Libertatia
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Libertatia was a legendary country, or free colony, forged by pirates, under the leadership of Captain Misson in the late 1600s. It is said to have consisted of an enclave within south Madagascar and lasted for about twenty five years. The precise location is not known, however, most sources say it stretched from the Bay of Antongil to Mananjary, including Ile Sainte Marie and Foulpointe. This area later became the Kingdom of the Zana-Malata. Other sources put it centered on the Bay of Antongil. Thomas Tew, the Provençal Misson and an Italian Dominican priest Caraccioli were involved in founding it.
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Description
The Pirate Utopia's motto was "for God and liberty," and its flag was white, in contrast to a Jolly Roger. They were libertarian, as well as Christian, waging war against oppressive states and lawmakers, attacking their ships, sparing prisoners, and freeing slaves. They called themselves Liberi, and were either anarcho-communist, or anarcho-capitalist under a communal city rule, a sort of worker owned corporation of piracy. They had pirate articles, and elected executives.
Captain William Kidd is said to have visited in 1697 to undertake repairs to his ship, and to have lost half his crew to Libertatia.
Libertatia is described in a book called "A General History of the Most Notorious Pirates" by one Captain Charles Johnson (formerly thought to be a penname of Daniel Defoe, published in 1724. It is unclear to what extent this is a work of fact or fiction, or some mixture of the two.)
Literature
- The book Pirates: Terror on the High Seas from the Caribbean to the South China Sea (consulting editor David Cordingly, Turner Publishing 1996 ISBN 1570362858), has a chapter on Libertalia: The Pirate's Utopia. It suggests that Libertatia was fictitious, and discusses the reasons for the legend.
- The True History of the Pyrate Captain Misson, His Crew & Their Colony of Libertatia, London: Spectacular Times, 1980. A condensed version of the story of Captain Misson and Libertatia.
The Wordsworth Dictionary of Pirates, 1997, asserts that Libertatia is fictitious.
Asserting reality
Raiders and Rebels: The Golden Age of Piracy, by Frank Sherry, ISBN 0688046843 suggests it existed, although Captain Misson may have been fictitious.
Film
- Against All Flags (1952), where the republic is set in the bay of Diego Suarez.
- The King's Pirate (1967), a remake of Against All Flags.
External link
- Thomas Tew (http://www.irmh.com/btew/thomas_tew.htm)
- Nightly (http://www.nightly.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=78;t=000028;p=0)fr:Libertalia