Amaro Pargo
Amaro Rodríguez Felipe y Tejera Machado (3 May 1678, in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife - 4 October 1747, in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife), more popularly known as Amaro Pargo, was a famous Spanish corsair.[1]
He was noted for his commercial activities and for his frequent religious donations and aid to the poor.[2] In his role as a privateer, he dominated the route between Cadiz and the Caribbean, on several occasions attacking ships belonging to enemies of the Spanish Crown (mainly England and Holland),[3] earning recognition in his time as a hero and coming to be regarded as "the Spanish equivalent of Francis Drake".[4][5] Because of his service to the Spanish Crown and country, he was declared a Caballero hijodalgo in 1725 and obtained certification of nobility and royal arms in 1727.[6]
He felt a considerable devotion for Sister Mary of Jesus de León y Delgado, even financing his funeral and his grave. He made several donations with the aim of improving the lives of the poorest of Tenerife, especially for the improvement of the living conditions of the inmates of the prison of San Cristóbal de La Laguna.
His figure has been wrapped in a halo of romanticism that has related to piracy, hidden treasures and illicit romances. Different authors have taken advantage of this mysticism that surrounds his figure to elaborate his novels. In addition, the video game company Ubisoft sent a study on Amaro Pargo, emphasizing its physiognomy, facing its possible appearance in the video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
Amaro Pargo Media
Panoramic view of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the city where Amaro Pargo was born
Main commercial routes of the Spanish Empire with the Indies (in red). Amaro Pargo used the route that crossed the Atlantic and went to the Caribbean
Sister Mary of Jesus, the spiritual counselor of Amaro Pargo
Amaro Pargo's tomb in the Church of Santo Domingo, which highlights the skull and crossbones. Pargo's coat of arms is visible above.
Mural painting representing the corsair Amaro Pargo located in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife.
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References
- ↑ "El corsario Amaro Pargo. La leyenda (I). Historia". phistoria.net. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ "Canarias: Navegación: El corsario Amaro Pargo". mgar.net. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ Frers, Ernesto (September 2008). Más Allá Del Legado Pirata. google.es. ISBN 9788479279639. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ La Opinión de Tenerife (15 December 2013). "Amaro Pargo cobra fama internacional". laopinion.es. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ "Amaro Pargo, una de piratas... - Discover Tenerife". Discover Tenerife. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- ↑ "AMARO PARGO: LA TRADICIÓN HISTÓRICA DE UN CORSARIO LAGUNERO (III). Por Carlos García, Del libro "La Ciudad: Relatos Históricos" 1996". lalagunaahora.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.