Piracy plus...
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 2:42 pm
The richest prize in pirate history was, perhaps surprisingly, not a Spanish vessel, nor was it in the Caribbean. In fact it was a Portuguese galleon, the Nostra Senhor de Cabo, which had been badly damaged in a storm. On the morning of 8th April 1720, this ship, while anchored in the harbour of La Réunion (Isle Bourbon, in the Indian Ocean) was attacked by pirates under the command of Olivier Levasseur (AKA “La Bouche) and John Taylor.
The take from this attack was 200 slaves, diamonds valued at £500,000 and “precious objects belonging to the Conde de Ericeira, the ex-viceroy of Goa, valued at £375,000 (at 1720 valuations).
The diamonds and “precious objects make a total of £875,000 (at that time) which comes to around £131,250,000.
It was reckoned that each of the 240 or so pirates got 5,000 guineas (a guinea being worth 21 shillings sterling) in gold and over 40 diamonds. 5,000 guineas is around £787,500 today. I'm in the wrong job....
Somali pirates?? They're small fry.
The take from this attack was 200 slaves, diamonds valued at £500,000 and “precious objects belonging to the Conde de Ericeira, the ex-viceroy of Goa, valued at £375,000 (at 1720 valuations).
The diamonds and “precious objects make a total of £875,000 (at that time) which comes to around £131,250,000.
It was reckoned that each of the 240 or so pirates got 5,000 guineas (a guinea being worth 21 shillings sterling) in gold and over 40 diamonds. 5,000 guineas is around £787,500 today. I'm in the wrong job....
Somali pirates?? They're small fry.