History is often filled with unsettling contradictions, but few are as striking as the story of a slave ship named Jesus of Lübeck. This vessel, once owned by English royalty, played a pivotal role in the early transatlantic slave trade, forever linking the name of Christianity’s central figure to one of the greatest atrocities in human history.
Misinformation
the name Jesus of the slave ship Jesus of Lübeck dids not stand for “Join European Slave Union Ship” or any acronym. The ship was originally built in Lübeck, Germany, and later acquired by King Henry VIII of England. It was named Jesus of Lübeck likely in reference to religious traditions of naming ships after saints or biblical figures, which was common at the time.
A dark chapter in history
The Jesus of Lübeck was originally built in the 16th century in the German city of Lübeck. It was later acquired by King Henry VIII of England, who repurposed it as a warship before it was eventually leased out by Queen Elizabeth I. By the 1560s, it found itself under the command of Sir John Hawkins—one of England’s first slave traders.
Hawkins, known for his ruthless expeditions, made history as one of the first Englishmen to profit from the transatlantic slave trade. With the Jesus of Lübeck as his flagship, he launched multiple voyages to West Africa, where he captured and bought enslaved Africans to be sold in the Spanish Caribbean.
Hawkins, an English naval commander and privateer, is often regarded as one of the first Englishmen to engage in the transatlantic slave trade. In 1562, Queen Elizabeth I provided him with financial backing and leased him the Jesus of Lübeck along with other ships. He used these vessels to travel to West Africa, where he captured and purchased enslaved Africans before selling them in the Spanish Caribbean.
Despite England not being heavily involved in the slave trade at that time, Hawkins’ voyages laid the foundation for what would later become a massive and devastating industry. His actions were not only supported by the English Crown but also justified under the pretense of economic and political competition with Spain.
In 1568, during his third major slave trading voyage, Hawkins and his fleet, including the Jesus of Lübeck, were ambushed by Spanish forces at the Battle of San Juan de Ulúa. The Jesus of Lübeck was severely damaged and ultimately abandoned.
So while Hawkins captained the Jesus of Lübeck during England’s early forays into the transatlantic slave trade, his official appointment by the Queen was more about securing financial backing rather than a direct royal commission to engage in slavery.
A Ship Named After Christ—And Used for Slavery
Perhaps the most shocking aspect of this history is the irony of its name. The ship bore the name of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, a faith that preaches love, compassion, and liberation from oppression. Yet, under this very name, thousands of African men, women, and children were ripped from their homes, chained in brutal conditions, and forced into lives of unimaginable suffering.
The incongruity of a slave ship named Jesus speaks volumes about the moral justifications European nations used to sustain the slave trade. Many traders and colonizers claimed that slavery was part of a divine mission to “civilize” and convert African people to Christianity. In reality, their actions reflected greed, brutality, and a deep betrayal of the very teachings of Christ.
The Fate of the Jesus of Lübeck
The Jesus of Lübeck met its end in 1568 at the Battle of San Juan de Ulúa, off the coast of present-day Mexico. Hawkins, along with a young Francis Drake, was attacked by Spanish forces, leading to the ship being badly damaged and abandoned. Though the vessel itself was lost, its legacy remains a stark reminder of the dark intersections between religion, empire, and the transatlantic slave trade.
Legacy and Reflection
The story of the Jesus of Lübeck forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about history. It challenges the sanitized narratives of European expansion and Christian missionary work, revealing the hypocrisy that allowed enslavers to operate under the guise of faith.
It is essential to remember this history—not to dwell in guilt, but to acknowledge the past and ensure that such injustices are never repeated. The name Jesus should never again be associated with chains, suffering, and human bondage.
Sources:
- Postma, J. M. (1990). The Atlantic Slave Trade. University of Tennessee Press.
- Thomas, H. (1997). The Slave Trade: The Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade: 1440-1870. Simon & Schuster.
- Kupperman, K. O. (1993). Providence Island, 1630–1641: The Other Puritan Colony. Cambridge University Press.
- “John Hawkins and the Slave Trade.” BBC History, https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/