Nicholas van Hoorn
Nicholas van Hoorn (c. 1635 in
As a privateer
In 1666 a
Learning that several
As a pirate
At end of 1682, the Saint Nicholas, commanded by Nicolas Van Hoorn, arrived in the Caribbean Sea. This vessel, armed (in part) by the commander of
- a royal licence granting monopoly over the draft of the slaves for the Spanish colonies - had apparently promised to obtain for Van Hoorn the permission to sell him Africans in Spanish America. Said promise could not be fulfilled and Van Hoorn sought alternate employ.Van Hoorn was then transformed into a true pirate. He plundered the coast of
Indeed, before the arrival of Van Hoorn in
Van Hoorn was engaged with Laurens de Graaf and Michel de Grammont in the capture of Veracruz in 1683. After the sacking of Veracruz, the two retreated to Isla de Sacrificios with prisoners where they planned to wait for ransom payments. Impatient that payments did not arrive immediately, Van Hoorn ordered the execution of a dozen prisoners and had their heads sent to Veracruz as a warning. De Graaf was furious; the two argued and then fought a duel. Van Hoorn received a minor wound and was returned to his ship in shackles. The wound soon turned gangrenous and Van Hoorn died shortly thereafter.[1]
Notes
- ISBN 9781598842012.
References
- P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1681-1685: no. 1163.