Henry Jennings
| Henry Jennings | |
|---|---|
| Residence | Jamaica, New Providence, Bermuda |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Privateer, ship captain, landowner |
| Criminal status | Pardoned for piracy during general amnesty in 1718 |
| Piratical career | |
| Type | Golden Age Pirate |
| Years active | circa 1715-1718 |
| Rank | Commodore |
| Base of operations | Jamaica, followed by New Providence and Nassau in the Bahamas |
| Commands | Sloop Bersheba |
Henry Jennings was an 18th-century British privateer, who served primarily during the War of Spanish Succession and later served as leader of the pirate haven or 'republic' of New Providence.
Jennings first recorded act of piracy took place in early 1716 when, with three vessels and 150-300 men, Jennings' fleet ambushed the Spanish salvage camp from the 1715 Treasure Fleet. After the Florida raid, Jennings and his crew also linked up with Ben Hornigold's "three sets of pirates" from New Providence Island. Starting in 1716 and for around a year and a half, Jennings sailed during the Golden Age of Piracy, sailing with individuals such as pirate "Black Sam" Bellamy.
Author Colin Woodard describes Jennings as “an educated ship captain with a comfortable estate" on Bermuda, and he had estates on both Bermuda and Jamaica. Although little is known of Jennings' early life, he was first recorded as a privateer during the War of the Spanish Succession operating from Jamaica, then governed by Lord Archibald Hamilton. There is evidence that Jennings owned enough land in Jamaica to live comfortably, thus leaving his motivations for piracy to conjecture.
On July 31, 1715, all 11 vessels of the 1715 Treasure Fleet, a large Spanish treasure fleet heading out from Havana, wrecked in a hurricane along the coasts of Florida near Cape Canaveral. News of the wreck and their distress call reached Jamaica in November 1715, and Jennings and his ship Bersheba sailed immediately to the Florida coast. Jennings and the Bersheba had been granted a commission by the governor of Jamaica, Lord Archibald Hamilton, as had John Wills' Eagle. They had been sanctioned to "Execute all manner of Acts of Hostility against pyrates according to the Law of Arms," with explicit instructions not to attack anyone except pirates. History Today states that it was later claimed that Hamilton had invested in the ships and endorsed a plan for them to attack the Spanish wrecks as well. Hamilton would later deny involvement in the upcoming attacks on Spanish wrecks. In December Jennings and Charles Vane captured a Spanish mail ship and got the exact position of the main Spanish salvage camp and Urca de Lima from her captain Pedro de la Vega.
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