Meet the Jewish Pirates who fought back their oppressors.
In the later fifteenth century, Jews were expelled from Spain and Portugal. Many sought refuge in the Netherlands and established prosperous lines of business there, but others were restless and wanted to hit back against their oppressors.
We meet Samuel Palache, the rabbi pirate who terrorised Spanish shipping in the Mediterranean and at whose funeral Prince Maurice of the Dutch Republic and the City Fathers of Amsterdam marched behind the bier.
We cross the Atlantic to meet Moses Cohen Henriques who aided the Dutch to conquer Pernambuco province in Brazil from the Portuguese and with the Dutch admiral Piet Heyn captured the Spanish fleet carrying ninety-two tons of silver, pearls, rubies and gold.
Finally, we meet the Jews who helped Oliver Cromwell capture Jamaica for England and teamed up with the pirate Henry Morgan to make the island the ‘Treasure House of the Indies’. Leaving behind the cold and dank English December, we will travel to the Caribbean to meet Jews who fought back.
Jill is an historian. Aged twenty, she graduated with first class honours in History from King’s College London. Much of her working life was spent as a teacher at Wycombe Abbey School and as chairman of a Health Authority in West London and vice-chairman of North Thames Regional Health Authority. Returning to academic study she gained an MA (Distinction) and a doctorate in seventeenth century Dutch history at University College London.
As a doctoral student she was awarded the prestigious Pollard Prize for History. She has a book and many published articles to her credit. She has lectured in Britain, the Netherlands and New York. History is her lifelong passion and she is keen to share that passion with others.
