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MyNameIsIgglePiggle t1_j76hkzx wrote

This same dude tried to take away rum in Australia, so on the 26th of January 1808 we got on the piss and pulled him out from under his bed, exiling him and overthrowing the then Australian government.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum_Rebellion

Our first and only military coup

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feochampas t1_j78g92k wrote

I didnt know Cpt Bligh had two mutinies and a rebellion under his belt.

at some point, he has to be the problem

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RealVenom_ t1_j78tb6p wrote

I think it's more a point of he was a hard but fair leader. Half the ship left with him during the mutiny, almost certain death, but they went with him anyway. Needless to say he somehow managed to overcome those ridiculous odds.

The rebellion was in the face of wild corruption, the "hiding under the bed" thing was very much a myth, there is no actual proof of that. It was likely a story made up in the moment to destroy his reputation, but nothing about his character and experiences hints that he would have done that.

It was hard times back then, he was a loyal servant to the motherland and didn't compromise his ethics throughout his storied career. Gotta respect that.

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infpTrojan t1_j793ngp wrote

Bligh’s journey after the mutiny is one of those incredible stories that’s almost impossible to believe. The Siege of Antioch during the First Crusade is another.

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sharksnut t1_j7949ua wrote

Or Shackleton to South Georgia

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infpTrojan t1_j7ahxr0 wrote

That too. Absolutely. I still want to go to South Georgia someday and see the museum and his grave there.

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zootayman t1_j7dx1rd wrote

his taking a small open boat after the mutiny all that distance to Batavia was one of the most epic achievements of seamanship

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roguetrick t1_j77wqhi wrote

Sounds like he disrupted a gang of british army crooks, but those crooks were the only people with guns. Bad move.

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culingerai t1_j78av6u wrote

Yeah he basically tried to take down corruption and greedy business intetests but copped a shelacking for it. To this day we are still fighting it.

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MyNameIsIgglePiggle t1_j78iahj wrote

You are right, but I think what's in your head is way more formal than what went down.

According to Rum: a distilled history of colonial Australia

https://www.amazon.com.au/Rum-Distilled-History-Colonial-Australia/dp/1460759427?ref=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=705a0906-9c38-43a7-9c5a-00dcc982e27e

It sounds like it was a pretty rag-tag group of "soliders" that were so drunk they had trouble stumbling up the hill to arrest him

It was definitely organised by a cartel though who had strong financial motivation to keep rum flowing in the colony

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exorcyst t1_j7995qw wrote

WTF I had no clue.. he didn't do well in his trial for mutiny iirc, he was brutal to his crew. The guy escaped mob rule death a few times apparently. Pure survivor though his 6500km journey in a banished skiff is incredible and likely never replicated. Very interesting character of history. Guys like him will never me made again. A mutant never considered for mass production

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