Hendrick van Hoven | |
---|---|
Died | 1699 |
Nationality | Dutch |
Other names | Hendrygo van Goven |
Occupation | Buccaneer |
Years active | 1699 |
Piratical career | |
Nickname | “the grand pirate of the West Indies.” |
Other names | Hind |
Commands | Providence |
Hendrick van Hoven (died 1699, also named Hendrygo van Goven, alias Hind, Hine, Hynd, or Hynde) was a Dutch buccaneer and pirate active in the Caribbean. He was known as “the grand pirate of the West Indies.” [1]
Van Hoven had been first mate aboard Thomas Mostyn's ship Fortune, [2] seized for piracy in 1698. [3] All records of Hendrick van Hoven’s own piracy take place in 1699, beginning in March when he used his brigantine to take a sloop. Another sloop captain reported a pirate robbing several ships near Tortuga in April; this was probably Van Hoven, as over the next month he was identified as robbing 18 more ships in the same area. [3] With a wife and children in New York, he was often cited as “Hine of New York”; Governor Bellomont of New York described him as “a bloody villain, has murthered several men, and will give no quarter, they say, to Spaniards that he takes.” [3]
Van Hoven captured the 22-gun ship Providence of pirate hunter William Rhett (who would go on to capture Stede Bonnet) in April 1699; Rhett made “a very generous defence, but was outdone and taken by the said Pirate.” [4] Van Hoven’s crew was a mix of Dutch, French, English, and other sailors; the English under John James (who may have been with Van Hoven since 1697) [5] staged a mutiny, seizing the Providence and marooning Van Hoven with several others a few miles from Nassau. [6] James sailed north, and some reports of his activities mistakenly placed Van Hoven still in command of the Providence until word got out of James’ identity. [3]
Captured by Bahamas Governor Read Elding, Van Hoven was put on trial in October 1699 with several of his crewmates; some of his men had been executed the previous month. [3] He protested that he had only taken Spanish ships [7] and quoted the Biblical trials of King David and Hezekiah before petitioning for a reprieve: “if it cannot be fifteen days, let it be ten; if it cannot be ten, let it be five … to help me save that dear jewel my soul.” [3] His reprieve was denied and he was hanged in Nassau. [8] Former members of his crew threatened Elding, promising to avenge their Captain. [1] Reportedly Van Hoven mumbled about hidden treasure in the southern Bahamas before dying. [7]