Summary of Colin Woodard's The Republic Of Pirates

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 In 1696, the Bahamas were in the midst of a war with France. The French had captured the island of Exuma, 140 miles away, and were heading for Nassau with three warships and 320 men. Nassau had no warships or defenses of its own, and the governor, Nicholas Trott, knew that if the French attacked in force, there was little hope of defending the island. #2 The governor, Trott, was offered a bribe of £860 by the crew of the Fancy, a private warship, to allow them into Nassau’s harbor. He accepted the offer and allowed them to come ashore. The ship’s hold was filled with treasure, including more than fifty tons of elephant tusks. #3 Henry Avery was a successful pirate who had spent most of his life at sea. He was born outside the coastal town of Plymouth in the English West Country, and enlisted in the Royal Navy shortly after England went to war with France in 1688. #4 In the spring of 1693, Avery heard about a group of wealthy merchants who were assembling a squadron of merchant ships for an unusually daring mission. They were paying well, and most importantly, their contract promised more certain prospects: a guaranteed monthly wage at fair rates, with one month’s pay advanced before the ships even left England.