Edward England was an 18th-century Irish pirate. Although originally from Ireland, he was more active in the Bahamas and West Africa. Considered a fine strategist, he distinguished himself through numerous assaults on merchant ships. His battles resonated throughout the United States and Europe.
Edward England wouldn’t have immediately chosen his vocation as a pirate. Starting out as a simple captain, he took over the management of a Jamaican sloop, a British merchant ship, and did so legally. A charismatic man, England was a captain as fair as he was demanding, sometimes judged to be too gentle and conciliatory with his crew.
Everything changed when his ship was chased by the notorious pirate Christopher Winter. Despite his attempts to escape, England was forced to abandon his boat at the hands of his attackers.
Nevertheless, his meeting with Christopher Winter proved decisive. Fascinated by the outlaw’s charisma, he decided to join him in New Providence, where he too became a pirate, abandoning his rather too tidy life as a mere captain.
He soon began training in the art of piracy, under Winter’s guidance. Assaulting ships, sharing booty, trading in the Bahamas… The new pirate in him seemed to be blossoming perfectly in this new life.
However, England decided to flee the Bahamas, when the British Woodes Rogers undertook a veritable “pirate hunt” in July 1718. Unwise, he chose to leave the island, fleeing with a brand-new crew off the coast of West Africa. There, England was sure he’d be left in peace, and could then sail free in search of new ships to sack. There, he traded in his sloop for a larger vessel, which he christened “Pearl”. In the meantime, he recruited a trusted officer, John Taylor, and set off for the Indian Ocean, towards Madagascar.
In 1720, he captured a 34-gun Dutch ship, renaming it the Fancy. He continues on his way, between theft, crime and petty theft.
But everything changed in August 1720, when he decided to attack a British ship (the Cassandre) near the island of Anjouan. The ship is putting up real resistance, and the attacked crew seem intent on fighting to the bitter end.
The battle lasted several hours. The Cassandre eventually ran aground on the shore of the island of Anjouan, but the battle then continued ashore, until Edward England’s final victory (which nevertheless cost him the lives of 90 of his men). The Cassandre’s survivors decided to flee into the island’s jungle, allowing the pirates to recover the 75,000 pounds aboard the ship.
England decided to stay on the island for a few weeks, to repair his boat. However, the Cassandra crew decided to return to shore, too hungry to hide in the jungle.
Magnanimous, England decided to let them go. A choice highly criticized and misunderstood by his men, as well as by his own officer John Taylor. Judged too lenient, his crew began to divide and question the legitimacy of his command.
The Cassandre crew managed to return to Bombay after 48 days. Quickly informed of the facts, the local governor of Bombay decided to track down England. So he sent the crew of the Cassandre back to sea, with the mission of capturing the eminent pirate.
The chase soon began: furious, the pirate’s men blamed England for having been too lenient. His officer and the rest of the sailors decided to land him on Mauritius, along with 4 other men who had remained loyal to him.
This marked the end of Edward England’s career as a pirate. The latter lived as a beggar on the island, before making his way to Madagascar on a makeshift raft. Exhausted and ill, he died in poverty in early 1721.
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