Jack Summer (born 1642) was an English pirate and Royal Navy admiral who was active in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy in the late 17th century. He turned to piracy in 1660 after taking part in a mutiny against his English ship's captain, and he worked as a pirate and privateer for years. Summer's main allegiance was to England during his piracy and privateering career, and his main enemies were Spain and the United Provinces.
Biography[]
Jack Sumner was born in London to a family of wealthy English merchants. His family came into the debt of the Spanish noble, the Marquis de la Montalban, and, following the 1650 loss at sea of a fleet of ships under their control, Montalban had Summer's family enslaved. Summer escaped the mansion and swore vengeance on the Marquis, and, ten years later, he decided to book passage to the New World. He signed aboard with the English, but the captain abused Summer and the crew, and Summer ultimately decided to resist the captain. The crew, incited by their ill treatment at the hands of the captain, mutinied and made Summer their captain. Summer, now the captain of a pirate sloop called Revenge, started out his career around Saint Kitts, the largest English stronghold in the Leeward Islands. Summer sailed to Sint Maarten, a clean and prosperous Dutch village, where he met Governor Dirk Koestra. Koestra informed Summer that the United Provinces was at war with England, and issued him letters of marque to attack English ships. However, Summer felt more obligated to serve his home nation of England, and he travelled to Saint Kitts, where he spoke with Governor Edward Nansladron. Nansladron duly issued letters of marque for attacks on Spanish and Dutch ships, and Summer decided to become an English privateer.
Expeditions[]
Summer as an English captain
Jack Summer started off his career by taking part in the Anglo-Dutch War, sinking and plundering Dutch ships in the name of England. Summer also attacked Spanish and French ships, and Nevis governor Charles Pender promoted Summer to the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy as a reward for his services. Summer renamed his sloop Revenge to English Fury out of patriotism, and he became a wealthy pirate through his adventures. Summer later took over a Dutch brig-of-war and renamed it to Dutch Killer, making it his new flagship.