Roche Braziliano
A brutal Dutch buccaneer whose taste for cruelty and rum-soaked rampages made him one of Jamaica's most feared pirates.
1630–1671 (age 41)·Dutch pirate·Birthday: February 27
Biography
Roche Braziliano commanded his own ship out of Port Royal, Jamaica, after graduating from petty crime. A Dutchman whose early life in colonial Brazil gave him his nickname, he terrorized Spanish shipping and settlements in the 17th-century Caribbean. Unlike some pirates who followed a loose code, Braziliano roasted Spanish prisoners alive or tied them to wooden spits. His reign cycled through audacious raids and rum-fueled benders in Port Royal, where he fired his pistols wildly in the streets. Captured and sent to Spain, he escaped or was released, returning to piracy with renewed ferocity. He vanished from history around 1671.
#1 When Roche Was Born
The biggest hits of 1630
Roche's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1630Born
1635Started school
1643Became a teenager
1646Could drive
1648Could vote
1651Turned 21
1660Turned 30
1670Turned 40
1671Died at 41
Key Achievements
- His exploits were recorded in Alexandre Exquemelin's classic 1678 book, 'The Buccaneers of America,' ensuring his infamous legacy.
- Successfully captured a Spanish treasure ship carrying a fortune in silver, one of the great pirate hauls of the 1660s.
- Operated with impunity from the English colony of Jamaica, highlighting the complicity between pirates and colonial authorities.
Did You Know?
His real name is believed to have been Gerrit Gerritszoon.
The nickname 'Braziliano' (or 'the Brazilian') came from his time living in Dutch Brazil as a youth.
He was known for forcing Spanish prisoners to dance for him at gunpoint.
Historical records suggest he may have died in 1671, but Exquemelin claimed he was still active a decade later.
“Give me your wine or I will cut your throat.”
