Robert Culliford (c. 1666 - ?) fue un inglés pirata nacido en Cornwall. Es recordado por su lucha con el capitán Kidd.

Primeros pasos

Culliford y Kidd se conocieron a bordo del mercante frances Sainte Rose. En dicho mercante sólo iban a bordo ocho británicos, incluyendoles. En el contexto de la guerra de la gran alianza Kidd, Culliford y sus compadres británicos se amotinaron y capturaron el buque frances, renombrandolo como el Blessed William. Kidd fue nombrado el capitán. En febrero de 1690 se produjo otro motín en el barco. Kidd fue depuesto como capitán. El nuevo capitán del barco fue William Mason y Culliford era su timonel. Culliford condujo a los piratas através del Caribe asaltando barcos y atacando pueblos para aumentar su botín. Finalemente llegarón a Nueva York y vendieron sus tesoros.^[1] De nuevo se hicieron a la mar capturando otra fragata francesa,L'Esperance. Mason le dió el nuevo buque a Culliford, que la renombro como la Horne Frigate. Era el primer mando del capitán pirata Robert Culliford.^[2]

Rumbo a la India

However, the pirates lost most of their booty when the two ketches they sent to bring their wealth to New York fell into the hands of French privateers. The disappointed Culliford returned to New York with Mason, where they returned aboard a single ship, the Jacob, another captured ex-Frenchman, and set sail in December 1690. Culliford served as captain's quartermaster, one of two quartermasters aboard the Jacob.^[3]

Culliford and his fellow pirates eventually made their way to India, landing at Mangrol in 1692, where they robbed and abused the local population. The Indians captured Culliford and seventeen of his comrades. Culliford spent the next four years in a Gujarati prison.^[4]

Escape and new adventures

In spring, 1696, Culliford and some of his comrades escaped and made their way to Bombay, where they signed aboard the East India Company ketch Josiah. In Madras they commandeered the ship, returned to piracy, and sailed for the Bay of Bengal.^[5]

Near the Nicobar Islands, the crew retook the ship and marooned him. He was rescued by Ralph Stout, captain of the Mocha. When Stout was killed in 1697, Culliford became captain. He then pursued the British ship Dorill. But the Dorill opened fire and cut off the Mocha's main mast. Culliford retreated to St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie) off eastern Madagascar, plundering ships along the way. At Saint Mary's, Culliford plundered a French ship with £ 2,000 worth of cargo.

Meanwhile, William Kidd had pirated and divided his most famous haul, the Quedah Merchant, and met up with Culliford at St. Mary's Island (Île Sainte-Marie). Kidd forgave Culliford and most of Kidd's crew enlisted with Culliford. Culliford and his new crew then set off in late June, 1698.

Shortly after departing Saint Mary's Island, Culliford met up with Dirk Chivers. They joined forces and captured the Great Mohammed in the Red Sea in September of 1698. The Great Mohammed carried £ 130,000 in cash. While returning to Saint Mary's Island they plundered another ship in February 1699. While at Saint Mary's Island, four British warships arrived. The pirates were offered a royal pardon, which Culliford accepted.

There, he was arrested and tried for piracy of the Great Mohammed and his pardon was ruled invalid. He was saved from hanging, because he was needed in Samuel Burgess' trial. Following the trial, Culliford disappeared from record, and rumor has it that he next served on a naval ship.

References

1. ↑ Richard Zacks (2003), 'El cazador de piratas, p. 73-74.
2. ↑ Zacks, p. 74-76.
3. ↑ Zacks, p. 76-77.
4. ↑ Richard Zacks (2003), The Pirate Hunter, p. 41-42.
5. ↑ Zacks, p. 42, 47-48

Bibliografía

• Zacks, Richard (2002). El cazador de piratas : La verdadera historia del capitán Kidd. Hyperion Books (ISBN 0-7868-8451-7)