Miguel Enríquez (privateer)
Puerto Rican privateer in the late 17th and early 18th centuries / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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D. Miguel Enríquez [nb 1] (c. 1674–1743), was a privateer from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Spain, who operated during the early 18th century. A mulato born out of wedlock, Enríquez was a shoemaker by occupation. After working for the governor as a salesman he was recruited to defend Puerto Rico, then a part of the Spanish Empire, and commanded a small fleet that intercepted foreign merchant ships and other vessels dedicated to contraband. These outlaws were thriving in the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, notably in the areas surrounding Saint Thomas, Curaçao and Jamaica. Operating during the height of the Golden Age of Piracy, his fleet was also credited with controlling the proliferation of buccaneers in the region. However, he was considered a pirate himself by the enemies of Spain, since it was common practice of the government to ignore when foreign ships were attacked.[2] After some time operating independently, Enríquez received a letter of marque and reprisal from the Spanish Crown, this was a special permit granting him the privileges of a privateer.[2] Corsairs from Puerto Rico were often called guardacostas, or "coast guards". They operated in the same fashion as any other pirate, the only difference was that they did it in the name of Spain, protecting imperial trade restrictions.[3] Employing a systematic approach, Enríquez was able to become the most successful and influential Puerto Rican of his time. However, despite this, he was never able to gain the acceptance of the higher social classes, something that he strived to earn throughout his life.
Miguel Enríquez | |
---|---|
Born | c. 1674–80 |
Died | 1743 San Juan, Puerto Rico, Spain |
Children | Vicente Enríquez (son) Rosa Enríquez (unrecognized daughter) Several unrecognized children |
Awards | Medalla de oro de la Real Efigie |
Piratical career | |
Nickname | The Grand Archvillain |
Type | Royal Privateer, Pirate Hunter |
Allegiance | Spain |
Years active | 1701–1735 |
Rank | Caballero (Knight) of the Royal Effigy of Spain Captain of the Land and Seas |
Base of operations | San Juan, Puerto Rico, Spain |
Commands | Private fleet |
Battles/wars | War of the Spanish Succession Battle of Vieques (1717) War of the Quadruple Alliance Anglo-Spanish War (1727) |
Wealth | Over 500,000 pieces of eight (between 100 and 200 million USD by modern standards)[1] |
Signature | |
During his years as a privateer, Enríquez established close links with the Spanish Monarchy.[4] His ships were also responsible for the distribution of urgent messages that arrived at San Juan or La Aguada to the rest of the Spanish viceroyalties.[4] When there was a shortage of royal vessels, Enríquez's fleet was responsible for transporting items on behalf of Spain without charge.[4] His fleet also provided transportation for the authorities that arrived at Puerto Rico en route to other locations and for missionaries.[4] Throughout the War of the Spanish Succession, Enríquez's ships were responsible for guarding the Antilles from British and Dutch incursions.[5] Among the places where he established connections was the adjacent island of St. Thomas.[6] Enríquez also dealt directly with the governor of Curaçao.[7] At a time when letters of marque were being regularly issued in neighboring islands his actions converted San Juan into one of the most important ports in the Caribbean.[8] Between 1702 and 1713 Enríquez owned a fleet of more than thirty vessels, losing at least a dozen and capturing more than twenty others.[9] By the time that his career was over, he had reportedly commanded a fleet of over 300 privateer ships, of which approximately 150 were lost, employing close to 1,500 sailors.[10]
In 1717, British colonists from Anguilla began colonizing the island of Vieques, which was under the control of the Spanish Government of Puerto Rico. The British did not recognize the Spanish claim to the island, which they referred to as "Crab Island". Enríquez, with the consent of the government, organized an expeditionary force which consisted of two ships with seven Spanish Army soldiers and 286 members of the Puerto Rican militia. The ships were escorted by a Spanish warship under the command of naval officer José Rocher.[11] Enríquez's men fought and defeated the British in Vieques, taking most of their prisoners to the mainland of Puerto Rico. He was received as a national hero when he returned the island of Vieques to the Spanish Empire and to the governorship of Puerto Rico. The British government became alarmed and sent a warship to San Juan. Further confrontation between both nations was avoided when the Spanish authorities returned the prisoners.[11] His fleet also participated in other military expeditions in 1728 and 1729.
Enríquez received several recognitions and exemptions that facilitated his work and contributed towards his vast wealth. Under the order of King Philip V (1683–1746), he was awarded The Gold Medal of the Royal Effigy (Spanish: "Medalla de oro de la Real Efigie")[12] in 1713 and was named Capitán de Mar y Guerra y Armador de Corsos (loosely translated as Captain of the Seas and War and Chief Provider to the Crown Corsairs).[3] The Crown also granted him a Royal Auxiliary Identification Document (Spanish: Real Cédula Auxiliar), which allowed him to directly seek help from the Council of the Indies regardless of how insignificant a conflict was.[13] Enríquez also acquired the local rights of the Royal Guinea Company and later the Real Asiento de Inglaterra, organizations dedicated to slave trading which were authorized to do so by Spain.[14] His actions placed him at odds with several influential members of San Juan's society. To counter this, Enríquez supported any new governor by offering his services and providing other help.[5] However, all but José Antonio Mendizábal unsuccessfully tried to revoke his privateering contract, often finding themselves in trouble when he responded by using his resources.[5] The most notable example was Juan de Ribera, who Enríquez managed to remove from the office of governor after an arduous conflict by employing his influence.[15] He also pursued the favor of the bishops appointed to San Juan, earning the support of Pedro de la Concepción Urtiaga and Fernando de Valbidia, but failing to earn the trust of Lorenzo Pizarro.[5] Enríquez's influence extended to several other systems, including the courts and military.[16] He owned 300 slaves and his fortune, at the time, was among the largest in the Americas. Throughout his career, Enríquez was persecuted by the Spanish elite in the island and jailed on various occasions. At the peak of his success, he was able to employ his influence to have governor Danío Granados prosecuted and jailed. However, as international politics evolved, his influence dwindled. By the time that Matías de Abadía became governor, Enríquez was unable to accomplish his removal from office.[17] He was charged with smuggling and stripped of all his power and wealth by the government. Enríquez fled and took refuge in the Catholic Church, which he regularly attended. By being generous with his donations to the bishopric, he had gained allies who would protect him throughout the years. The charges of smuggling made by the Spanish government were eventually dropped, but Enríquez chose to remain in the convent where he died a pauper.[18]