A new phase of piracy began in the 1690s as English pirates began to look beyond the Caribbean for treasure . The fall of Britain 's Stuart kings had restored the traditional enmity between Britain and France , thus ending the profitable collaboration between English Jamaica and French Tortuga . The devastation of Port Royal by an earthquake in 1692 further reduced the Caribbean 's attractions by destroying the pirates ' chief market for fenced plunder . Caribbean colonial governors began to discard the traditional policy of " no peace beyond the Line , " under which it was understood that war would continue ( and thus letters of marque would be granted ) in the Caribbean regardless of peace treaties signed in Europe ; henceforth , commissions would be granted only in wartime , and their limitations would be strictly enforced . Furthermore , much of the Spanish Main had simply been exhausted ; Maracaibo alone had been sacked three times between 1667 and 1678 , while Río de la Hacha had been raided five times and Tolú eight
earthquake in 1692
1692 Jamaica earthquake
Piracy