Dirk Chivers

Dirk Chivers (, first name alternately Dick or Richard, last name occasionally Sievers or Shivers) was a Dutch pirate active in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

Chivers in the Red Sea & India Chivers eventually signed aboard the 18-gun Resolution after being picked up by Captain Robert Glover near the end of the year. After several months in the Red Sea however, Chivers took part in a mutiny against Glover and had him and his 24 supporters placed onto the recently captured Arab ship Rajapura. Elected captain by the crew after the mutiny, he had the ship renamed the Soldado which, during the next year, was successful in capturing a number of valuable prizes before joining up with privateer John Hoar.

Together they captured, and subsequently ransomed, two East India Company ships. However, the ships were burned when the governor of Aden refused to pay the ransom. One of the captured sailors, a Captain Sawbridge, was said to have had his lips sewn shut with a sail needle in response to his constant complaining.

Later career In April 1698, Chivers captured an English ship, the Sedgwick, and struck a deal with the Sedgwick captain: He would be allowed to keep his ship if he agreed to supplying the privateer's crew with rum.

The following year, however, Chivers was forced to sink the New Soldado to block the harbor passage of Saint Mary's with the appearance of four British warships in September 1699. Despite his efforts, he and Culliford eventually accepted a royal pardon (under the 1698 Act of Grace, in spite of its expiration ) and arranged passage home on the merchantman Vine. Several members of Chivers' crew returned to America separately, offering Giles Shelley large sums to take them as passengers aboard his ship Nassau.