arduous, and by the time they reached their hunting grounds, they had failed to capture any significant prizes. This lack of success led to growing discontent among the crew, who had signed on with the expectation of rich rewards. The turning point in Kidd's career came in late 1697. Tensions aboard the Adventure Galley were reaching a boiling point when an altercation occurred between Kidd and his gunner, William Moore. According to accounts, Moore was sharpening a chisel on deck when he criticized Kidd for not attacking a Dutch ship they had encountered earlier. The exchange of words escalated, and in a fit of rage, Kidd struck Moore with an iron-bound bucket, fracturing his skull. Moore died the following day. This incident marked the beginning of Kidd's descent into alleged piracy. With his crew on the verge of mutiny and no legitimate prizes captured, Kidd began to attack ships indiscriminately. In January 1698, he captured his greatest prize, an Armenian ship called the Quedagh Merchant. This 400-ton vessel was loaded with a fortune in gold, silver, silks, and other valuable East Indian merchandise. The capture of the Quedagh Merchant was a turning point for Kidd. Although he initially tried to convince his crew to return the ship to its owners, they refused. Kidd then attempted to justify the seizure by claiming the ship was a legitimate prize for an English privateer. However, when news of this capture reached England, along with tales of torture and brutality, the British East India Company declared Kidd a pirate. As Kidd's reputation as a pirate grew, so did the efforts to capture him. Various naval commanders were ordered to pursue and