- "Jesus Christ, Ben, why are your men firing on their own ship?"
- ―Eleanor Guthrie to Benjamin Hornigold[src]
The Royal Lion Crew was a pirate crew of Nassau during the Golden Age of Piracy under the command of Captain Benjamin Hornigold. Many of the crew members were former Jacobites. In addition to crewing the Royal Lion, they also garrisoned Fort Nassau.
History[]
Background[]
After the failed Jacobite Rising during the War of the Spanish Succession, Benjamin Hornigold convinced his crew to turn pirate, telling them that they would be soldiers in a rebel navy fighting to restore the rightful king to the throne. At some point, the crew took a prize off the coast of Boston, and Hornigold took a chair that once sat in the Plymouth office of Sir Francis Drake. Hornigold took the chair and made it his “throne” from which he surveyed Nassau from atop a tower in the fort[1].
Around 1707, Eleanor Guthrie decided to cement her power as the fence in Nassau. To prove herself to the pirates, she orchestrated a coup against Edward Teach, the most powerful and feared of the pirate captains of Nassau. Eleanor approached Hornigold, with whom Teach commanded a fleet. Eleanor offered him control of the fort to turn against Teach, and Hornigold agreed. After Eleanor turned Teach’s protege and her lover Charles Vane against him, Teach departed[2].
Season One[]
In 1715, Captain Flint's quartermaster Gates approached Hornigold and asked him to hand over the captaincy of his ship, the Royal Lion, to Gates, so that Flint could have an entire fleet to attack the Urca de Lima, the biggest Spanish treasure galleon in the Americas. When Gates arrives, he complains about having to climb a lot of stairs to meet Hornigold in his tower sitting in his old chair. Hornigold asks his crewman, Phillip, if he knows the history of the chair. Hornigold explains that the chair was taken in a prize off the coast of Boston, and once sat in the office of Francis Drake. Hornigold jokes that if Gates touches the chair, Phillip should shoot him.
The two then discuss how it was once a laughable idea for a pirate to try and take a treasure galleon. Hornigold originally thinks that he is to be the consort, but Gates explains that he will captain the ship. and Ben's crew. Every man will get a share and Hornigold will get two personally. Hornigold agreed to the proposition. However, he also voices his worries about his crew's faith in him. Gates asks if he has heard any news from his friends in Edinburgh, and Hornigold replies that the last he heard, James Francis Edward Stuart had fled to France and they were calling him "the Pretender" now. He explains to Gates that he promised his men that if they remained by his side, they would be soldiers fighting in a rebel navy to restore a rightful king. Now, Hornigold believes that they are all realizing the uncomfortable truth that they are thieves awaiting the noose. Gates later opts to recommend using Charles Vane and the crew of the Ranger as Flint’s consort, noting that they are a stronger and larger crew with a better ship[1].
After Richard Guthrie announces to the street that they can no longer fence the pirates’ cargo, Hornigold deploys his men to protect the Tavern and Eleanor while Captain Lilywhite rants about the Guthries to the mob. Eleanor tries to form a new shipping Consortium with Frasier the appraiser as its corporate seal, Captains Naft and Lawrence as cargo shippers and Hornigold providing security and legitimacy. However, Hornigold demands that she remove the ban on Charles Vane to show the street that she can keep her personal feelings from interfering in business[3]. After two hours of deliberation, Eleanor agrees[4].
Hornigold is on the beach with the rest of the Consortium to see off Lawrence as he heads out for the fist time as a "legitimate businessman". As they are saying goodbye, the cannon from Hornigold's fort fire into the harbour at the Royal Lion. Hornigold is quickly able to gather over two hundred men ready to storm the fort and retake it, but is stopped by Eleanor when Vane tells her he wants to talk. When Eleanor returns, she tells Hornigold that Vane has control of the fort, and, as a result, commerce in Nassau. She tells him that Vane's terms of peace was Hornigold's spot on the Consortium. When Hornigold says that they can still take the fort from the secret tunnel entrances, she tells him that she told Vane about it, infuriating Hornigold. He storms off, furious that everything was just stolen from him. The Royal Lion partially sinks into the harbor, and the entire garrison in the fort is killed[5].
Season Two[]
Flint tells Dufresne about his intentions to reach Captain Hornigold and attempt to get Hornigold to act as his consort in retrieving the Urca's gold from the beach. In Nassau however, Flint and Silver are surprised to see that Hornigold's flag no longer flies over the fort but over a collection of tents. Flint learns about that happened while he was gone, and Hornigold demands that they must act quickly, regardless of whether Eleanor will condone their actions or not. Aboard the Spanish Man O' War, Flint's crew and Hornigold's crew come together. Flint gives them a speech, stating that before they can achieve success with the Urca's gold, they must first neutralize the threat posed by Vane and his fortress[6].
The next day, Hornigold discusses the fortress's weaknesses with the senior officers. Flint asks him how long it will take Hornigold to rebuild any sections that are destroyed in the attack. Hornigold tells him that it will take at least ten weeks. The fortress would need to be rebuilt as quickly as possible because the power of the fortress is the only thing keeping the British and Spanish fleets from approaching Nassau. Eleanor boards, and tells Flint what is occurring in town, where Vane is attempting to turn the unaffiliated pirates in Nassau against Flint. When Eleanor suggests that Flint move his ship away and that he allow her, he, and Vane to have a sit down discussion, Flint completely rejects the idea and states that he is absolutely not abandoning his position where he has such a good advantage over Vane. To counter the flow of new recruits to Vane’s side, Hornigold and Flint send John Silver to try and persuade people to either take no part in the fight or join Flint and Hornigold. Silver pays a Pirate Actor to pretend to be a member of Hornigold’s crew, and he spreads tales about how he escaped the massacre in the fort and that Vane and his men are all barbarians.
That night, Hornigold expresses his logistical concerns about the coming attack in regards to the number of men that each side has to fight against each other. They bring over 90 men to bear with their combined crew with an additional 50 pledged by sister crews. They face 65 men in the fort, plus or minus 10. Furthermore, division in the crews on the beach remains rampant, and there are reports of skirmishes breaking out in the camps. Before dawn, Mr. Scott and Flint talk. Flint asks Scott his advice. Scott tells him that there must be another way other than open war among the pirates. Scott advices that if the pirates are divided, then they can easily lose Nassau to either the British or the Spanish. Below decks, the men are poised to launch their attack against the fortress. Flint tells them to open fire[7].
The combined crew opens fire on the fort. The gun crews continue to pound the fortress, taking huge chunks of wall out of it. When a sizable breach is made, Flint calls for a cease fire and commands that the men prepare to move ashore to storm the fortress. The men make landfall in Nassau and begin arming themselves. Flint and Hornigold agree that they need to make their assault soon. Flint tells them to delay in order to talk with Miranda Barlow, who arrives in town as they do[8].
While gone, Flint negotiates a deal to call off the attack in exchange for Vane handing over Abigail Ashe. When Flint returns, Silver tells Flint that Bones has told the crew that he fell into the water and that Flint had actually tried to save him. Flint then enters the tent where Bones is and gives him a hug, telling him that he is glad to have him back. Hornigold interrupts the reunion and tells Flint that his men are growing impatient and that he demands to know what Flint is going to do to win back Hornigold's fort from Vane. Flint then tells Hornigold and Dufresne his plan which would allow Vane to keep the fortress. Hornigold is furious that Flint has cast aside their arrangement to return the fort to Hornigold. He tells Dufresne to prepare the men for a vote and tells Flint that he intends to be placed in charge of both crews so he can lead the assault on the fort. Silver approaches Flint who is sitting alone reading a book. He tells Flint that the vote is in Flint's favor by a half dozen votes. Flint believes that he needs to win by a margin of twenty to keep Hornigold from moving on the fort[9].
That night as they prepare for the election, Billy Bones approaches Flint and tells Flint that he is up in the vote count, but Flint is still nervous, knowing that men can switch their votes on a whim. When the meeting starts, Hornigold begins his speech, using the tactic that the men should never trust someone like Flint who has backstabbed men multiple times just in recent weeks. While Hornigold continues his speech, John Silver approaches and tells Flint that Vincent and Nicholas have returned from their mission in which they were to keep an eye on the Urca gold. They inform Flint that the gold is all gone, that two Spanish ships arrived and took every piece of gold off the beach. The men overhear this and begin to spread the word.
Outside, Dufresne is explaining to Flint and Silver that Hornigold's faction has completely faded away and that the men are now concerned about what their next move is going to be since the gold has disappeared. Flint declares to Silver that they must now find a way to convince the men to continue to go along with the plan to return Abigail to her father. Silver stops Flint in his tracks and states that they quit being a team once the gold disappeared. Flint then convinces Silver to go speak to the men on his behalf by appealing to Silver's vanity. He tells Silver that there is no other place in the world where Silver matters other than with the crew of his ship. Silver then gives a speech to the men in which he tells them the value of Flint's plan. He tells them that by following Flint, they have the chance to one day live their lives not as wanted men, but as free men. The crew votes overwhelmingly in Flint’s favor.
Afterwards, Dufresne approaches Hornigold, who is saddling his horse preparing to leave. Hornigold tells Dufresne that he is finally leaving the island. He states that he knows he doesn't have many years left but that he doesn't want to spend his final years swallowed up there. Dufresne then states that there is a way for Hornigold to restore his name and live out his days as a free man[10].
After Eleanor concludes her business with Underhill, she is confronted outside by Benjamin Hornigold and Dufresne who take her prisoner. They deliver her to Captain Hume and request the ten pardons that Hume promised to Bones if Bones were to deliver Flint. Hornigold tells Hume what a terrific prize Eleanor will make when he takes her back to London, as she is responsible for brokering all the illegal pirate trade in Nassau. Hume throws the pardons on the beach for Hornigold and the men and takes Eleanor captive[11].
Season Three[]
Hornigold and Dufresne become privateers in the service of the Crown, and they command a new ship, the Orion. It is unknown if any of their co-conspirators join their crew[12].
Members[]
- Captain Benjamin Hornigold †
- Quartermaster Mr. Scott †
- Quartermaster Dufresne †
- Phillip
- Tyson
- Howard
- Brewer
- Dobson
- Winslow
- Rigger
- Big Conspirator
Quotes[]
"I promised my men that if they stayed with me, they'd be soldiers again, that they'd be part of a rebel navy fighting a war to restore a rightful king."
- Benjamin Hornigold to Gates in III.
Trivia[]
- The crew originally numbers close to 100 men. In XI. it is confirmed that 30 men were killed during the Seizure of Fort Nassau, while after combining with the twenty-something remaining members of the Walrus Crew (the 34 survivors having been further whittled down after the Boarding of the English Merchant Ship) for a combined crew of 109 men.
References[]