Nanny of the Maroons

The origins of the Nanny of the Maroons remains unclear: some speculate she was a captured slave, others believe she was a free woman with slaves of her own, but undeniably she had a tremendous impact on the course of slavery in the Caribeans during Spanish and British control. Nanny is believed to have been born around 1686 and was believed to have a brother named Cudjoe. Her escape and eventual rise to the throne is unclear in historical records, however she is believed to have been given the role of commander of the Windward after demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities, military prowess and strategic intelligence. Under her command, the Windward Maroons used ambush tactics, camouflage, and psychological warfare to outmaneuver British forces.

Eventually, Nanny led the Windward Maroons into a war against British forces in what would be known as the First Maroon War. During the time, the British raided and destroyed Nanni Town, the town she established in Jamaica's highest vantage point. Eventually, British forces had grown tired of fighting the Maroons on the island and signed a peace treaty with both the Leeward Maroons in 1739 and the Windward Maroons followed suit in 1740, signing a separate peace treaty. This allowed the Maroons to establish an air of peace amongst themselves and maintain their communities without fear of enslavement. However, the treaty that was signed by both groups entailed that the groups were unable to recruit new runaway slaves and where to support the British in recapturing slaves. Nanny continued to lead the Windward Maroons until her death which is believed to be around the 1750's. Today she is memorialized and recognized as a hero in Jamaica and can be seen on the $500 note in Jamaican dollars.