The Captain Bligh Conspiracy

History Channel Documentary looking into Captain Bligh the Royal Navy's most infamous mariner, but was he really the nasty brute that popular culture portrays? On the trail an Australian descendant of the man endeavour’s to uncover the truth.

[@tomservo5347]

Overshadowed by the myth is Captain Bligh's amazing feat of navigational skill in getting himself and his loyal crewmen back to safety. It really has no equal. I think Bligh's 'enlightened' ways of dealing with his crew was something completely unfamiliar to the crew who didn't know how to react. Class was everything at this time in a way we today cannot truly comprehend. One dissenter could easily take advantage of this-especially without Marines on board whose very presence enforced discipline and maintained the strict class hierarchy. Officers can be nice to their crews but they must also maintain a separateness or discipline goes out the window. The Admiralty failed Bligh from the beginning-but made Bligh the scapegoat for their own mistakes in order to smooth over this blemish.

[@blueforrester8459]

the 1984 version starring Anthony Hopkins as Bligh portrayed the story in a fairer light

[@CaesarInVa]

I was in the US Navy for 12 years (active and reserve) and I can tell you from first-hand experience that port & starboard steaming (i.e., 4 on, 4 off) is absolutely miserable. After about ten days, you are going about in a constant state of practically somnambulistic sleep-deprivation. 4 & 4 not only makes people short-tempered and irritable (which is why sailors are so sarcastic and caustic), but because you're fogged-up you miss things, important things, like where you put the radar waveguide or that the KG-40 encoding gun wasn't perfectly aligned with the receiver when you cycled it and as a consequence all the pins are now deformed, or that the big blip on the surface RADAR is no longer maintaining station with you but is actually moving TOWARDS you, and fast! And by the way, that supercilious, dismissive prat of Christian's great-great-great grandchild does his antecedent more harm than good. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until his prissy, dismissive reaction to the suggestion that his great-great-great-great uncle's ex officio inquiry at the Crown and Scepter was "selective". Then, after watching his reaction, the thought occurred to me that if he is anything like his antecedent, a genetic predisposition to megalomania or narcissism might explain the later's mutinous behavior.

[@SNP-1999]

+CaesarInVa : Well said! I also got that impression right from the start but wanted to wait and see what would turn up. Watching this video confirmed all I have read about the real William Bligh, one of the most brilliant seamen to have served in the Royal Navy and who, compared to many, many other naval captains of his day, was an extremely humane and caring commander of men. His changing of the watches from the normal 4 hour on, 4 hour off, to an eight hour routine speaks volumes in his favour. He may well have been uncouth and even insulting at times, but let´s face it, he was dealing with hardened seamen and not a bunch of upper- class pansies! If Fletcher Christian´s terribly incorrigable descendent is anything to go by, his ancestor should have stayed with other softies in the clubs and salons in London instead of going on a long voyage with real men. William Bligh sailed with James Cook on that great discoverer´s third and last voyage to discover the North-West Passage and not only returned to Tahiti twice (as related in the video), later went on to serve under Nelson in the battle of Copenhagen in 1801 as captain of H.M.S. Glatton. Despite the vindictive and soul- shattering accusations of a gang of mutineers trying desperately to save their own necks, he therefore went on to have an honoured career in the navy. As you correctly remarked, Fletcher Christian´s great....great whatever gave the impression of a terribly narcistic and horribly biased individual who obviously refuses to accept the truth and most probably wouldn´t accept it even if the ghost of his ancestor appeared before him and confirmed that only one thing led to the mutiny, and one thing only - that he and the other mutineers had got so used to the Garden of Eden like life on Tahiti, the beautiful and willing women and a life without the discipline of naval life, that they just couldn´t face returing to normal duty. I am glad that with the makers of this video, so many distinguished men have at last come forward to vindicate William Bligh of being the the eternal bad- guy of the HMS Bounty drama - that was Fletcher Christian and the other mutineers who put Bligh and 17 other men into an open boat 2,000 or more sea-miles from civilization - a death sentence under normal circustances (isn´t it typical of the type of person Flether Christian Jr. Jr. Jr. (etc.) is, that he does not once comment on this fact but makes so much of his poor ancestor being allegedly insulted by Bligh! Only Bligh´s fantastic navigational skills and skills as a great leader of men saved his and his men´s life. It´s about time that the false picture of this brilliant seaman and naval captain is corrected.

[@orangejoe204]

Might also explain why Fletcher Christian's descendents on Pitcairn are all (yes, literally, ALL) child rapists. Google it.

[@gimnazijageo177]

Respect for brave captain Bligh, true hero and first class seaman. By the way, movie "Bounty" from 1984 was quite accurate in depicting this historical events.

[@derycktrahair8108]

The Admiralty let him down. Had Bligh been given a bigger ship, he would have had marines to maintain discipline, staff (a purser) take care of supplies, and sailing orders to get to Tahiti when the fruit was ready for transplanting. The Navy at that time were of no help to him.

[@Mike649foxx]

34:10 ''I don't know why people get so upset about these things....'' he says, whilst getting incredibly upset about ''these things.''

[@orangejoe204]

When you consider how Fletcher Christian's mutineers (and their direct descendants on Pitcairn Island, aka "Pedophile Island") ended up, it's hard to regard Bligh as a tyrant. In reality, he was probably exactly what his contemporaries said he was--an extremely competent and fearless leader, and a moderate dick with a prickly disposition. His men were not career seamen, and the moment they hit Tahiti after two years of misery on a cramped ship, they never wanted to leave. They had all the women, food and warmth they could possibly want. But Bligh was the stuffy Victorian "slavedriver" who made them get back on the boat and finish the mission, and before too long they simply snapped under the strain and basically demanded to go back to Tahiti to live forever in paradise. A total pipe dream, as they were still subject to Royal Navy discipline and England would never let such an insult go unpunished. Blight was right when he said the whole affair would have been prevented if he'd had Marines or other officers to help him control discipline on such a cramped and long journey. But since he didn't, it only took 5 crewman to convince the other 24 that all they needed to do was be quiet and not resist and he would give them their paradise. All of them (including Christian) ended up murdering each other in drunken fights over Tahitian women whom they'd enslaved for sex. Gee, what a "handsome rebel hero".

[@Suki-gl1es]

Fletcher Christian was an emotional male bimbo. Glyn Christian appears very emotional too. Captain Bligh is the hero here IMO, an expemplary leader and seaman.

[@johnscanlon3362]

Bligh is interesting as he sailed with Fletcher Christian on 3 ships and taught him navigation. Until the Bounty, they were friends. he was also an officer on the Resolution serving under Capt. James Cook, including Cook's last voyage. This was the period when Cook was going through serious personality disorders which may have left a bad impression on Bligh in terms of it molding him in a certain type of command persona. .Bligh also went on to govern the Australian colony of NSW from 1806 to 1808. He was relieved of his duty after his order to stop corruption in the rum trade resulted in the Rum Rebellion. Bligh seems to have had an ability to rub people the wrong way.

[@royfr8136]

I'm sure I've read this almost Word for Word somewhere before....Copy paste??

[@johnscanlon3362]

are you the arbiter of plagiarism? raise your intellect before impugning others.

[@iroscoe]

If he rubbed the Army officers treating the Colony as their personal fiefdom then it was no bad thing .

[@DrIdaho]

Glyn Christian cannot accept that his ancestor was the real trouble-maker.

[@Wonderboywonderings]

i thought the same thing!

[@gimnazijageo177]

+DrIdaho Mister Glyn Christian shoud be flogged for his lies about brave capitan Bligh.

[@DrIdaho]

Brandon M He was exonerated for those mutinies as well.

[@DrIdaho]

Exoneration is exoneration and Fletcher Christian was a selfish prick. What happened in Pitcairn Island shows how horrible the mutineers really were.

[@DrIdaho]

+Brandon M "if you want to bring up Pitcairn...the trouble stemmed from the 7 crewmen treating the transported Tahitians like servants." That is because Fletcher Christian and his gang were thugs, the type of people who would cause mutiny.

[@ArcheryAustralia]

Virginity isn't hard to recapture. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. ONCE GONE, IT'S GONE FOREVER AND YOU AIN'T EVER GETTING IT BACK.

[@WELLBRAN]

when they set Bligh adrift they forgot one thing.. He was a Cornishman and tough as they come and a brilliant seaman

[@kaishingou]

I believe Bligh went on to become fourth Governor of New South Wales. The appointment culminated in another mutiny toward the end of his career, the Rum Rebellion, on January 26, 1808.

[@eemonwolfgangpoindexter4543]

Thanks for uploading, the bounty incedent is fascinating for so many reasons..

[@unclequack5445]

I don't think Capt.Bligh did anything wrong, the crew acted like animals when they were overindulged in sexual excess and drunkeness, The Captain had to regain control.

[@wilfdarr]

Skeefoo Panama …and failed because he didn't treat pirates like pirates.

[@pshehan1]

It is incorrect that the crew were conscripts. Certainly there was some impressment into the Royal Navy but every man on the Bounty was a volunteer, and many, including Christian had served with Bligh previously. The Bounty voyage was no more "deathly" than any others. Bligh had served under James Cook whose voyages were more dangerous and "deadly". Cook himself was killed over a matter of theft by the Hawaiians and Bligh witnessed that event from a distance. Cook flogged more than Bligh, yet is remembered as a hero.

[@entropyfun]

Although, if you watch the 1962 version with Marlon Brando as Fletcher Christian, you will see that after the mutiny the character of Christian suffers from a great moral ambiguity about the whole thing, which kind of suggests that there's more to it than just a good guy - bad guy story.

[@entropyfun]

I agree. Brando in this one is so brilliant, funny even.

[@Landrew0]

It's apparent that Bligh's personality type was one of a melancholic, not a choleric. The mutiny was mainly caused by his apparent weakness, for which he overcompensated.

[@Suki-gl1es]

Right Professor Landrew, I will take your word for it.

[@noahcorpus6609]

History is written/influenced by the winners and not always just, and to sum up a man based on one instant in a long life is to condemn oneself as a sum of one bad instant in life.

[@ArcheryAustralia]

0:01 "Like virginity. Once gone, it's hard to recapture." I don't know who taught this guy about the birds and the bees but you can't 'recapture' virginity!

[@shammydammy2610]

+Clumsy Aspie That is the point of it, once lost, you can never completely recapture a good reputation.

[@ArcheryAustralia]

He says virginity is hard to recapture. Virginity isn't hard to recapture. It's IMPOSSIBLE to recapture.

[@shammydammy2610]

As is your reputation, once gone. He's being deliberately tongue in cheek and I think you're missing the subtlety of what he's saying.

[@FIRSTKAPOKMAN]

A remarkable research. Anyway, despite such incidents like this one of The Bounty, what The British Royal Navy accomplished along those very years is certainly astonishing, unmatched. Let me say so as a tribute to those resilient, brave and intelligent men which Great Britain once produced, and,who knows, maybe still has. Thank you very much for this interesting documentary!

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

FIRSTKAPOKMAN Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Thankfully this Island nation is still producing some outstandingly fine women and men ,the only problem is the Governing elite, a thoroughly treacherous gang of self-serving, self -righteous pseudo Homo sapiens.

[@FIRSTKAPOKMAN]

Ian MacFreeman My pleasure, and also a honour to recognize well deserved reputations. I am glad to hear that captain Bligh was a far better officer than tradition based on popular literature has said upon him.

[@vapingotter7518]

Yea England was top of the world in the late 1700s. .....except for that little revolution we had here state side they were untouchable.

[@Inari1987]

Bligh had several mutineers later as well, so I find it hard to believe that at least some of the rep is not deserved . Apparently even some of his loyalists refuted his version.

[@deviceology9251]

James Morrison - God damn your eyes man !!

[@franol7]

Good film, very useful.Life on board was never easy and no need to put extra burden on people being in really extreme conditions.Blight did that and paid for it. This is good lesson how to handle people.

[@rogerscottcathey]

The Lord Admiral was blatantly cold to Bligh. This was not elucidated well in this piece. Something was left out.

[@gazbee7251]

he was not a monster nor a tyrant

[@TheNickPenney]

Oh, that was a good one, thanks for posting!

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

Nick Penney Thanks for commenting. All the best Nick

[@mgytitanic1912]

Doesn't say many good things about the Admiralty, court martialing someone in their absence. Especially as they're only absent because you sent them away. As it is, Bligh had a distinguished naval career. You don't get that if your reputation is as bad as has been made out and you don't have the trust of the crew serving under you. The court martial clearly didn't break him otherwise he'd never have gone to sea again and would have spent the rest of his life "on the beach". He certainly would not have made Flag Rank, and certainly not Vice-Admiral with that sort of reputation. I think it's time Bligh was exonerated. Christians ancestor is one of the most annoying , close-minded pompous fools I've seen on a documentary. He makes my fists itch. Totally unwilling to accept that maybe his ancestor was a dishonourable man with no just cause for mutiny. At least Bligh's ancestor kept an open mind in trying to find the truth.

[@closer71]

+Justin Lee WTF are you talking about? They didn't court martial Bligh...but the mutineering sailors that were being court-martialed WERE PRESENT.

[@mgytitanic1912]

closer71 They court martialled Bligh in his absence.

[@nevyen149]

In October 1790, Bligh was honourably acquitted at the court-martial inquiring into the loss of Bounty.

[@philipritson8821]

Take the Marines off a Georgian ship and you are asking for trouble!

[@thiagogarcia5506]

Well, Bligh , being tyrant or not, you certainly inspired me!

[@primtourist]

Thank you for this video!

[@Concetta20]

Fascinating documentary, though I still love Laughton's performance. I wonder why they are only citing the '30's film, is it public domain now? There's also the famous Marlon Brando film. Life on the sea was hard. It's a microcosm of life and with the natural stresses of the work and isolation can cause things to fall apart if strict discipline is not maintained.

[@Concetta20]

Of course, I'm not excusing any excessive punishment for infractions.

[@20thcenturyman21]

Handwriting reveals much about the true nature of a man,There are signs in his script that Bligh was being less than truthful.Churchill said"History will be kind to me for I shall write it."There are TWO sides to every story.The mutineers left no journals.Bligh had complete control over content and editing.Now who do you suppose he'd favor?

[@stilts121]

+20th century man Morrison was a mutineer and left behind a journal that, as the one historian points out near the end, is accepted as the unchallenged "truth."

[@charliebrown4624]

Well here we are all these years later and even further from being in a position to cast judgement on either party. Maybe it works both ways and maybe it is only now that Morrison gets a voice,. Remember Bligh was first one back to England and got to tell his side of the story without any of the mutineers there to defend themselves.We will never know but I have never believed that Bligh was all that bad and have always had a tremendous respect for him, more so than for Christian. I think there is good and bad ai all of them and in hind sight things could have been handled much better. The important thing is to learn the lesson from it and not to repeat it.

[@c.johnson1691]

Laughton had to lose at least 35 lbs. for the role of Captain Bligh.

[@Concetta20]

Really?

[@c.johnson1691]

Anna Ferrara Yes. True. He had to lose weight. Recently, I visited Tahiti and the home of James Norman Hall, the co-author of MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY. I talked to his grand daughter, and she told me the Laughton version is the most faithful to her grandfather's book.

[@a690ac52ed7]

Jim Morrison, rebel. Age 27, no less. Lol.

[@chickenspadge]

The guy who provided a one-hundred-and-twenty-eighth of my genes was the good guy! No! the guy who provided a sixty-fourth of my genes was the good guy!

[@orangejoe204]

Hey, are you from Pitcairn? How's the rape scene & welfare leeching going these days?

[@TheAnomalousBiff]

Great vid, a couple of things.. There were more men loyal to Bligh on the ship, they just could not fit.. If Bligh was so bad, he would have been eaten on the boat, Fletcher and Bligh knew one another and had

[@mgytitanic1912]

+TheAnomalousBiff Agreed. When Pandora found some of those off of the Bounty, Bligh gave her Captain names of those he knew to be loyal so that they could be returned to service. Sadly Pandora never made it back to England. She ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef.

[@adrianlarkins7259]

I think I am right in saying Bligh was in command of another ship where the crew also mutinied. This happened after the Bounty.

[@jamielunsford1]

+Adrian Larkins He was the captain of a ship during the Mutiny at the Nore....well worth researching, and also was the governor of New South Wales where he tried to outlaw rum as currency, resulting in "the great rum rebellion", was jailed for a year before someone from England came around to check on things and let him go, arresting the ouster.

[@adrianlarkins7259]

I think that says Bligh was responsible for the Bounty mutiny.There was a flaw in his character. This video is highly biased in my opinion.

[@iroscoe]

+Adrian Larkins The great mutiny of 97 was a general one many officers were affected by it .

[@iroscoe]

+Jamie Lunsford Trouble from grasping Army officers with a sense of entitlement was not uncommon,the 'White mutiny' ocurred in India at the same time when Army officers thought their privileges were in danger of being curbed .

[@mgytitanic1912]

+Adrian Larkins He may have been caught in the Great Mutiny which affected most of the British Fleet at the time. He was involved in several Fleet Battles, including the Glorious 4th June where he and his ship handled themselves with great distinction. The dispatched written for that action name Bligh, along with some other Captains, for their role during the battle and praising their actions. A ship that is badly led and badly run will not acquit itself in action. The men have to trust the command, to be able to hold their fire until they are at nearly point blank range. Popular fiction tells us that the Mutiny occurred on the Bounty because Bligh was a monster. He wasn't. Christian and other members of the crew were seduced by the beauty of the Pacific and did not want to return to Britain. They are the ones without honour.

[@judybarcenas530]

I liked this very much.

[@ZIGSVIDS]

There's two mutiny's ,besides the Bounty there's Sydney..Found him hiding under the bed...

[@stephenlight647]

Very interesting and well done.

[@freebethlehem6813]

love this story

[@ratumelimatanatoto2488]

Kind of sad,but typical that usually in this world reputation of a person is usually sullied when he is dead when that same dead person obviously cannot defend themselves...but was bligh had a second mutiny in sydney..when he was governor..if he was a new age man and who cared for people under him,then he is not for a leadership position in the 1770s ,especially as commanding a ship without Royal marines to install discipline, and too soft and indecisive in sydney as he was more concerned with satisfying everyone and ultimately satisfying no one especially if a person like morrison is around...always negative and looking for something bad...cannotobviously

[@deedonnerramone4757]

Charles Laughton who played Bligh in the 1934 film ate shit sandwiches from handsome boys - add that to insult and injury.

[@MrJoey1971]

Mutinies followed Bligh wherever he went, so that's just a coincidence?

[@nwosuckswynkoop5967]

He drove the Colony of New South Wales into rebellion too. Explain that.

[@royfr8136]

OK....Ok.....So, why did they rebel....if he was so nice and life on board was so great? For women?

[@iroscoe]

Life probably wasn't great on board , the ship was to small for the mission it was sent on but there's no evidence that Bligh was an especially cruel or unfair commander the film portrayals make him look like Hugh Pigot style psycho captain .

[@royfr8136]

Edward Corran​​​ Yes I understand and life in England was tough at that time too. But replacing one untrue and exaggerated history for another isn't what is needed. Bligh may have been painted far more negatively than he should have been....and being away from England didn't help him defend his case. But...Fletcher Christian... What was his motivation? I guess we will never know exactly what happened. Combination of the ship's conditions, a semi pressed and criminal crew and beautiful Tahitian women.

[@iroscoe]

The two men had known each for a long time on friendly seeming terms , lots of small thing soured the relationship Fletcher Christians tardy attitude about money that Bligh had lent him being one of them , I think ultimately Fletcher Christian resented having some one as his professional superior who he regarded as his social inferior . On ship more suited to the mission with prompt orders,a better crew and a detachment of marines on board its extremely unlikely the same antipathy would have come about or had the same disastrous outcome

[@royfr8136]

Yes.

[@choruscellar8635]

you infinite scoundrel .. lol

[@belaboured]

Puff piece. Bligh had a bad reputation before he was given command of the Bounty. No mention here.

[@iroscoe]

Really , what for? .

[@FIRSTKAPOKMAN]

It seems to me you are not so fond of current governmental species. I could agree with you about that. As a matter of fact, and subscribing to an old universal rule, politicians and their cliques have usually been the real first problem of a nation, with very few exceptions (remember: they are like diapers, which should be changed often and for the same reason,etc.) As I extremely love Great Britain and her complex, exquisite, rich culture; her mentality that combines good sense and sensitivity, but not forgetting to have strong fists just in case... As I do also admire her capacity to breed, nurture and letting thrive great personalities with great ideas, I am sure there is still hope for the British People to remain with such values even today... and to cope successfully with the plague of modern power-lovers! ...(and now just three seconds for commercials)...

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

FIRSTKAPOKMAN I think the whole political system in our so called democracy, needs a complete overhaul, from bottom to top. We need change. Where are you from?

[@FIRSTKAPOKMAN]

Ian MacFreeman I'm from Kapokland, of course, the inmense, the most amazing, the lovable Republic of Woods, Forests and Trees!Thanks again!

[@pithukuliseeman5549]

Bro I just don't get this how come Glynn Christian is lily white while his ancestor Fletcher Christian had children only in Tahiti in unison with Tahitian woman. Somebody please!

[@Bevtone]

Pithukuli Seeman hello I have answers, firstly the Christian decendents as well as other mutineers had children on Pitcairn island not tahiti, the offspring are however half English half Tahitian. I myself am an 8th generation Christian decendent im white as a ghost I also have other Polynesian backgrounds, some of my direct family have darker completions it's pretty much mixed throughout the whole family, also consider that mutiny decendents have been breeding with kiwis and Australians for many generations.

[@unclequack5445]

Gentlemen I be placed in a Bewilderment, There I were, resting when upon a sudden I hear an unGodly rowl aboard deck, Sailors abandoned their posts without orders without leave, men before the mast taking the ship for them selves, What be that 1st Mate? Mutiny Captain, Again? Mutiny. Aay, MUTINY, And what fate befalleth MUTINEERS? Now we all know the answer to this do we not? Mutineers Hang!!##!#!#

[@jonkennedyfederation]

Aces . .

[@geraberl]

Plenty of recent skeletons in the Christian lineage exploded on Pitcairn Island in 2014. Check out the documentary on here - 'Trouble in Paradise: The Pitcairn Story' kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnyllZedZ7yDZ8U

[@RussellScottHD]

YT: "Don't Go To Pitcairn"

[@Bevtone]

No absolutely don't go there but DO go to norfolk island where the present day Pitcairn islanders still live....what people don't understand is that Pitcairn islanders where resettled on norfolk island in 1856 then a few returned making up the current population whilst the majority of decendents have gone on to stay on norfolk island and expanding to Australia and New Zealand so I don't think Pitcairn is a fair representative of the Christian lineage because modern day bounty decendents are from Norfolk lineage separate to that of Pitcairn.

[@orangejoe204]

So why were the last two Christians who were mayors of Pitcairn, both claiming direct lineage to Fletcher, convicted serial child rapists?

[@Bevtone]

Because they are rapist but what does that have to do with other decendents nothing, we don't have any contributions to what happens on picairn.

[@pithukuliseeman5549]

Ian MacFreeman maybe you can answer the question

[@dwissba68]

Christian was a playboy!!

[@jpalm32]

3000 miles and he couldn't find land???

[@closer71]

It was a perfect storm of two personalities. The raging asshole of a captain berating the priviledged narcissist with the motive and willingness to mutiny, with no consideration of the consequences. WHAM!!! Two worlds collide. Blythe pushed Christian to his breaking point. I have little doubt the description of Blythe found in the man's journal/log/diary is pretty accurate. Accurate enough form me, anyway...

[@Ranillon]

How can you take the journal of a man with a BIG axe to grind against Bligh who was writing AFTER the mutiny, yet pretending the journal was composed before it at face value? That strikes me as insane and suggests you just really want to see Bligh as the stereotype ogre rather than as a human being.

[@scotusayefreeman1297]

www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

[@gandalfthewhite9864]

,,,,

[@ocirontariocryptidinvestig8010]

,,,,,,,

[@franol7]

He was spectacular navigator but very awful man .This statement well describes all what had happened on board of " Bounty".To keep discipline on board is one thing and be a good leader is another.Blight was not good leader and additional a brute

[@seekertweeker5314]

,,,,