Amaro Pargo

Amaro Rodríguez Felipe, known as Amaro Pargo, was born on 3 May 1678 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. He was the most famous privateer of the Canary Islands and one of the most important in the Atlantic in the 18th century. With a letter of marque granted by the Spanish crown, his ships — armed and equipped by himself — patrolled the routes between the Canaries, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Spain, attacking English and Dutch vessels that threatened colonial trade.

His activity combined privateering with legitimate trade in tobacco, sugar, cochineal and slaves. He was a wealthy and pious man, known as much for his feats at sea as for his generosity to the poor on land. He donated large sums to churches and convents in Tenerife, especially to the convent of Santo Domingo in La Laguna. Legend has it that he buried an enormous treasure somewhere on the island, which was never found — though recent excavations around his house have yielded nothing.

His figure has inspired novels, films and television series. In 2019, a genetic investigation confirmed that the remains preserved at the convent of Santo Domingo belong to Amaro Pargo, closing one of the historical mysteries about his final resting place. His life embodies the paradox of the man of his time: devout and adventurous, merchant and privateer, philanthropist and participant in the slave trade.