Thomas Howard (pirate)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Howard was a pirate primarily active in the Indian Ocean
and the Red Sea
during the Golden Age of Piracy
. He served under other pirates of the time, including George Booth
and John Bowen
. He also commanded the 36-gun Prosperous. He later retired to Rapajura, in India, where he married a local woman. He was later murdered by her relatives.
at some time prior to 1698 after spending his entire inheritance. Howard began his career by, along with a small group of pirates, first stealing a canoe and then stealing further ships until they captured a 24-gun ship. Howard was elected quartermaster by the crew.
After attacking a number of ships off the east coast of North America during 1698, the ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean
and began raiding the West Coast of Africa in 1699. Howard and the crew took a large prize from a ship that had run aground on a reef off Madagascar
. Shortly after this, Howard was marooned
by the crew while hunting and it was not until he was rescued by George Booth in early 1701. Serving alongside John Bowen aboard the Speaker, Howard remained with the crew following Booth's death and Bowen's subsequent election as captain. Following the loss of the Speaker after grounding on St. Augustine's Reef, Howard settled on the nearby island of Mauritius
.
Pembroke in March 1703, off Johanna Island
in the Comoros Islands. Howard left Bowen for a period of time - while Bowen's ship Speedy Return was being careened
- but the two cooperated again in August 1703 where they attacked and took two Indian ships, with a combined value of £70,000. The two crews were merged aboard the larger of the Indian ships - a 56-gun ship renamed the Defiant - with Bowen in command. Returning to Rajapura
, the crew divided the takings.
of Daniel Defoe
- wrote about this event in A General History of the Pyrates
, saying that he was "a most ill natur'd Fellow, and using her ill, he was murder'd by her Relations".
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
during the Golden Age of Piracy
Golden Age of Piracy
The Golden Age of Piracy is a common designation given to one or more outbursts of piracy in maritime history of the early modern period. In its broadest accepted definition, the Golden Age of Piracy spans from the 1650s to the 1730s and covers three separate outbursts of piracy:the buccaneering...
. He served under other pirates of the time, including George Booth
George Booth (pirate)
George Booth was an English pirate who was one of the earliest active in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea during the late 17th century...
and John Bowen
John Bowen (pirate)
John Bowen was a pirate of Créole origin active during the Golden Age of Piracy. He sailed with other famous contemporaries, including Nathaniel North and George Booth, who was his captain when he served under him as a crewman aboard the Speaker...
. He also commanded the 36-gun Prosperous. He later retired to Rapajura, in India, where he married a local woman. He was later murdered by her relatives.
Early life
While little about his early life is known, Howard arrived in JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
at some time prior to 1698 after spending his entire inheritance. Howard began his career by, along with a small group of pirates, first stealing a canoe and then stealing further ships until they captured a 24-gun ship. Howard was elected quartermaster by the crew.
After attacking a number of ships off the east coast of North America during 1698, the ship crossed the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and began raiding the West Coast of Africa in 1699. Howard and the crew took a large prize from a ship that had run aground on a reef off Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Shortly after this, Howard was marooned
Marooning
Marooning is the intentional leaving of someone in a remote area, such as an uninhabited island. The word appears in writing in approximately 1709, and is derived from the term maroon, a word for a fugitive slave, which could be a corruption of Spanish cimarrón, meaning a household animal who has...
by the crew while hunting and it was not until he was rescued by George Booth in early 1701. Serving alongside John Bowen aboard the Speaker, Howard remained with the crew following Booth's death and Bowen's subsequent election as captain. Following the loss of the Speaker after grounding on St. Augustine's Reef, Howard settled on the nearby island of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
As captain of the Prosperous
After a short period of time he recruited a group of pirates and took the 36-gun Prosperous. Howard was elected captain at Christmas 1702 again met with John Bowen, at the port of Mayotta. Together, the two attacked the East IndiamanEast Indiamen
An East Indiaman was a ship operating under charter or license to any of the East India Companies of the major European trading powers of the 17th through the 19th centuries...
Pembroke in March 1703, off Johanna Island
Anjouan
Anjouan is an autonomous island, part of the Union of Comoros. The island is located in the Indian Ocean. Its capital is Mutsamudu and its population as of 2006 is about 277,500. The total area of the island is 424 sq. kilometers Anjouan (also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani) is an autonomous island,...
in the Comoros Islands. Howard left Bowen for a period of time - while Bowen's ship Speedy Return was being careened
Careening
Careening a sailing vessel is the practice of beaching it at high tide. This is usually done in order to expose one side or another of the ship's hull for maintenance and repairs below the water line when the tide goes out....
- but the two cooperated again in August 1703 where they attacked and took two Indian ships, with a combined value of £70,000. The two crews were merged aboard the larger of the Indian ships - a 56-gun ship renamed the Defiant - with Bowen in command. Returning to Rajapura
Rajauri
Rajouri is a town and a notified area committee in Rajouri district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.- Introduction :The District drives its name from Rajouri town which itself had been historically known as Rajapuri/Rajapura. Rajouri District had been part of Poonch district prior to 1967...
, the crew divided the takings.
Retirement and death
Having received his share of the prize, Howard remained in Rajapura when Bowen left with the Dauntless. Retiring from piracy, he married a local woman. However, after a short period of time his ill-treatment of her led to his being murdered by the relatives of his wife. Captain Charles Johnson - commonly considered to be a pseudonymPseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
- wrote about this event in A General History of the Pyrates
A General History of the Pyrates
A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates is a 1724 book published in Britain, containing biographies of contemporary pirates. Influential in shaping popular conceptions of pirates, it is the prime source for the biographies of many well known pirates...
, saying that he was "a most ill natur'd Fellow, and using her ill, he was murder'd by her Relations".