Eduardo Villanueva

"I am a Pirate Lord, and you are nothing!"

- Eduardo Villanueva

Eduardo Villanueva was a Pirate Lord of the Brethren Court during the time of Lord Cutler Beckett's attempts to eradicate piracy in the Caribbean. A Spaniard, Villanueva was the lord of the Adriatic Sea, though he had traveled to ports across the Seven Seas, such as those in the Philippines and South America.

Early life
Eduardo Villanueva was a privateer on behalf of Spain and the Pirate Lord of the Adriatic Sea. He raided ships across the Adriatic, as well as waters near Spanish holdings in Mexico and South America. During his early career, he circumnavigated the World, traveling the Seven Seas and traveling to places as far as the Philippines. His travels and pirating endeavours pitted him against fellow Pirate Lords, Ammand the Corsair, and Capitaine Chevalle, all of whom he battled in his powerful flagship, the Centurion. Ammand and the Barbary Corsairs often raided the coasts of the Mediterranean and whenever they ventured into the Adriatic, they would come into conflict with Villanueva's personal privateer fleet, the Spanish Treasure Fleet. Villanueva also developed a heated rivalry with Capitaine Chevalle, and he came to dislike the Frenchman immensely.

He was wanted dead or alive by the East India Trading Company for crimes including pilfering gold, instigating and participating in a bar fight, and piracy on the Spanish seas. The bounty was worth 2,000 guineas.

Later adventures
"They have been preying off the coast of Spain. And they operate as Borya has described. We have found two burning wrecks, and other ships have simply vanished like this!"

- Eduardo Villanueva, talking about the rogue pirates

At some point in his life, Villanuvea and his crew sailed off the coast of Spain, when they encountered two burning wrecks, victims of a band of rogue pirates. A few months later, Villanueva told the tale of his discovery to pirates assembled at Shipwreck Cove. All Pirate Lords at the meeting agreed to take actions against the rogues, to prevent the navies of Europe from declaring war on piracy.

Several years later, Villanueva made port in Tortuga, where he forced some pirates to join his crew, instead of joining the crew of a young pirate captain, Jack Sparrow. At that time, he also made a deal with the Spanish monarchy to completely take over the Caribbean for Spain. Later, he fought a duel with Jack Sparrow for one of the vials of the Shadow Gold. Although he proved that he was a good swordsman, he was eventually defeated. Some time later, Villanueva was captured by the Shadow Lord, who commandeered his ship, the Centurion.

Retirement
"Then let me charmingly remind you of an appointment: the Conclave of Pirate Lords at Shipwreck City?" "Eduardo, would you be ever so kind as to rid me of this Pirate Council errand boy?" "Uh...you mean, to kill him?"

- Jack Sparrow, Mistress Ching and Eduardo Villanueva

Around the time of the search for the Dead Man's Chest, Eduardo had retired from the life of piracy, though he retained his Pirate Lord status, and founded a piggery in Tortuga. He also helped his close friend Mistress Ching, who had sailed five of the seven seas, run a brothel. Eduardo and Mistress Ching resisted the summons sent out by Hector Barbossa to attend the fourth meeting of the Brethren Court at Shipwreck Cove. Soon after this, however, they were confronted by Jack Sparrow. Sparrow was intent on getting both Pirate Lords to attend the conclave. He confronted Villanueva at his piggery. Villanuva loosed his men on Jack Sparrow, and ran through the streets to warn Mistress Ching. Sparrow defeated Villanueva's men and followed him to Ching's brothel. Outside the brothel's main balcony, Villanueva engaged Sparrow in a duel. Villanueva was outmatched by the young pirate captain, and conceded. After the subsequent defeat of Mistress Ching, Villanueva agreed to join the Brethren and sailed to Shipwreck Island.

War Against Piracy
"Calypso was our enemy then, she will be our enemy now." "And it's unlikely her mood's improved." "I would still agree with Sao Feng. We release Calypso."

- Jocard, Chevalle and Villanueva

During the fourth meeting of the Brethren Court, Villanueva agreed with Captain Barbossa's proposal of releasing Calypso, but only after Tai Huang, the former first mate of Sao Feng, stated that Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa had he been alive. Chevalle was against the release of Calypso, however, and Villanueva drew his pistol to intimidate the Frenchman. Chevalle took great insult from the gesture and punched the Spaniard in the face. This action instigated a brawl among the two pirates and their crews. The concerned bodyguards of the other Pirate Lords soon joined in and soon the entire hall was filled with the sounds of pistol shots and broken bottles. Barbossa was able to stop the fight and calm the fighting pirates. During the vote for a new Pirate King, Villanueva voted for himself, but was defeated by Elizabeth Swann. Villanueva ultimately abided by the decision of Captain Swann to go to war against Lord Cutler Beckett, Governor of the East India Trading Company.

Beckett struck the first blow, and he sent a force of Black Coats to attack the Pirate Lords. Villanueva and Mistress Ching became trapped in the Market Area, but were able to the defeat the Company troops with the assisstance of Jack Sparrow. Villanueva then set sail and joined the ships from the Spanish Treasure Fleet and assembled off the coast of Shipwreck Island. The fleet of the Brethren Court came face to face with the enormous armada of the East India Trading Company. A huge maelstrom formed in between the two fleets and he and his crew witnessed the battle of Calypso's maelstrom. They later celebrated the victory over the Company after the deaths of Davy Jones and Lord Beckett.

Equipment and traits
Eduardo Villanueva was a short stout man. He had greying hair, with several streaks of black in his mustache and beard. He had a black hat with a bright white feather, a necklace, and a brown leather coat with golden embroidery, worn over a faded white shirt. He also wore a large leather strap across his chest and had a belt that held his pistol and sword, as well as dark brown pants and shoes.

Villanuva possessed a cutlass which he used with some degree of skill. Villanueva was a simple duelist and was often outshone by his friend Mistress Ching. Villanueva did have great strength and often used punches and kicks during duels.

Villanueva was a gruff and proud individual. He was notorious for instigating bar fights. He was also responsible for the brawl that engulfed the fourth Brethren Court meeting. Villanueva was disdainful of young upstart pirates, and had more respect for older veteran pirates. He didn't even consider Jack Sparrow a true Pirate Lord. He was close friends with Mistress Ching and sometimes escorted her, and he was sometimes needed to guide her through crowded areas, due to her poor eyesight. Villanueva also held Gentleman Jocard in high regard, respecting anyone brave enough to confront him.

His piece of eight is the neck of a broken bottle with a cork still inside, tied to a string. It was often said that it had been broken when Villanueva used the bottle to win a legendary, and deadly, bar brawl.

Behind the scenes

 * In Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game), his full name is revealed to be "Eduardo Villanueva".
 * The flag hoisted by Villanueva's crew was the same style as that infamously used by Edward Teach "Blackbeard" and Edward Low, which indicate possible connections between them.
 * It is possible that Eduardo Villanueva is named after the historical Spanish Royal Navy Admiral Don Miguel Augustin de Villanueva, who was killed in battle with the British Royal Navy in 1711, while leading the Spanish Treasure Fleet from Portobelo to Spain.
 * Villanueva's name translates literally into "New Town" in Spanish.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: The Caribbean
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)