Pirate Biography: Jean David Nau - L'Ollonais the Cruel

It is difficult for the 21st century mind to wrap around the real idea of what it was to be a real pirate in the Caribbean. Hollywood stereotypes of dashing young men swashbuckling for buried treasure have overpowered the true horror and cruelty of the pirates of the 17th century, and if one were to choose a counter-opposite to today's Captain Jack Sparrow, it would most certainly be L'Ollonais--often called "the Cruel."

The pirate known as L'Ollonais, was actually born as Jean David Nau, in Les Sables D'Ollone, France around the year 1635. He was sold at a young age into indentured servitude, becoming more or less a slave until he came of age. During this time he traveled with his master to Dominica, where he remained until he was freed approximately 20 years later.

Nau spent little time practicing honest work with his new found freedom and quickly turned to the alternative of piracy. His first ship was given to him by the governor of Tortuga--an island generally recognized as a safe haven for pirates at the time. He took the name L'Ollonais after his birthplace, Les Sables D'Ollone.

His exploits fumbled when he traveled to Campeche, where every man in his crew was slaughtered. Endangered, but still quick-thinking, L'Ollonais hid amongst his dead compatriots. The Spaniards were unable to identify the pirate and mistook the still-breathing L'Ollonais for another bloodied corpse in the sand. The few crew members that survived the initial attack confirmed falsely that their captain had indeed been killed during the ambush under torture, sending the city into a celebration at the death of this cruel pirate.

It was to this joyous scene that L'Ollonais entered Campeche. The pirate was delighted upon hearing the reason for the celebration and took part in the festivities, revelling in the hilarity of it all. Able to traverse the town freely now that he had been declared dead, L'Ollonais quickly set to recruiting a new crew. With the help of some other debtors and indentured servants he escaped the city, taking quite a few lives on his way out. Here he declared, "I shall never henceforth give quarter to any Spaniard whatsoever," and returned to Tortuga to regroup.

L'Ollonais left Tortuga after teaming with Michel Le Basque and acquiring 8 ships and 600 men. They headed for the city of Maracaibo. He captured a Spanish ship on his way, yielding a prize of 40,000 pieces of eight and another 10,000 pieces of eight in jewels.

Maracaibo itself was taken through land attacks, and though most of the villagers had fled, the pirates managed to hunt most down and torture the location of their valuables out. L'Ollonais was renowned as an expert in torture, often removing appendages or flaying skin to retrieve information. When his techniques did not receive the desired effect, the pirate would simply chop his victim to bits or perhaps yank out his tongue.

From Maracaibo, the pirates moved on to Gibraltar. Here, they lost 70 of their crew, which paled in comparison to the 500 men lost from the city. After this attack, L'Ollonais doubled back to Maracaibo, holding it for ransom yet again, and bringing the grand total of plunder on this journey to 260, 000 pieces of eight. The pirates returned to Tortuga and squandered this small fortune in less than three weeks.

L'Ollonais set out again, this time for Nicaragua, with 6 ships and 700 men. Here, while trying to find a new route, L'Ollonais is said to have cut out a man's still-beating heart and gnaw on it like a "ravenous wolf." Whether from fear of this grisly act or want of treasure, nearly half of L'Ollonais's decides to part ways.

After this event, what remained of the crew ran aground in the Gulf of Honduras. The ship was irreparable, and the pirates were forced to stay here for six months while building an entirely new vessel from the scraps of their old ship. Half of the remaining crew is left behind.

L'Ollonais sets sail for Cartagena, his single biggest mistake. The natives here capture the pirate and literally tear him to pieces, along with a few other members of his crew. The violent man meets his violent end, and though piracy continues without him for several decades, nobody surpassed his unnatural and sadistic cruelty.

Sources:

Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

Downie, Robert. The Way of the Pirate. New York: ibooks, inc, 2005. Print.

Cawthorne, Nigel. A History of Pirates. New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 2003. Print.

"Flail of the Spanairds." cindyvallar.com. Cindy Vallar, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2009.

"L'Ollonais, Jean David Nau the Pirate." thepiratesrealm.com. The Pirate's Realm, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2009.