Mutiny is a revolt among a group of people (typically of a military , of a crew , or of a crew of pirates ) to oppose, change, or remove superiors or their orders. The term is commonly used for insubordination by members of the military against an officer or superior, but it can also sometimes mean any type of rebellion against any force. Mutiny does not necessarily need to refer to a military force and can describe a political , economic , or power structure in which subordinates defy superiors.
124-492: Stede Bonnet (c. 1688 – 10 December 1718) was a Barbadian-born pirate and military officer, known as the Gentleman Pirate because he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados , and inherited the family estate after his father's death in 1694. Despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decided he should turn to piracy in
248-462: A cholera epidemic killed more than 20,000 inhabitants. Deep dissatisfaction with the situation on Barbados led many to emigrate. Things came to a head in the 1930s during the Great Depression , as Barbadians began demanding better conditions for workers, the legalisation of trade unions and a widening of the franchise, which at that point was limited to male property owners. As a result of
372-478: A sand bar by Blackbeard for disagreeing with his plans. Bonnet began to resupply the ravaged Revenge , having bumboats bring food on board from ashore. One of these informed Bonnet that Blackbeard was moored in Ocracoke Inlet with only eighteen pirates. Wanting to take revenge on Blackbeard, Bonnet set sail for Ocracoke, but missed Blackbeard's departure by several hours. Bonnet gave chase but failed to catch
496-554: A "clearance" to sail the Revenge to Denmark's Caribbean colony of St. Thomas , where he planned to buy a letter of marque and go privateering against Spanish shipping. Eden granted Bonnet this clearance. Bonnet returned to Topsail Island to find that Blackbeard had sunk several of his pirate ships, taken all the loot, and robbed the Revenge and two other vessels of the squadron of most of their supplies, before sailing away. Bonnet then rescued seventeen pirates who had been marooned on
620-560: A Constitutional Review Commission was formed and sworn in by Jeffrey Gibson (who at the time was serving temporarily as Acting President of Barbados) to review the Constitution of Barbados. The commission was given a 15-month timeline to complete its work, which included consulting the public about the new republic and drafting a constitution. Thus, the CRC engaged the public in a number of public meetings, lectures, and Twitter Spaces . The report
744-627: A Spanish map in 1511. The Portuguese Empire claimed the island between 1532 and 1536, but abandoned it in 1620 with their only remnants being an introduction of wild boars for a good supply of meat whenever the island was visited. An English ship, the Olive Blossom , arrived in Barbados on 14 May 1625; its men took possession of the island in the name of King James I . In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, and Barbados became an English and later British colony . During this period,
868-752: A body of royal marine forces on shore, and of keeping them in exact discipline, and it brings into force the Army Act for one year. Until 1998, mutiny and another offence of failing to suppress or report a mutiny were each punishable with death. Section 21(5) of the Human Rights Act 1998 completely abolished the death penalty in the United Kingdom . (Prior to this, the death penalty had already been abolished for murder, but it had remained in force for certain military offences and treason , although no executions had been carried out for several decades.) This provision
992-462: A century after the passing of the first Mutiny Act. From 1689 to 1803, the Mutiny Act occasionally expired during times of peace. Yet statutory power was given to the crown to make Articles of War that operated in the colonies and elsewhere beyond the seas in the same manner as those made by prerogative in times of war. In 1715, in consequence of the rebellion, this power was created in respect of
1116-538: A county of England". Expressly named were "Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Bimshire". Lastly, in the Daily Argosy (of Demerara, i.e. Guyana) of 1652, there is a reference to Bim as a possible corruption of "Byam", the name of a Royalist leader against the Parliamentarians. That source suggested the followers of Byam became known as "Bims" and that this became a word for all Barbadians. Around 700,000 years ago,
1240-530: A gentleman he would prefer a life of leisure to that of command. Blackbeard put a henchman named Richards in command of the Revenge . Bonnet, surprised that his colleague had betrayed him, found himself as a guest aboard Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge . Bonnet confided in a few loyal crew members that he was ready to give up his criminal life if he could exile himself in Spain or Portugal . Under Richards,
1364-518: A guest, and did not command a crew again until summer 1718, when he was pardoned by North Carolina governor Charles Eden and received clearance to undertake privateering against Spanish shipping interests. Bonnet was tempted to resume his piracy but did not want to lose his pardon, so he adopted the alias "Captain Thomas" and changed his ship's name to Royal James . He had returned to piracy by July. In August, Bonnet anchored Royal James on an estuary of
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#17328584420331488-459: A knot in their flag as a mock signal to come aboard and render aid. Nevertheless, some of the prisoners who had been forced to join the pirate crew refused to fire on Rhett's men, and one narrowly escaped death at Bonnet's hands in the confusion of the engagement. The battle was ultimately decided when the rising tide lifted Rhett's sloops free while temporarily leaving the Royal James stranded. As
1612-400: A large investment and a great deal of heavy labour. At first, Dutch traders supplied the equipment, financing, and African slaves, in addition to transporting most of the sugar to Europe. In 1644 the population of Barbados was estimated at 30,000, of which about 800 were of African ancestry, with the remainder mainly of English ancestry. These English smallholders were eventually bought out and
1736-473: A militia guardhouse in the city where the Exchange and Provost stood as of 2007. The Vice-Admiralty judge Nicholas Trott sat in judgment on Bonnet's crew and sentenced most of them to hang on 5 November, with Pell turning King's evidence against his fellow pirates. They were executed on 8 November. Bonnet was brought to trial before Trott two days later, and formally charged with two acts of piracy, against
1860-558: A period of war. In 1689, the first Mutiny Act was approved, which passed the responsibility to enforce discipline within the military to Parliament . The Mutiny Act, altered in 1803, and the Articles of War defined the nature and punishment of mutiny until the latter were replaced by the Army Discipline and Regulation Act in 1879. This, in turn, was replaced by the Army Act in 1881. Today
1984-452: A practice that came to be known as being Barbadosed . Cultivation of sugar was thus handled primarily by European indentured labour until it became difficult to bring more indentured servants from England. Parish registers from the 1650s show that, for the white population, there were four times as many deaths as marriages. The mainstay of the infant colony's economy was the growth export of tobacco, but tobacco prices eventually fell in
2108-648: A precursor to the First Anglo-Dutch War . The Commonwealth of England sent an invasion force under the command of Sir George Ayscue , which arrived in October 1651. Ayscue, with a smaller force that included Scottish prisoners, surprised a larger force of Royalists, but had to resort to spying and diplomacy ultimately. On 11 January 1652, the Royalists in the House of Assembly led by Lord Willoughby surrendered, which marked
2232-409: A rate of about 25 mm (1 in) per 1,000 years. This subduction means geologically the island is composed of coral roughly 90 m (300 ft) thick, where reefs formed above the sediment. The land slopes in a series of "terraces" in the west and goes into an incline in the east. A large proportion of the island is circled by coral reefs . The erosion of limestone in the northeast of
2356-415: A reputation for cruelty. The decreased appeal of an indenture on Barbados, combined with enormous demand for labour caused by sugar cultivation, led to the use of involuntary transportation to Barbados as a punishment for crimes, or for political prisoners, and also to the kidnapping of labourers who were deported to Barbados. Irish indentured servants were a significant portion of the population throughout
2480-474: A result, he was not highly respected by his crew. In another break from tradition, Bonnet paid his crew wages, not shares of plunder as most pirates did. After staying at anchor for several days, telling inquirers that he was going to use the Revenge for island trading, Bonnet departed Carlisle Bay, Barbados , under the cover of darkness. Bonnet's initial cruise took him to the coast of the Colony of Virginia , near
2604-598: A romantic relationship between the two. Barbados Barbados ( UK : / b ɑːr ˈ b eɪ d ɒ s / bar- BAY -doss ; US : / b ɑːr ˈ b eɪ d oʊ s / bar- BAY -dohss ; locally / b ɑːr ˈ b eɪ d ə s / bar- BAY -dəss ) is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies , in the Caribbean region next to North America and north of South America , and
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#17328584420332728-614: A visual impression of a beard formed by the sea foam that sprays over the outlying coral reefs. In 1519, a map produced by the Genoese mapmaker Visconte Maggiolo showed and named Barbados in its correct position. Furthermore, the island of Barbuda in the Leewards is very similar in name and was once named " Las Barbudas " by the Spanish. The original name for Barbados in the Pre-Columbian era
2852-505: A £700 bounty on Bonnet's head and dispatched search teams to track him down. Bonnet and Herriot, accompanied by a slave and a Native American who wanted to become pirates, obtained a boat and made for the north shore of Charles Town Harbour, but foul winds and lack of supplies forced the four of them onto Sullivan's Island . Johnson sent a posse under Rhett to Sullivan's Island to hunt for Bonnet. The posse discovered Bonnet after an extensive search, and opened fire, killing Herriot and wounding
2976-449: Is 80 years. The average life expectancy is 83 years for females and 79 years for males (2020). Barbados and Japan have the highest per capita occurrences of centenarians in the world. Mutiny During the Age of Discovery , mutiny particularly meant open rebellion against a ship's captain . This occurred, for example, during Ferdinand Magellan 's journeys around the world, resulting in
3100-481: Is a fixed permanent code. But constitutional traditions are fully respected by the insertion in it of a section providing that it shall come into force only by virtue of an annual act of parliament. This annual act recites the illegality of a standing army in time of peace unless with the consent of parliament, and the necessity nevertheless of maintaining a certain number of land forces (exclusive of those serving in India) and
3224-415: Is around 15% of the total land area, equivalent to 6,300 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, which was unchanged from 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 6,300 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 0 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 5% of
3348-460: Is from either the Portuguese term os barbados or the Spanish equivalent, los barbados , both meaning "the bearded ones". It is unclear whether "bearded" refers to the long, hanging roots of the bearded fig-tree ( Ficus citrifolia ), a species of banyan indigenous to the island, or to the allegedly bearded Kalinago (Island Caribs) who once inhabited the island, or, more fancifully, to
3472-403: Is the first land east of Barbados according to the belief of the locals. The country generally experiences two seasons, one of which includes noticeably higher rainfall. Known as the " wet season ", this period runs from June to December. By contrast, the " dry season " runs from December to May. Annual precipitation ranges between 1,000 and 2,300 mm (40 and 90 in). From December to May
3596-559: Is the most easterly of the Caribbean islands. It lies on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean plates. Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown . Inhabited by Kalinago people since the 13th century, and prior to that by other Indigenous peoples , Spanish navigators took possession of Barbados in the late 15th century, claiming it for the Crown of Castile . It first appeared on
3720-587: Is the obligation of every member of the U.S. military , a principle established by the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials following World War II and reaffirmed in the aftermath of the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War . However, a U.S. soldier who disobeys an order after deeming it unlawful will almost certainly be court-martialed to determine whether the disobedience was proper. In addition, simple refusal to obey
3844-405: Is uncertain which European nation arrived first in Barbados, which probably would have been at some point in the 15th century or 16th century. One lesser-known source points to earlier revealed works antedating contemporary sources, indicating it could have been the Spanish. Many, if not most, believe the Portuguese , en route to Brazil, were the first Europeans to come upon the island. The island
Stede Bonnet - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-571: Is uncertain, but several theories exist. The National Cultural Foundation of Barbados says that "Bim" was a word commonly used by slaves , and that it derives from the Igbo term bém from bé mụ́ meaning "my home, kindred, kind"; the Igbo phoneme [e] in the Igbo orthography is very close to / ɪ / . The name could have arisen due to the relatively large percentage of Igbo slaves from modern-day southeastern Nigeria arriving in Barbados in
4092-584: The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , historian Robert C. Ritchie suggests that Bonnet was driven to piracy to escape his bad marriage, or to "recapture his more adventurous youth". Details of Bonnet's military service are unclear, but he held the rank of major in the Barbados militia. Bonnet's militia service coincided with the War of the Spanish Succession , but there is no record that he took part in
4216-417: The 2008 Barbadian general election , but the new Prime Minister David Thompson died in 2010 and was replaced by Freundel Stuart . The BLP returned to power in 2018 under Mia Mottley , who became Barbados's first female prime minister. The Government of Barbados announced on 15 September 2020 that it intended to become a republic by 30 November 2021, the 55th anniversary of its independence, resulting in
4340-632: The Armed Forces Act 2006 defines mutiny as follows: (2)For the purposes of this section a person subject to service law takes part in a mutiny if— (a)in concert with at least one other person subject to service law, he— (i)acts with the intention of overthrowing or resisting authority; or (ii)disobeys authority in such circumstances as to subvert discipline; (b)he agrees with at least one other person subject to service law to overthrow or resist authority; or (c)he agrees with at least one other person subject to service law to disobey authority, and
4464-644: The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) in 1938. He became the first Premier of Barbados in 1953, followed by fellow BLP-founder Hugh Gordon Cummins from 1958 to 1961. A group of left-leaning politicians who advocated swifter moves to independence broke off from the BLP and founded the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1955. The DLP subsequently won the 1961 Barbadian general election and their leader Errol Barrow became premier. Full internal self-government
4588-574: The Battle of Cape Fear River . Rhett sailed his two ships towards the Royal James , forcing the pirate to stay in the shallow waters along the river. Royal James soon ran aground, but in the chase so did the South Carolinian vessels. The Sea Nymph was stuck too far away to be of use, leaving only the Henry in range of the Royal James . The battle was at a stalemate for the next five or six hours, with all
4712-551: The Cape Fear River to careen and repair the ship. In late August and September, Colonel William Rhett , with the authorization of South Carolina 's governor Robert Johnson , led a naval expedition against pirates on the river. Rhett's and Bonnet's men engaged in combat for hours, but the outnumbered pirates ultimately surrendered. Rhett arrested the pirates and brought them to Charles Town (now Charleston, South Carolina ) in early October. Bonnet escaped on 24 October, but
4836-499: The Francis and the Fortune , whose commanders were on hand to testify against Bonnet in person. Bonnet pleaded not guilty to the offences but provided little defence for his actions. On 12 November Trott sentenced Bonnet to death by hanging, using his final speech to recite Bonnet's crimes and suggest that in the afterlife he would be "in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is
4960-577: The Henry and the Sea Nymph , and a force of 130 militia men. Bonnet sent three canoes out to Rhett's ships and was disconcerted to learn that they were warships. Bonnet planned to fight his way out to sea in the morning with his crew of 45. He also wrote a letter to Johnson, threatening to burn all the ships in Charles Town Harbour. At daybreak, on 27 September 1718, Bonnet set sail toward Rhett's force, and all three sloops opened fire, initiating
5084-424: The Henry closed with Bonnet's ship, his crew demanded that he surrender. Bonnet at first refused, saying that he would blow up the ship before surrendering, and threatening to shoot any man who did. Despite this, the crew won Bonnet over and a white flag was raised. After negotiations were shouted between the two ships, Bonnet agreed to surrender unconditionally. Rhett returned to Charles Town with his prisoners and
Stede Bonnet - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-789: The House of Assembly in 1639, in an effort to appease the planters, who might otherwise have opposed his controversial appointment. In the period 1640–1660, the West Indies attracted more than two-thirds of the total number of English emigrants to the Americas. By 1650, there were 44,000 settlers in the West Indies, as compared to 12,000 on the Chesapeake and 23,000 in New England . Most English arrivals were indentured. After five years of labour, they were given "freedom dues" of about £10, usually in goods. Before
5332-567: The Main Development Region for tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic, and is often spared the worst effects of the region's storms during the rainy season. On average, a major hurricane makes landfall in Barbados about once every 26 years. The last significant hit from a hurricane to cause severe damage to Barbados was Hurricane Janet in 1955; in 2010 the island was struck by Hurricane Tomas , but this caused only minor damage across
5456-501: The Queen of Barbados . On 30 November 2021, Barbados transitioned to a republic within the Commonwealth , replacing its monarchy with a ceremonial president. Barbados's population is predominantly of African ancestry. While it is technically an Atlantic island, Barbados is closely associated with the Caribbean and is ranked as one of its leading tourist destinations. The name "Barbados"
5580-536: The Revenge captured a Jamaican sloop, the Adventure , captained by David Herriot , who joined the pirates. Bonnet accompanied Blackbeard to South Carolina , where Blackbeard's four vessels blockaded the port of Charles Town in the late spring. Needing a place to rest and refit his vessels, Blackbeard headed north to Topsail Island , where the Queen Anne's Revenge ran aground and was lost in June. With dissent rising amongst
5704-496: The Royal James on 3 October. In Charles Town, Bonnet was separated from the bulk of his crew and held for three weeks along with his boatswain, Pell, and his sailing master , Herriot, at the home of Town Marshal Nathaniel Partridge. The remaining crew were held outside of Charles Town at the public watchhouse, due to the town lacking an actual jail. On 24 October, Bonnet and Herriot escaped, probably by colluding with local merchant Richard Tookerman . Johnson at once placed
5828-460: The Royal James . The work of careening was done, in whole or in part, by the prisoners Bonnet had captured. Bonnet threatened at least one man with marooning if he did not work with the slaves to repair the Royal James . Bonnet remained in the Cape Fear River, intending to wait out the hurricane season there. By the end of August, news had reached Charles Town that a pirate vessel was moored in
5952-469: The Sahara Desert . Some particularly intense dust episodes have been blamed partly for the impacts on the health of coral reefs surrounding Barbados or asthmatic episodes, but evidence has not wholly supported the former claim. Access to biocapacity in Barbados is much lower than world average. In 2016, Barbados had 0.17 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, much less than
6076-751: The University of Pittsburgh , agrees that pirates were unlikely to make captives walk the plank, preferring either bloodless assaults or far more violent methods of murder. Portrayals of Bonnet extend to video games, such as Sid Meier's Pirates! and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag . In the 1941 film The Devil and Daniel Webster , the Devil summons Bonnet to join a jury of the damned, announcing Bonnet and fellow seaman Floyd Ireson as "the fiendish butchers". The period comedy television series Our Flag Means Death , created by David Jenkins , stars Rhys Darby as Bonnet and Taika Waititi as Blackbeard. Jenkins depicts
6200-586: The 1630s as Chesapeake production expanded. Around the same time, fighting during the War of the Three Kingdoms and the Interregnum spilled over into Barbados and Barbadian territorial waters. The island was not involved in the war until after the execution of Charles I , when the island's government fell under the control of Royalists (ironically the Governor, Philip Bell, remaining loyal to Parliament while
6324-575: The 1650s, this estimate is "quite likely exaggerated". Another estimate that 12,000 Irish prisoners had arrived in Barbados by 1655 has been described as "probably exaggerated" by historian Richard B. Sheridan. According to historian Thomas Bartlett , it is "generally accepted" that approximately 10,000 Irish were deported to the West Indies and approximately 40,000 came as voluntary indentured servants, while many also travelled as voluntary, un-indentured emigrants. The introduction of sugar cane from Dutch Brazil in 1640 completely transformed society,
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#17328584420336448-608: The 18th century. The words "Bim" and "Bimshire" are recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary and Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionaries . Another possible source for "Bim" is reported to be in the Agricultural Reporter of 25 April 1868, where the Rev. N. Greenidge (father of one of the island's most famous scholars, Abel Hendy Jones Greenidge ) suggested that Bimshire was "introduced by an old planter listing it as
6572-510: The 21st century, a second treatment plant has been proposed along the island's west coast. Being so densely populated, Barbados has made great efforts to protect its underground aquifers . As a coral-limestone island, Barbados is highly permeable to seepage of surface water into the earth. The government has placed great emphasis on protecting the catchment areas that lead directly into the huge network of underground aquifers and streams. On occasion illegal squatters have breached these areas, and
6696-511: The BLP under Tom Adams . Adams adopted a more conservative and strongly pro-Western stance, allowing the Americans to use Barbados as the launchpad for their invasion of Grenada in 1983. Adams died in office in 1985 and was replaced by Harold Bernard St. John ; however, St. John lost the 1986 Barbadian general election , which saw the return of the DLP under Errol Barrow, who had been highly critical of
6820-615: The Barbadian House of Assembly , under the influence of Humphrey Walrond, supported Charles II ). To try to bring the recalcitrant colony to heel, the Commonwealth Parliament passed an act on 3 October 1650 prohibiting trade between England and Barbados, and because the island also traded with the Netherlands, further Navigation Acts were passed, prohibiting any but English vessels trading with Dutch colonies . These acts were
6944-448: The Cape Fear River. Robert Johnson , governor of South Carolina, authorised Colonel William Rhett to lead a naval expedition against the pirates, believing that North Carolina was in league with the pirates and would not do anything if left to combat them alone. After a false start due to the appearance of another pirate ship near Charles Town, Rhett arrived at the mouth of the Cape Fear River on 26 September with two eight-gun sloops,
7068-547: The Carolinas , where he attacked two more ships, a brigantine from Boston and a Barbadian sloop. He stripped the brigantine, but brought the cargo-filled Barbadian sloop to an inlet off North Carolina to use for careening and repairing the Revenge . After the Barbadian sloop's tackle was used to careen the Revenge , the ship was dismantled for timber, and the remains were burned. In September, Bonnet set course for Nassau, which
7192-584: The Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU). Barbados has nearly 90 kilometres (56 miles) of coral reefs just offshore and two protected marine parks have been established off the west coast. Overfishing is another threat which faces Barbados. Although on the opposite side of the Atlantic, and some 4,800 kilometres (3,000 miles) west of Africa, Barbados is one of many places in the American continent that experience heightened levels of mineral dust from
7316-633: The Parliamentary forces in the time of Charles I and Oliver Cromwell were governed not by an act of the legislature, but by articles of war similar to those issued by the king and authorized by an ordinance of the Lords and Commons exercising in that respect the sovereign prerogative. This power of law-making by prerogative was however held to be applicable during a state of actual war only, and attempts to exercise it in times of peace were ineffectual. Subject to this limitation, it existed for considerably more than
7440-509: The US intervention in Grenada. Barrow, too, died in office, and was replaced by Lloyd Erskine Sandiford , who remained Prime Minister until 1994. Owen Arthur of the BLP won the 1994 Barbadian general election , remaining prime minister until 2008. Arthur was a strong advocate of republicanism, though a planned referendum to replace Queen Elizabeth as Head of State in 2008 never took place. The DLP won
7564-649: The West Indian islands of Saint Kitts, Nevis, Saint Martin, and Barbados. It was introduced to the West Indies in the late 17th century when slave trade ships travelled to the Caribbean from West Africa. The green monkey is considered a very curious and mischievous/troublesome animal by locals. The 2010 national census conducted by the Barbados Statistical Service reported a resident population of 277,821, of which 144,803 were female and 133,018 were male. The life expectancy for Barbados residents as of 2020
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#17328584420337688-450: The act of Parliament. The Mutiny Act 1873 was passed in this manner. Such matters remained until 1879 when the last Mutiny Act was passed and the last Articles of War were promulgated. The Mutiny Act legislated for offences in respect of which death or penal servitude could be awarded. Meanwhile, the Articles of War, while repeating those provisions of the act, constituted the direct authority for dealing with offences for which imprisonment
7812-458: The administration of the act in many matters formerly dealt with by the Articles of War. These rules, however, must not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Army Act itself, and must be laid before parliament immediately after they are made. Thus in 1879, the government and discipline of the army became for the first time completely subject either to the direct action or the close supervision of Parliament. A further notable change took place at
7936-469: The agreed disobedience would be such as to subvert discipline. The same definition applies in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force . The military law of England in early times existed, like the forces to which it applied, in a period of war only. Troops were raised for a particular service and were disbanded upon the cessation of hostilities. The crown, by prerogative , made laws known as Articles of War for
8060-571: The average temperatures range from 21 to 31 °C (70 to 88 °F), while between June and November, they range from 23 to 31 °C (73 to 88 °F). On the Köppen climate classification scale, much of Barbados is regarded as a tropical monsoon climate (Am). However, breezes of 12 to 16 km/h (7 to 10 mph) abound throughout the year and give Barbados a climate which is moderately tropical. Infrequent natural hazards include earthquakes, landslips , and hurricanes . Barbados lies outside
8184-538: The colony operated on a plantation economy , relying on the labour of African slaves who worked on the island's plantations. Slavery continued until it was phased out through most of the British Empire by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 . On 30 November 1966, Barbados moved towards political independence and assumed the status of a Commonwealth realm , becoming a separate jurisdiction with Elizabeth II as
8308-478: The countries of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ; 180 km (110 mi) south-east of Martinique and 400 km (250 mi) north-east of Trinidad and Tobago . It is flat in comparison to its island neighbours to the west, the Windward Islands . The island rises gently to the central highland region known as Scotland District, with the highest point being Mount Hillaby 340 m (1,120 ft) above sea level. In Barbados forest cover
8432-409: The country as it was only at Tropical Storm strength at the time of impact. Barbados is susceptible to environmental pressures. As one of the world's most densely populated isles , the government worked during the 1990s to aggressively integrate the growing south coast of the island into the Bridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant to reduce contamination of offshore coral reefs. As of the first decade of
8556-418: The country became the Queen of Barbados . The monarch then was represented locally by a governor-general . The Barrow government sought to diversify the economy away from agriculture, seeking to boost industry and the tourism sector. Barbados was also at the forefront of regional integration efforts, spearheading the creation of CARIFTA and CARICOM . The DLP lost the 1976 Barbadian general election to
8680-459: The economy and the physical landscape. Barbados eventually had one of the world's biggest sugar industries. One group instrumental in ensuring the early success of the industry was the Sephardic Jews , who had originally been expelled from the Iberian peninsula , to end up in Dutch Brazil . As the effects of the new crop increased, so did the shift in the ethnic composition of Barbados and surrounding islands. The workable sugar plantation required
8804-467: The end of royalist privateering as a major threat. The conditions of the surrender were incorporated into the Charter of Barbados ( Treaty of Oistins ), which was signed at the Mermaid's Inn, Oistins , on 17 January 1652. Starting with Cromwell , a large percentage of the white labourer population were indentured servants and involuntarily transported people from Ireland. Irish servants in Barbados were often treated poorly, and Barbadian planters gained
8928-455: The entrance of the Chesapeake Bay , where he captured and plundered four vessels, and burned the Barbadian ship Turbes to keep news of his crimes from his home island. He sailed north to New York City , taking two more ships, and picking up naval supplies and releasing captives at Gardiners Island . Finding that New York was a less profitable hunting ground, by August Bonnet had returned to
9052-493: The female population, and London papers later reported that the governor delayed his execution seven times. Johnson stayed firm, and Bonnet was hanged at White Point , in Charles Town, on 10 December. After being cut down, his body was buried alongside those of his crew in nearby marshland below the low water mark. No marker was provided for the graves. The actual degree of authority any pirate captain exercised over his crew
9176-509: The fighting. During the spring of 1717, Bonnet decided to become a pirate, despite having no knowledge of shipboard life. He contracted a local shipyard to build him a sloop , which he equipped with ten guns and named the Revenge . This was unusual, as most pirates seized their ships by mutiny , by boarding them, or by converting a privateer vessel to a pirate ship. Bonnet enlisted a crew of more than seventy men. He relied on his quartermaster and officer for their knowledge of sailing, and as
9300-698: The first president of Barbados , and was subsequently elected on 20 October. Mason took office on 30 November 2021. Prince Charles , the heir apparent to the Barbadian Crown at the time, attended the swearing-in ceremony in Bridgetown at the invitation of the Government of Barbados. Queen Elizabeth sent a message of congratulations to President Mason and the people of Barbados, saying: "As you celebrate this momentous day, I send you and all Barbadians my warmest good wishes for your happiness, peace and prosperity in
9424-486: The first time. Blackbeard and Bonnet struck up an unlikely friendship, and decided to cruise together, with Blackbeard taking command while Bonnet kept to his cabin, recovering from his wounds. The ship sailed northward to Delaware Bay , where they plundered eleven ships. On 29 September, the Revenge , captained by Blackbeard, plundered the sloop Betty , which had a cargo full of Madeira wine. Captain Codd, whose merchant ship
9548-470: The forces in the kingdom, but apart from and in no respect affected the principle acknowledged all this time that the crown of its mere prerogative could make laws for the government of the army in foreign countries in time of war. The Mutiny Act 1803 effected a great constitutional change in this respect: the power of the Crown to make any Articles of War became altogether statutory, and the prerogative merged in
9672-419: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 1% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership , 0% private ownership and 99% with ownership listed as other or unknown. In the parish of Saint Michael lies Barbados's capital and main city, Bridgetown , containing one third of the country's population. Other major towns scattered across the island include Holetown , in
9796-404: The frequent use of this punishment in the naval and merchant services from which most of them came. Bonnet is alleged to have been one of the few pirates to make his prisoners walk the plank . The detailed record of his trial, however, makes no mention of this method of execution, and the historian Hugh F. Rankin argues that the idea is a modern fabrication. Marcus Rediker, Professor of History at
9920-413: The future." A survey that was conducted between 23 October 2021 and 10 November 2021, by the University of the West Indies showed 34% of respondents being in favour of transitioning to a republic, while 30% were indifferent. Notably, no overall majority was found in the survey; with 24% not indicating a preference and the remaining 12% being opposed to the removal of Queen Elizabeth. On 20 June 2022,
10044-427: The government and discipline of the troops while thus embodied and serving. Except for the punishment of desertion, which was made a felony by statute in the reign of Henry VI , these ordinances or Articles of War remained almost the sole authority for enforcing discipline until 1689. That year, the first Mutiny Act was passed and the military forces of the crown were brought under the direct control of Parliament. Even
10168-411: The government has removed squatters to preserve the cleanliness of the underground springs which provide the island's drinking water. The government has placed a huge emphasis on keeping Barbados clean with the aim of protecting the environment and preserving offshore coral reefs which surround the island. Many initiatives to mitigate human pressures on the coastal regions of Barbados and seas come from
10292-399: The history of English military law up to 1879 may be divided into three periods, each having a distinct constitutional aspect: (I) prior to 1689, the army, being regarded as so many personal retainers of the sovereign rather than servants of the state, was mainly governed by the will of the sovereign; (2) between 1689 and 1803, the army, being recognised as a permanent force, was governed within
10416-553: The increasing unrest the British sent a commission, called the West Indies Royal Commission, or Moyne Commission , in 1938, which recommended enacting many of the requested reforms on the islands. As a result, Afro-Barbadians began to play a much more prominent role in the colony's politics, with universal suffrage being introduced in 1950. Prominent among these early activists was Grantley Herbert Adams , who helped found
10540-681: The infamous pirate Blackbeard . Incapable of leading his crew, Bonnet temporarily ceded his ship's command to Blackbeard. Before separating in December 1717, Blackbeard and Bonnet plundered and captured merchant ships along the East Coast. After Bonnet failed to capture the Protestant Caesar , his crew abandoned him to join Blackbeard aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge . Bonnet stayed on Blackbeard's ship as
10664-528: The island c. 1600 BC . More permanent Amerindian settlement of Barbados dates to about the 4th to 7th centuries AD, by a group known as the Saladoid -Barrancoid. Settlements of Arawaks from South America appeared by around 800 AD and again in the 12th–13th century. The Kalinago (called " Caribs " by the Spanish) visited the island regularly, although there is no evidence of permanent settlement. It
10788-414: The island emerged from the ocean as a body of soft rock known as a diapir rose from the mantle beneath its present-day location. This process is still ongoing, raising Barbados at an average rate of 30 centimeters per thousand years. Dozens of inland sea reefs still dominate coastal features within terraces and cliffs on the island. Archeological evidence suggests humans may have first settled or visited
10912-579: The island filled up with large sugar plantations worked by African slaves. By 1660 there was near parity with 27,000 Black people and 26,000 White people. By 1666 at least 12,000 white smallholders had been bought out, died, or left the island, many choosing to emigrate to Jamaica or the American Colonies (notably the Carolinas). As a result, Barbados enacted a slave code as a way of legislatively controlling its enslaved Black population. The law's text
11036-521: The island, in the Scotland District, has resulted in the formation of various caves and gullies . On the Atlantic east coast of the island coastal landforms , including stacks , have been created due to the limestone composition of the area. Also notable in the island is the rocky cape known as Pico Teneriffe or Pico de Tenerife, which is named after the fact that the island of Tenerife in Spain
11160-549: The killing of one mutineer, the execution of another, and the marooning of others; on Henry Hudson 's Discovery , resulting in Hudson and others being set adrift in a boat; and the famous mutiny on the Bounty . Those convicted of mutiny often faced capital punishment . Until 1689, mutiny was regulated in England by Articles of War instituted by the monarch and effective only in
11284-402: The last two sloops he captured. During these operations the Royal James had begun to leak badly and was in need of careening. Bonnet sailed the ship to Cape Fear River , a well-known pirate rendezvous, to undertake repairs which were estimated to require two months of work. Shortly afterwards, a small shallop entered the river and was captured. Bonnet had the shallop broken up to help repair
11408-601: The mid-1630s, they also received 5 to 10 acres (2 to 4 hectares) of land, but after that time the island filled and there was no more free land. During the Cromwellian era (1650s) this included a large number of prisoners-of-war, vagrants and people who were illicitly kidnapped, who were forcibly transported to the island and sold as servants. These last two groups were predominantly Irish, as several thousand were infamously rounded up by English merchants and sold into servitude in Barbados and other Caribbean islands during this period,
11532-445: The military law of England. The act contained a proviso saving the right of the crown to make Articles of War, but in such a manner as to render the power in effect a nullity by enacting that no crime made punishable by the act shall be otherwise punishable by such articles. As the punishment of every conceivable offence was provided, any articles made under the act could be no more than an empty formality having no practical effect. Thus
11656-434: The other pirate. Although Bonnet apparently never discarded his hopes of reaching St. Thomas and getting his letter of marque, Blackbeard had stolen the food and supplies he and his men needed to subsist. Hoping to preserve his pardon while returning to his pirate ways, Bonnet adopted the alias "Captain Thomas" and changed the Revenge ' s name to the Royal James . The name Royal James that Bonnet conferred on his sloop
11780-455: The other two of Bonnet's followers. Bonnet surrendered and was returned to Charles Town, imprisoned in a safer location. While awaiting trial, some sort of civil uprising in his support took place within the city, an event authorities would later describe as having nearly resulted in the burning of the town and the overthrow of the government. Bonnet possibly awaited his execution in the Court of Guard,
11904-652: The parish of Saint James ; Oistins , in the parish of Christ Church ; and Speightstown , in the parish of Saint Peter . Barbados lies on the boundary of the South American and the Caribbean Plates . The subduction of the South American Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate scrapes sediment from the South American Plate and deposits it above the subduction zone forming an accretionary prism . The rate of this depositing of material allows Barbados to rise at
12028-471: The participants immobilized. Bonnet's men had the advantage that their deck was heeled away from their opponents, giving them cover, while the Henry ' s deck was tilted toward the pirates, thus exposing Rhett's men to punishing musket volleys. Bonnet's force suffered twelve casualties while killing ten and wounding fourteen of Rhett's 70-man crew. Most of Bonnet's men fought enthusiastically, challenging their enemies to board and fight hand to hand, and tying
12152-584: The period when white servants were used for plantation labour in Barbados, and while a "steady stream" of Irish servants entered the Barbados throughout the 17th century, Cromwellian efforts to pacify Ireland created a "veritable tidal wave" of Irish labourers who were sent to Barbados during the 1650s. Due to inadequate historical records, the total number of Irish labourers sent to Barbados is unknown, and estimates have been "highly contentious". While one historical source estimated that as many as 50,000 Irish people were deported to either Barbados or Virginia during
12276-521: The pirates, Blackbeard allowed Bonnet to take command of the Revenge again. Leaving the remaining vessels at Topsail Island, Blackbeard and Bonnet went ashore and journeyed to Bath , which was the capital of North Carolina . Once there, both men accepted pardons from Governor Charles Eden under King George's Act of Grace , putatively on condition of their renouncing piracy forever. While Blackbeard quietly returned to Topsail Island, Bonnet stayed in Bath to get
12400-402: The realm by statute and without it by the prerogative of the crown; and (3) from 1803 to 1879, it was governed either directly by statute or by the sovereign under an authority derived from and defined and limited by statute. Although in 1879 the power of making Articles of War became in effect inoperative, the sovereign was empowered to make rules of procedure, having the force of law, to regulate
12524-570: The replacement of the Barbadian monarchy with a president elected through electoral college . Barbados would then cease to be a Commonwealth realm , but could maintain membership in the Commonwealth of Nations , like Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago . On 20 September 2021, just over a full year after the announcement for the transition was made, the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021
12648-402: The same time. The Mutiny Act had been brought into force on each occasion for one year only, in compliance with the constitutional theory: that the maintenance of a standing army in time of peace, unless with the consent of parliament, is against law. Each session therefore the text of the act had to be passed through both Houses clause by clause and line by line. The Army Act, on the other hand,
12772-459: The second death". Johnson decreed that Bonnet would be executed on 10 December. While awaiting this, Bonnet wrote to Johnson, begging abjectly for clemency and promising to become a "menial servant" to Johnson and his government if he was spared. He sent several other letters, including to Rhett who offered to take Bonnet to England for a re-trial if Johnson allowed it. Bonnet's visibly disintegrating mind moved many Carolinians to pity, particularly
12896-561: The second-largest hawksbill turtle-breeding population in the Caribbean. The driving of vehicles on beaches can crush nests buried in the sand and such activity is discouraged in nesting areas. Barbados is also the host to the green monkey . The green monkey is found in West Africa from Senegal to the Volta River. It has been introduced to the Cape Verde islands off north-western Africa, and
13020-662: The spring of 1717. He bought a sailing vessel, the Revenge , and travelled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships. Bonnet set sail for Nassau in the Bahamas, to the haven for pirates known as the " Republic of Pirates ", but he was seriously wounded en route during an encounter with a Spanish warship. After arriving in Nassau, Bonnet met
13144-413: The task. In 1879, a measure was passed into law consolidating in one act both the Mutiny Act and the Articles of War, and amending their provisions in certain important respects. This measure was called the Army Discipline and Regulation Act 1879. After one or two years of experience highlighted the need for improvement, it was superseded by the Army Act 1881, which formed the foundation and main portion of
13268-405: The western Caribbean. On 28 March 1718, he encountered the 400-ton merchant vessel Protestant Caesar off Honduras . The ship escaped him, and his frustrated crew became restive. When Bonnet encountered Blackbeard again shortly afterwards at Turneffe Atoll , Bonnet's crew deserted him to join Blackbeard. Calling Bonnet on board his own ship, Blackbeard essentially imprisoned him, suggesting that as
13392-449: The world average of 1.6 global hectares per person. In 2016 Barbados used 0.84 global hectares of biocapacity per person - their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use approximately five times as much biocapacity as Barbados contains. As a result, Barbados is running a biocapacity deficit. Barbados is host to four species of nesting turtles ( green turtles , loggerheads , hawksbill turtles , and leatherbacks ) and has
13516-470: Was Ichirouganaim , according to accounts by descendants of the Indigenous Arawakan -speaking tribes in other regional areas, with possible translations including "Red land with white teeth" or "Redstone island with teeth outside (reefs)" or simply "Teeth". Colloquially, Barbadians refer to their home island as "Bim" or other nicknames associated with Barbados, including "Bimshire". The origin
13640-608: Was an infamous pirate den on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas . En route , he encountered, fought, and escaped from a Spanish man-of-war . The Revenge was badly damaged, Bonnet was seriously wounded, and half the crew of the sloop was killed or wounded in the encounter. Putting in at Nassau, Bonnet replaced his casualties and refitted the Revenge , increasing the sloop's armament to twelve guns. While at Nassau, Bonnet met Captain Benjamin Hornigold and Blackbeard for
13764-476: Was announced delayed by August 2023, with the final report submitted 30 June 2024. Barbados is situated in the Atlantic Ocean, east of the other West Indies Islands. Barbados is the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles . It is 34 kilometres (21 miles) long and up to 23 km (14 mi) wide, covering an area of 439 km (169 sq mi). It lies about 168 km (104 mi) east of both
13888-435: Was bequeathed to Bonnet upon his father's death in 1694. Bonnet received a good education, and lived as one of the richest and highest members of Bridgetown society. Bonnet married Mary Allamby in Bridgetown on 21 November 1709. They had three sons – Allamby (who died by 1715), Edward, and Stede Jr – and a daughter, Mary. The three surviving children were all younger than five when their father abandoned them for piracy. In
14012-439: Was enacted in 1961. Barbados joined the short-lived British West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962, later gaining full independence on 30 November 1966. Errol Barrow became the country's first prime minister. Barbados opted to remain within the Commonwealth of Nations . The effect of political independence meant that the United Kingdom government ceased to having sovereignty over Barbados, Elizabeth II , instead, reigning in
14136-479: Was established as a proprietary colony and funded by Sir William Courten , a City of London merchant who acquired the title to Barbados and several other islands. The first colonists were actually tenants, and much of the profits of their labour returned to Courten and his company. Courten's title was later transferred to James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle , in what was called the "Great Barbados Robbery". Carlisle then chose as governor Henry Powell , who established
14260-453: Was influential in laws in other colonies. By 1680 there were 20,000 free whites and 46,000 enslaved Africans; by 1724, there were 18,000 free whites and 55,000 enslaved Africans. The harsh conditions endured by the slaves resulted in several planned slave rebellions, the largest of which was Bussa's rebellion in 1816 which was rapidly suppressed by the colonial authorities. In 1819, another slave revolt broke out on Easter Day. The revolt
14384-637: Was introduced to the Parliament of Barbados. Passed on 6 October, the Bill made amendments to the Constitution of Barbados, introducing the office of the president of Barbados to replace the role of Elizabeth II as Queen of Barbados. The following week, on 12 October 2021, incumbent Governor-General of Barbados Sandra Mason was jointly nominated by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition as candidate to be
14508-585: Was largely ignored by Europeans, though Spanish slave raiding is thought to have reduced the native population, with many fleeing to other islands. The first English ship, which had arrived on 14 May 1625, was captained by John Powell. The first settlement began on 17 February 1627, near what is now Holetown (formerly Jamestown, after King James I of England), by a group led by John Powell's younger brother, Henry , consisting of 80 settlers and 10 English indentured labourers . Some sources state that some Africans were amongst these first settlers. The settlement
14632-645: Was not required by the European Convention on Human Rights , since Protocol 6 of the Convention permitted the death penalty in time of war, and Protocol 13, which prohibits the death penalty for all circumstances, did not then exist. The government introduced section 21(5) as a late amendment in response to parliamentary pressure. The United States ' Uniform Code of Military Justice defines mutiny thus: U.S. military law requires obedience only to lawful orders. Disobedience to unlawful orders (see Superior orders )
14756-763: Was possibly a reference to James Francis Edward Stuart , the son of the deposed James II of England who was at the time plotting to retake the throne of England from George I of Great Britain . Bonnet further tried to disguise his return to piracy by engaging in a pretence of trade with the next two vessels he robbed. Soon afterward, Bonnet quit the charade of trading and reverted to naked piracy, encouraged by his crew. Cruising north to Delaware Bay, in July Bonnet pillaged several more vessels, totalling eleven since he had received his pardon. He took several prisoners, some of whom joined his pirate crew. While Bonnet set loose most of his prizes after looting them, he retained control of
14880-524: Was put down in blood, with heads being displayed on stakes. Nevertheless, the brutality of the repression shocked even England and strengthened the abolitionist movement. Growing opposition to slavery led to its abolition in the British Empire in 1833. The plantocracy class retained control of political and economic power on the island, with most workers living in relative poverty. The 1780 hurricane killed more than 4,000 people on Barbados. In 1854,
15004-714: Was questionable, as he had no access to the procedures and sanctions of admiralty law that supported government captains. Many pirate captains were elected by their crews and could be deposed in the same manner. At his trial, Bonnet downplayed his own authority over his pirate crew. He told the court that his crew engaged in piracy against his will, and said he had not given them consent to rob any vessels. The court did not accept these protestations. Pell testified that Bonnet's quartermaster , Robert Tucker, had more power than Bonnet. Despite this, at Delaware Bay Bonnet ordered two of his crew to be flogged for breaches of discipline. Pirates did not lightly submit to flogging, as they resented
15128-557: Was soon recaptured on Sullivan's Island . On 10 November, Bonnet was brought to trial and charged with two acts of piracy. Judge Nicholas Trott sentenced him to death. Bonnet wrote to Johnson to ask for clemency , but Johnson endorsed the judge's decision, and Bonnet was hanged in Charles Town on 10 December. Stede Bonnet was born in 1688, and he was christened at Christ Church parish on 29 July 1688. His parents, Edward and Sarah Bonnet, owned an estate of over 400 acres (160 ha) southeast of Bridgetown , Barbados , which
15252-760: Was taken on 12 October, described Bonnet as walking the deck in his nightshirt, lacking any command and still unwell from his wounds. The Revenge later captured and looted the Spofford and Sea Nymph , which were leaving Philadelphia . On 22 October, the Revenge stopped and robbed the Robert and Good Intent of their supplies. On 17 November Blackbeard captured the French slave ship La Concorde which he took as his own, naming her Queen Anne's Revenge . Bonnet took back command of Revenge . Some time after 19 December, Bonnet and Blackbeard separated. Bonnet sailed into
15376-444: Was the maximum punishment, as well as with many matters relating to trial and procedure. The act and the articles were found not to harmonize in all respects. Their general arrangement was faulty, and their language sometimes obscure. In 1869, a royal commission recommended that both should be recast in a simple and intelligible shape. In 1878, a committee of the House of Commons endorsed this view and made recommendations for performing
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