1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Happy Saturday. Since we had a pirate episode this week, 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: we are returning to that theme for today's Saturday Classic. 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: It is about the pirate utopia of Libertalia, which may 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: or may not have been a real place. This originally 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: came out on July eleventh, twenty eighteen. Enjoy Welcome to 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production of iHeartRadio. Hello, 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly Frye and I'm 8 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: Tracy V. Wilson. And today I thought we were due 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: for a little bit of fun summer pirate time. This 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: one is kind of a fun story. It's a little kooky. 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: This is a subject that goes by two names depending 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,279 Speaker 1: on the source you're looking at. Sometimes you will hear 13 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: it as Libertatia with a tia ending. Some of it 14 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: is Libertalia with an la ending. That's what those things 15 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: that even in different printings of the same book, you 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: will see it both ways, depending on the printer's decision. 17 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: I presume. The other part that's fun is that this 18 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 1: may or may not have been a real thing. Yep, 19 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: but it is an interesting thing to examine. The primary 20 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: account that we have of Libertalia is from a general 21 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: History of the robberies and Murders of the most Notorious Pirates. 22 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: This is in volume two, so if you go looking 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: online and you only get volume one, you will not 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: find this and be like what you said, this was 25 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: in here volume two. That one published in seventeen twenty eight. 26 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 1: The writing lists its author as Captain Charles Johnson, and 27 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: we're going to circle back to more specifics about its 28 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: authorship at the end. We've talked about it on the 29 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: show before as well, but we will revisit it. And 30 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: the idea that a bunch of pirates wanted to create 31 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: a utopia of equality, which is what this story is, 32 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: might seem a little bit far fetched, but it does 33 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: sound a lot like other utopian experiments we've talked about 34 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: just said earlier on the timeline, and with a high 35 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: seas theme. And there are also some instances we know 36 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: about of pirates kind of trying to do that, which 37 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 1: we'll talk about at the end. And it's also in 38 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: a place in the world that there were definitely a 39 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: lot of pirates, Yes, we talk about that at the 40 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: end as well. And Libertalia, which in truth, as we said, 41 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: might be completely fictional, would have been settled sometime probably 42 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: in the late seventeenth century, and that's just based kind 43 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: of on backdating from when the book was published, because 44 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: we don't have much in terms of specific dates beyond that. 45 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: So we're going to go through this whole story of 46 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: this unique pirate settlement as laid out in the General 47 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: History by Johnson, and then we will talk about the 48 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: other author who usually gets credit for writing a story 49 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: and whether that history has roots in reality. The story 50 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: of Libertalia begins with a man named Mysol who was 51 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: a Frenchman born in Provence to a good family. The 52 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: true name of the family is purposefully left out of 53 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: the general histy street of pirates to safeguard their reputation. 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,679 Speaker 1: While Meisson's father did pretty well, there were so many 55 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: children in the family that he knew he needed to 56 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: go make his own way in the world rather than 57 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: depending on any inheritance, which is a popular pirate origin story. Yes, indeed, 58 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: this one kind of as we go through you'll find 59 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: checks kind of all the boxes of popular pirate stories, 60 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 1: but it also has the fun one of we're not pirates. 61 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: So Missoul was educated in humanity, logic, and mathematics and 62 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: then at age fifteen, was sent to Angier in western 63 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: France for a year of military training, and per Charles 64 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: Johnson's account, which he claims is sourced from Meisson's own 65 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: writing about his life, Misson's father had a life as 66 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: a musketeer in mind for his son, but Misson had 67 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,119 Speaker 1: decided on a life at sea. So Meissan's father set 68 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: him up with letters of recommendation all of the items 69 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: he might need, and then arranged for a volunteer stent 70 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: aboard the Victoire, which was a ship commanded by a 71 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: relative named Monsieur forbat The young Misson aboard the Victoire 72 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: departed the port at Marseille and ventured into the Mediterranean. 73 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: Misson learned about navigation and life at sea, and he 74 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 1: spent his early time on the Victoire learning all that 75 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: he could from the more experienced men aboard. According to 76 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: the story, he just was constantly asking them questions uh. 77 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: And he loved being a sailor, and he was well 78 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: regarded because of his really well mannered demeanor. But when 79 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: the Victoires set into port in Naples, Nisson's life course changed. 80 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 1: He got permission from the captain to go ashore and 81 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: to travel inland. To Rome, but what he found there 82 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: was really disheartening. He was really chagrined at all the 83 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: licentiousness and the indulgence of the papal court. He really 84 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: lost his faith, deciding that quote all religion was no 85 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: more than a curb upon the minds of the weaker, 86 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:01,239 Speaker 1: which the wiser sort yielded to in appearance only in Rome, Misson, 87 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: who was pretty devout at that point, went to confession, 88 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,239 Speaker 1: and in doing so he meant a quote. Lewde priest 89 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: by the name of Carraccioli, who was Dominican, and while 90 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: making the acquaintance of a man of the church who 91 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: was not exactly a pillar of piety, solidified Misson's perceptions 92 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: that the Church was corrupt. He and Karaccioli became friends, 93 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: and they actually would remain companions for the rest of 94 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: their lives. Carraccioli told Misson that a life in the 95 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: church was a pretty good gig. It came with friends 96 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: and opportunities, and quote the ecclesiastical state was governed with 97 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: the same policy as were secular principalities and kingdoms, that 98 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: what was beneficial, not what was meritorious and virtuous, would 99 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: be alone regarded. He likened the papacy to a monarchy 100 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: to explain the situation to Misson, and he explained his 101 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: own contempt at the whole structure, saying, quote, for my part, 102 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: I am quite tired of the farce and will lay 103 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: hold on the first opportunity to throw oh off this 104 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: masquerading habit. The priest went on to say that he 105 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: was worried that by the time he stayed in the 106 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: church long enough to make a tidy living so that 107 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: he could leave, that he would be too old to 108 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: enjoy any of it. So Missoul proposed that the priest 109 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: join him on the seas. So the two men traveled 110 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 1: together to Livorno, Italy to meet back up with the Victoire, 111 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,479 Speaker 1: and with Missol's recommendation, Carraccioli was welcomed onto the crew. 112 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: Almost immediately, Caraccioli got a taste of the dangers of 113 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 1: sailing life. The Victoire was engaged in a long and 114 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: brutal battle with two other ships. Caraccioli was shot in 115 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: the leg in this conflict, and it was a massive struggle, 116 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 1: but ultimately the Victoir won. There wasn't much of value 117 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: to take from the best at opponents, but an estimated 118 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: fifteen Christian slaves were freed in the process. After the battle, 119 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 1: the battle damage to Victoire headed back in some Marseilles 120 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: for repair, and Masson used the downtime to visit his family, 121 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,719 Speaker 1: bringing Caraccioli along with him. He also brought with him 122 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: word from the captain that Misson had conducted himself admirably 123 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: at sea. He had a nice little letter to show 124 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: his parents that he was doing a good job. After 125 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: a month of rest, the captain of the Victoire sent 126 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: word to Misson and his friend that they were to 127 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: set sail again, leaving from Marseilles to go to Rochelle 128 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: to pick up merchantmen and saale for the West Indies. 129 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: And as the crew waited at Rochelle for the next 130 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: phase of the journey, the merchant ships that they were 131 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: to join with weren't ready to set sail. Misson and 132 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: Caraccioli decided to take work on another vessel in the 133 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: meantime because he did not like to be idle at all. 134 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: They got into some adventures along the way, but the 135 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: more important part of their escapades, as related in the 136 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: General History, was their ongoing discussion of religion and God. 137 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: Through these discussions, Misson was adopting a deist philosophy and 138 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: continuing to just turn away from all organized religion. There's 139 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: a chunk of texts that several paragraph long in which 140 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: the writer seems to be sorting out his own thoughts 141 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: on the matter of God and the soul. Craciole continued 142 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: to speak on religion both with Misson and with the 143 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: other sailors on their journeys, and as such he became 144 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: something of a religious leader simultaneously. Because both Carraccioli and 145 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: Misson had become a highly skilled sailors, a lot of 146 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 1: the men they traveled with were really looking up to 147 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: both of them. Yeah, there's a sort of wonderful irony 148 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: that Carracciole wants to leave the church because he thinks 149 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: organized religion is not for him either, and then he 150 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: sort of becomes a religious leader after that. That's kind 151 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: of a fascinating twist. So on a cruise to Martinique, 152 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: the Victoire was engaged in battle by an english man 153 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: of war with forty guns called the Winchelsea. The early 154 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: battle took a serious toll on the leadership of the Victoire. 155 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: The captain, second captain, and three lieutenants were all killed 156 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: very early on. So short on officers Misson and Caraccioli, 157 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: who had always been quick to step up when needed, 158 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: began giving orders and leading the remaining Victoire crew. They 159 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: were victorious, but this was actually by accident, because for 160 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: reasons unknown, the wind Chelsea exploded, killing all of its 161 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: crew save one lieutenant, who died two days later. Aboard 162 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: the Victoire, and after the conflict with the wind Chelsea, 163 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: Caraccioli saluted Misson as captain and told him that he 164 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: must make a choice to return to port and be 165 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: at the mercy of other men's decisions, or to take 166 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: the Victoire as his own and make his fortune. Misson 167 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: opted for freedom, but stated to the assembled crew that 168 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: quote a great number of them had resolved with him 169 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: upon a life of liberty, and had done him the 170 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,559 Speaker 1: honor to create him chief. That he designed to force 171 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: no man, and be guilty of that injustice he blamed 172 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: in others. Therefore, if any were reverse to the following 173 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: his fortune, which he promised should be the same to 174 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: all he desired, they would declare them, and he would 175 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: set them ashore, whence they might return with conveniency. They 176 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: could basically opt out of this sort of life of piracy. 177 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: But his offer was instead met with shouts of vive 178 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: le capitan nisson, which is also the origin story of 179 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: most pirate crews. Yes, I'm gonna be cool, you guys. 180 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: You don't have to come with me, but if you 181 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: want to, let's go. Let's all go. Yeah, we're going 182 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: to talk about Misson's life and leadership, but first we 183 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: will pause for a quick sponsor break. So Missul immediately 184 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: set the tone of his leadership by giving the crew 185 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: the power to select their own officers. Then their next 186 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: destination was agreed upon as a group. Misol suggested the 187 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: coast of Spain. All of the men were in accord 188 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: with that course. Then they had to decide on their color, 189 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: and at this point Carraccioli was quick to clarify that 190 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: they were in fact not pirates quote, but men who 191 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: were resolved to assert that liberty which God and Nature 192 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: gave them, and own no subjection to any farther than 193 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: was for the common good of all. So he advised 194 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: that they fly under a white flag quote, with liberty 195 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: painted on the fly. Next, the belongings of all the 196 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: officers who were slain in the fight with the wind 197 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: Chelsea were brought on the deck and the money on 198 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: board was put into a chest which was declared to 199 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,559 Speaker 1: belong equally to all the men. The lieutenants were asked 200 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: to make an assessment of the men on board and 201 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: determine who had immediate need of clothes that they could 202 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: be prioritized to receive the clothes of the deceased men. 203 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: Misson followed this up with a speech that the men 204 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 1: should all show one another brotherly love and cast aside 205 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: any grudges they had, and that they should see one 206 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 1: another as equals. Quote for when equity was trodden underfoot, misery, confusion, 207 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: and mutual distrust naturally followed. It sounds so idyllic. Everybody 208 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,680 Speaker 1: loved one another. We're all in this together. Uh. But 209 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: it was not all hippie love from Misson, as he 210 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: also declared war on any ports that would deny them 211 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: entry and any who would not give them what they needed. 212 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: He was basically saying, so, we know we're not pirates, 213 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: but other people might not get that, and if they 214 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: treat us like we're pirates, we're gonna have to get piratical. Uh. 215 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:27,959 Speaker 1: He did also admonish his men to always treat prisoners 216 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: humanly and generously for the sakes of their immortal souls. 217 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: The Victoire and its crew then did some plundering in 218 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: the most polite way possible. They took sugar and run 219 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: from a ship without violence, and then let it go. 220 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: They made fake runs at privateers with no intent to 221 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 1: actually engage them, betting that the ship would try to 222 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 1: take them, which meant that they could then defend themselves. 223 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: At one point, Missam told a privateer captain that he 224 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: would plunder nothing from the captured ship, but that they 225 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: would strip it of guns, and the privateers had to 226 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 1: promise not to engage in racy for six months. They 227 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: made their way around the globe for a while, and 228 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: eventually Misson had two ships under his command. He had 229 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: taken a ship whose crew was so charmed that they 230 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: all opted to join with him, and at this point 231 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: Caraccioli was named captain of the second ship, which was 232 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: named the Biju, and the two vessels made their way 233 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: around the Cape of Good Hope and then on to Madagascar. 234 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: Mis allied himself to the royal family of an island 235 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: near Madagascar in a conflict with a neighboring kingdom. He 236 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:33,239 Speaker 1: also married into the royal family, and so did Caraccioli. 237 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: Men of the crew married non royal women of the 238 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: island of Johanna, which is modern day Anjuan, and Misson 239 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: and his men helped to defend people off the island 240 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: against invaders. Yeah, there was actually an invasion by the 241 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: queen's brother that they defended against. Uh and they were 242 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: always the good guys in this story. So not long 243 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: after those events, Misson made his way to nearby northern 244 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: Madagascar and he scoped out an area of land that 245 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: appealed to him, and then he went ashore and he 246 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: found good soil there and available fresh water, and he 247 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: decided that he wanted to settle a town there in 248 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: this place that he envisioned would have docks, and it 249 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 1: would be an asylum, a place for aging men of 250 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: the sea to live out the remainder of their lives 251 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: in peace, and he would call it Libertelia. Messaul waited 252 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: for his entire crew to agree to his plans before 253 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: he actually began the project. All of the men agreed 254 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: to the plan, and they immediately set to work on 255 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: his designs, and within ten days they had cleared one 256 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty large trees from the area. He requested 257 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: that the royal family of Johanna loan him three hundred 258 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: men to help with the project and return for the 259 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: assistance that had been provided in their defense. And after 260 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: a great deal of debate among the leaders of that island, 261 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: some of whom feared that enabling the settlement could lead 262 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 1: to their own enslavement down the road, the three hundred 263 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: men were loaned for labor. Yeah, a lot of that 264 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: discussion said around, Wait, we're gonna help them build a 265 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: place from which they could actually come after us. Uh. 266 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: And it was like, well, maybe, but that's better than 267 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: saying no to them and having them come after us now, right, Like, 268 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: this way we at least have a chance that we'll 269 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: still all be friends. And Libertelia was set on a harbor, 270 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: and the first structures that were built were armed forts 271 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: on either side of it, and then homes and shops 272 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: were built, and the town slowly began to take shape. 273 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: Efforts were made to make friends with the native peoples 274 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: of Madagascar. Of course, that is one of those things 275 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: that is also always framed from a very European perspective, 276 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: So take that as a note if you go looking 277 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: for this story. And Libertelia was on its way to 278 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: becoming the peaceful settlement that Misson had envisioned when he 279 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: first ventured onto the land. Libertelia was anti slavery. This 280 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: is something that comes up throughout this account. Misson and 281 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: his men liberated slave ships whenever they came across them, 282 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: and on occasions when slaves were offered to them as barter, 283 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: they would always accept them and then immediately set them free. 284 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,080 Speaker 1: Misson wanted the people who chose to settle in Libertalia 285 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: to be called Liberi. The idea was that it was 286 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: open to all and that it transcended any prior nationality 287 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: and signalled a community of equals. Libertalia wasn't Misson's only 288 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: focus during this formative time, though. He still took the 289 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: Victoire out to challenge ships and take their goods, and 290 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: he met with a mix of good and bad luck 291 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: on the sea, and one skirmish with a Portuguese ship. 292 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: He was able to take a large sum of money, 293 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: which is about two hundred thousand pounds, but he also 294 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: lost fifty six men in the process, making it the 295 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: greatest loss of life that he experienced in this kind 296 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: of conflict. But he made his way home to the 297 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: developing town of Libertilia, and from its rudimentary beginnings, the 298 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 1: land was worked to grow food, and the town was 299 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: able to barter with other villages. They ended up with 300 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: several hundred head of cattle. But in addition to growing 301 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: its footprint and its own crops, Libertelia also grew in 302 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 1: population because other people came to live there, including the 303 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: English privateer Captain Thomas Two. Missol had first encountered too. 304 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: When the latter sloop appeared in the waters off the 305 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: coast of Madagascar, it appeared there might have been a 306 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: potential idea that they were going to take this new town, 307 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: but eventually things led to Two and his men joining 308 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: the colony at Libertelia. If his name sounds familiar, he 309 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: was part of our episode about Henry every and the 310 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: raid on the Mughall Fleet. He pops up in a 311 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: lot of places. He was a very busy world traveler. 312 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: He was Misson and Two didn't always see things in 313 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 1: the same light though. Even when Two first arrived in Libertalia, 314 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 1: Missan was also coming in with a Portuguese ship that 315 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: he had taken. Missong quickly realized that if they were 316 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,640 Speaker 1: going to keep the prisoners, they had taken, they would 317 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 1: need men to be on guard against an uprising, which 318 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: meant he wouldn't have enough men to go back out 319 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: to sea. And while he had established the settle meant 320 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 1: as a home base and as a place where any 321 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: marin er could call home, he wanted to continue his 322 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: voyages as long as he could. He was still building 323 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: his settlement and was to be clear getting supplies and 324 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: fortifications and wealth by taking them from ships that he bested, 325 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: even if he was being polite about it. Yeah, I 326 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:21,479 Speaker 1: don't want to lose sight of the fact that he 327 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: was stealing from people, even if he seems like a 328 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 1: great magnanimous dude. Yeah, I'm going to build a pirate 329 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: utopia funded by piracy, but I'm not calling at that. 330 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: You guys, we are not pirates unless people treat us 331 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: like pirates, and then we kind of got to be 332 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: pirates a little bit. It's there's a moral flexibility in 333 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 1: the mix of this whole story. So he had planned 334 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 1: to just let the ship, the Portuguese ship that he 335 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: had taken and its prisoners go. He also just didn't 336 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: want to take on the load of having to see 337 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: to the needs of all those captured men, like to him, 338 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: this was just way too great a burden for any 339 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: value they were going to get out of it. But 340 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 1: two and even Raccioli, we're not fans of this idea 341 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: of letting everybody go. They knew that if they set 342 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: those prisoners free, all of Europe would soon know about 343 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: Libertilia and would invade. My Song called a council and 344 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: explained his position, and the men of the council agreed 345 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: with him. All the prisoners were brought before my Song. 346 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: He told them that he knew that they would cause 347 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: his demise, but that he could cause their deaths if 348 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: he wished, and that he needed them each to swear 349 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: an oath not to work against him. Then he gave 350 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: each of them back any belongings that had been taken 351 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,439 Speaker 1: from them and set them to sail on a ship 352 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: that was stripped of all of its guns. Yeah. I 353 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: feel like so much of his leadership is based on 354 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: the like we cool, Like that's his whole approach or 355 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: are we cool? Uh? The next move for Libertilia was 356 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 1: actually away from this everybody be cool freedom and no 357 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: rules approach that it began with. But we will talk 358 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: about that after we first hear from one of our sponsors. 359 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: While the idea of a utopia always sounds great in theory, 360 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: in practice it is really hard to throw a bunch 361 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: of humans together, tell them they all equally share in 362 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: the land, in the work, and have the whole thing 363 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: chug along without any conflict. They are humans, after all. 364 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: And while things seemed to work with Miisson's original group, 365 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: after two and his men became part of Libertilia, conflicts 366 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: started to arise. On one occasion, Libertalia was invaded by 367 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:38,640 Speaker 1: Portuguese sloops. The battle played out and Nissan's men were victorious, 368 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: and they treated the defeated men who survived with kindness 369 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,199 Speaker 1: and hospitality until they saw two of the men who 370 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,880 Speaker 1: had been set free under oath not to bring any 371 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: trouble into the settlement. These two men were tried for perjury, 372 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: found guilty, and executed, and this caused some men to 373 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: question Maissan's leadership. While Meisson and Caraccioli saw this execution 374 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: as a matter of self preservation of their way of life, 375 00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: some of the men saw it as a contradiction of 376 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: everything they'd been told about Libertalia and about its values. Eventually, 377 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: Karaccioli was able to convince everyone of the necessity of 378 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: the execution, but it took a lot of effort and rhetoric. Yeah, 379 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: he sounds, based on this account like he was really 380 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: quite a good public speaker. But he was often convincing 381 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 1: all of the men of what should be done. But then, 382 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 1: not long after this, there was an argument between Two's 383 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: men and Misson's The nature of this argument is a 384 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: little unclear, although the account says that Two's men started it. 385 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: Two thought that the matter should be solved with swords, 386 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: but Misson and Karraccioli wanted to negotiate some sort of accord. 387 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: They did not want to set up their new little 388 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: utopia as a place where you settled your disagreements by 389 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: potentially killing each other. And while they sorted out the 390 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: matter at hand, and they figured out how to settle 391 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 1: this particular argument, all three of the captains came to 392 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 1: the inclusion that it was actually time for Libertilia to 393 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: have some actual laws. So everyone the entire colony was 394 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: gathered so that the three commanders could explain this plan. 395 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: They had to have some sort of government, and Misson 396 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: Caraccioli into proposed a democratic system with laws made by 397 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 1: the people. The men were to divide themselves into groups 398 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: of ten, and from each group one representative was to 399 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: be chosen who would assist in setting up the laws 400 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,640 Speaker 1: and the government of the settlement. Property and land were 401 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,479 Speaker 1: to be divided evenly, but that it would be owned 402 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,160 Speaker 1: by each man. It would no longer be a system 403 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: of collective ownership. On the first day that the newly 404 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: selected lawmakers meant, Caraccioli made a speech and proposed that 405 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 1: there should be a Lord Conservator basically a president that 406 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: would be elected and would serve for terms of three years, 407 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: so he could be re elected, but every three years 408 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: they would revisit that and all agreed, and of course 409 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:01,719 Speaker 1: Misson was immediately made Conservator and two was named as 410 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: Conservator Admiral, and Karaccioli was Secretary of State. And for 411 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 1: ten full days this new governing body worked to set 412 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: up the laws of Libertalia. They began, under Caraccioli's office 413 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: to even develop a new language for Libertalia that incorporated 414 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 1: the various native languages of the many people who had 415 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: settled there. They carefully balanced the man power that was 416 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,880 Speaker 1: needed to maintain their animals and their crops against their 417 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: needs for naval reinforcements. Yet two was like, let's build 418 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: our navy, and they were like, hey, somebody's got to 419 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: feed the cows. So they kind of were figuring out 420 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: some pretty advanced kind of balancing systems about what their 421 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: society could handle. And Admiral too then set out to 422 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 1: gather more members of the colony, hoping to meet with 423 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,199 Speaker 1: ships at sea and offer to take volunteers to bolster 424 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 1: Libertalia's numbers. He also went and visited places he knew 425 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 1: and sort of told people about it, and as part 426 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: of his can for new citizens, which he first began 427 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 1: by finding a settlement of his former men who had 428 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,119 Speaker 1: not joined up with Libertelia but had started their own camp. 429 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: He spoke really passionately about Libertilia and its government built 430 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: around fairness and equality, but also he was clear to 431 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: say that the settlement was also willing to work with 432 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: other governments, saying, quote, if you will go to America 433 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: or Europe and show the advantage which may accrue to 434 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: the English by fixing a colony here out of the 435 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: love we bear our country, and to wipe away the 436 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: odious appellation of pirates, with pleasure, we will submit to 437 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: any who shall come with a commission from a lawful government. 438 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 1: But it is ridiculous to think we will become subjects 439 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: of greater rogues than ourselves. But while he was visiting 440 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: with his friends and potential recruits to their small paradise, 441 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 1: he was surprised when Misson himself found him and told 442 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: him that everything they had built had been lost. Maison 443 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: told too that the native peoples had attacked the settlement, 444 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: killed Correzzioli and many others, and that only he and 445 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: forty five other men had managed to escape aboard the Bijoux. Yeah, 446 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: this was at a point when two was kind of stranded. 447 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 1: There had been a big storm and the Victoire had 448 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: actually capsized and many of the crew were killed, but 449 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: they were able to get the ship, and Two thought 450 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: that they should head to America and make a fresh start, 451 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: And there was even discussion that, like, hey, we know 452 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 1: how to do this now, let's make another settlement. But 453 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: Missul was so devastated at having lost all of his 454 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: work that he just had no heart for another attempt. 455 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: So Misson took the Victoire and set out with a 456 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: plan that he would meet to again on the Guinea 457 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: coast to regroup, But that meeting never happened. The Victoire 458 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: sank during a storm and Masson went down with a ship. 459 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 1: So it has come up on the show before, but 460 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 1: just to recap since the nineteen thirties, the history of 461 00:25:56,560 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: the lives and bloody exploits of the most noted pirates 462 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: sometimes the general history of Pirates. You'll see it listed 463 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: in a number of different ways because on some republications 464 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: it has gotten new titles. Has been attributed to journalists, 465 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: spy and novelist Daniel Dafoe, and that attribution came about 466 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: through the work of John Robert Moore, who was a 467 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: Dafoe biographer, and it has been pretty widely accepted as 468 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 1: truth at this point. Yeah, there are some other candidates 469 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: that people name, including Nathaniel Miss who was a sailor 470 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: and a publisher, but it's so frequently associated with Daniel 471 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 1: Dafoe that a lot of times that is who the 472 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: author is listed as in the library or wherever, with 473 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,160 Speaker 1: like no little asterisk or anything. Yeah, there are definitely 474 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,400 Speaker 1: versions that don't really even talk about how it came 475 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: to be that it gets that attribution. So, remembering that 476 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: Dafoe's most famous works were novels like Robinson Crusoe and 477 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: maul Flanders. With little evidence to back up, he to 478 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,679 Speaker 1: back up what's it containing it? This account and a 479 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: general history of the robberies and murderers of the most 480 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: notorious pirates is pretty much believed to be fictional. I 481 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 1: mean it's we've talked about this book in a bunch 482 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,719 Speaker 1: of different episodes and it's all. They all involve people 483 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 1: we know were real and were involved in piracy, but 484 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: the details a lot of times are very questionable. And 485 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,440 Speaker 1: an introduction to the modern printing of this work, Maximilian 486 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: Enovac wrote that the account of the crew and the 487 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: captain that founded the Libertalia as one of the quote 488 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 1: most remarkable and neglected works of fiction among the Foe's work. 489 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 1: But there were, as we said, Tracy mentioned, there were definitely, 490 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: in many cases, real people that these stories pulled in, 491 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,880 Speaker 1: and we don't there's not a good way to verify 492 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 1: or not. It's not like people that were living a 493 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: privateering life were keeping great records, which is probably why 494 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: some of these fanciful stories grew to fill the void 495 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: of people that wanted to know about them. But there 496 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: were a few pirate settlements in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, 497 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 1: so the idea of Libertanlia is not entirely outside the 498 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: bounds of possibility, and Madagascar, as Tracy mentioned at the 499 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 1: top of the show, was a popular destination for pirates 500 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: looking for at times a bit of freedom and peace 501 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: and sometimes it take a break from things and also 502 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: to attack other ships. Well yeah, I mean you can't 503 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 1: live by rest alone. No, there was a lot of 504 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: piratical action happening in that area. Ranters Bay in Madagascar 505 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: was founded by pirate John Plantaine in seventeen twenty, although 506 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: he had more of a kingdom in mind than a democracy. 507 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: And Il Saint Marie, which is four miles east of 508 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: the island of Madagascar, is also believed to have been 509 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: inhabited by pirates for almost a century and a much 510 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: looser sort of setup than Maisson's purported settlement. So there's 511 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: a pirate cemetery on that island that continues to be 512 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: a tourist attraction. And in two thousand and one, author 513 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: Kevin Rushby published a book called Hunting Pirate Heaven, which 514 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: was part along and part investigative journalism, and he himself 515 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: was basically traveling the roots of privateers, seeking out the 516 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 1: sites of the various legendary utopias that have been part 517 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: of pirate lore, and he didn't find Libertilia, and no 518 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: one else has any hard evidence or record of it either. 519 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: It does live on in popular culture, though it has 520 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: shown up in lots of books and movies and video games, 521 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 1: including Uncharted for and Fallout four. I haven't played Uncharted for, 522 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: but in Fallout for, it's kind of a cobbled together 523 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:34,719 Speaker 1: raider settlement off the coast of Massachusetts. Yeah, it's not. 524 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: It's not so much of the utopia hugfest. No, it's 525 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: definitely not a hugfest. If you go there, people shooting you. Yeah, 526 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: uh yeah. William Burrows wrote about it at one point. 527 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: It's shown up. It's one of those like handy uh 528 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: kind of touchstones that people pull in when they're talking 529 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: about piracy and privateering to give it a feel of authenticity, 530 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: even though that that feel may be based on something 531 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: completely fictional. But it's a fascinating idea. I do think 532 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: it's interesting to examine why someone would want to write, 533 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: presuming it's fiction, to write a story that is so 534 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: sort of progressive in this idea of all men being 535 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: equal and like so anti slavery. It's an interesting thing 536 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: that that would be framed along with the idea of 537 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: piracy and freedom from government, and we're going to go 538 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: this ship into attacking us so that we can then 539 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: fight back and take their stuff. Right. Like I said, 540 00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: there's some moral flexibility baked into the whole thing. But 541 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: that does become an interesting thing to look at, like, 542 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: why would that be such an appealing piece of fiction 543 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: at a time that we don't often think of as 544 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: being really rooted in all men being equal. It's fascinating 545 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:55,959 Speaker 1: and it's a fun read. It's a little bit tricky 546 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 1: to get through it because the language is clunky to 547 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 1: our modern ear. There's some you know, fast and loose 548 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: use of capitalization and yeah, so things you're like, wait, 549 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: is that a proper net? Oh no, it's not. He 550 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 1: just likes the word prize. Okay, So yeah, there's stuff 551 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: like that to contend with. But it is a really 552 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: fun read. Yeah. Well, having read chunks of the book 553 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 1: for research of various episodes of the podcast, it does 554 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: tend to be a fun read, if not necessarily an 555 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: historically accurate one. There's part of me, there is a 556 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 1: doofy part of me that wants in my heart for 557 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 1: some piece of evidence to appear to prove that everything 558 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,960 Speaker 1: in the general history is actually accurate and true, because 559 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: it would be mind blowing if that were the case. Yeah, like, oh, 560 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: here is all of my notes, like my big file, 561 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: my binder full newspaper clippings, et cetera, that I used 562 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: to research this book. Yet No, I don't think. Oh, 563 00:31:52,600 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: it'd be great, wouldn't it be hilarious? Thanks so much 564 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 1: for joining us on this Saturday. If you'd like to 565 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: send us a note, our email addresses History Podcast at 566 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio dot com, and you can subscribe to the show 567 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 568 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.