Buccaneer republic of Tortuga

[danwild6]

From the Mid-17th century to the Early-18th century there were at least two attempts to found a pirate republic in the Caribbean. One of the most curious hangouts for Buccaneers in this era was the island of Tortuga, which was settled variously by the French, English and Dutch.

Click the link below for more info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortuga#History

So what if instead fueding among themselves, the French and English colonists work together against their common enemy, Spain. United they throw back various Spanish attempts to expel them from the island. From these conflicts, a common leader emerges from one of the two groups(an early Henry Morgan or someone along that line). The Tortugans develop an economy dependent on piracy, and ignore demands from Europe to cease such actions when peace with Spain is more desirable than war. And in doing so decide to declare themselves an independent republic sometime in the 1640's.

Thoughts?

 

[Susano]

The feuding between French and eNglish wasnt really the problem, IIRC - it was just that once England and France also truned gaainst piracy, the bucaneers simply lost their backing...

 

[danwild6]

Okay so what if when the French and English turn their backs on Tortuga, Tortuga then turned to Spain as an ally?

 

[Susano]

Okay so what if when the French and English turn their backs on Tortuga, Tortuga then turned to Spain as an ally?

On whom would they prey then?

 

[danwild6]

OKay giving this a rethink, England and France only really and emphatically turned their backs on outright piracy starting in the 1670's. Okay so from 1640-1670 the English and French decide not to push the issue of piracy against Spain on the Tortugans (basically their outlaws, but their Spain's problem). What if by the 1670's Spain is so weakened and the Tortugans are strong enough to hold their own against Spain, France and/or Britain.

 

[carlton_bach]

I'd say the beiggest problem is going to be logistical. buccaneering is all fair and good, but at some point pirates need a supply base. Tortuga can only meet that need incompletely, especially as bigger ships and bigger crews become the norm. That makes a pirate republic vulnerable to concerted action by the powers that supply what it needs - ropes, tar, sailcloth, clothing, alcoholic beverages, metal items, gunpowder, pretty much the entire 'tech edge' of Europeans in America. In the short run, you can get this stuff by plundering, but in the long run, you need a big brother. Spain is very unlikely to want to be one, and Britain, France and Holland are more likely to want to operate their own hideout than support an independent one. The only way I can see this working is if Tortuga manages to create a viable economic base that does not depend on piracy. Otherwise - the fate of New Providence at the hands of the Royal Navy is instructive.

 

[danwild6]

OKay so I'm thinking that as the 1670s wore on you had a lot of conflict between England and Holland so WI one of the two allied with the buccaneers? Pretty soon time wise, the second Hundred Years War would erupt leaving the buccaneers in a good position to be bought by one of the warring parties as well.

I think given enough time a market economy would develop based on trade and service economics. I can see the buccaneers expanding onto western Hispaniola(OTL Haiti), making their capital around OTL Port-au-Prince.