1680 - 1718
The most famous pirate in the world is Edward Teach, or he is also called “Blackbeard”. He was known to the world for his cruelty, desperation, strength, and indomitable passion for rum and women. His name made the entire Caribbean Sea and the English possessions of North America tremble. He was tall and strong, had a thick black beard braided, wore a wide-brimmed hat and a black cloak, and always had seven loaded pistols. The opponents surrendered in horror without resistance, considering him an incarnation of hell. In 1718, during the next battle, the pirate Blackbeard continued to fight to the last, wounded by 25 shots, and died from a blow from a saber.
1635 - 1688
This pirate was known as the Cruel or Pirate Admiral. One of the authors of the Pirate Code. An incredible man who excelled in the pirate craft and was a respected lieutenant governor, commander-in-chief of the Jamaican navy. The pirate admiral was considered a talented military leader and a wise politician. His life was full of bright, major victories. Sir Henry Morgan died in 1688 and was buried with honors in St. Catherine's Church, Port Royal. After a while, due to a strong earthquake, his grave was swallowed up by the sea.
1645 - 1701
The most bloodthirsty pirate legend. He had amazing endurance, special cruelty, sadistic sophistication and skillful talent for piracy. William Kidd was an excellent expert in navigation. He had unconditional authority among pirates. His battles were considered the fiercest in the history of piracy. He robbed both at sea and on land. Legends about his victories and countless treasures live to this day. The search for the looted treasure of William Kidd continues to this day, but so far without success.
1540-1596
A successful English navigator and talented pirate during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The second, after Maggelan, Francis Drake circumnavigated the world. They discovered the widest strait of the World Ocean. During his career, Captain Francis Drake made many discoveries of lands unknown to mankind. For his numerous achievements and rich spoils, he received generous recognition from Queen Elizabeth I.
1682 - 1722
His real name is John Roberts, nicknamed Black Bart. The richest and most incredible pirate. He always loved to dress with taste, adhered to generally accepted manners in society, did not drink alcohol, wore a cross and read the Bible. He knew how to convince, subdue and confidently lead his minions to the intended goal. He fought many successful battles and mined a huge amount of gold (approximately 300 tons). He was shot dead on his own ship during a raid. The trial of the captured Black Bart pirates was the largest trial in history.
1689 - 1717
Black Sam - received this nickname due to his fundamental refusal to wear a combed wig, preferring not to hide his naughty hair. dark hair, tied in a knot. Black Sam was led to the path of piracy by love. He was a noble, purposeful man, a wise captain and a successful pirate. Captain Sam Bellamy had both white and black pirates on board, which was considered unthinkable at the time. He had smugglers and spies under his command. He won many victories and won incredible treasures. Black Sam died during a storm that overtook him on the way to his beloved.
1473 - 1518
Famous powerful pirate from Turkey. He was characterized by cruelty, ruthlessness, and a love of mockery and execution. He was involved in the pirate business together with his brother Khair. The Barbarossa Pirates were a threat to the entire Mediterranean. So, in 1515, the entire Azir coast was under the rule of Arouj Barbarossa. The battles under his command were sophisticated, bloody and victorious. Arouj Barbarossa died during the battle, surrounded by enemy troops in Tlemcen.
1651 - 1715
A sailor from England. By vocation he was a researcher and discoverer. Made 3 trips around the world. Became a pirate in order to have the means to pursue his research activities- studying the direction of winds and currents in the ocean. William Dampier is the author of such books as “Travels and Descriptions”, “A New Journey Around the World”, “The Direction of the Winds”. An archipelago in the North-West coast of Australia, as well as a strait between the western coast of New Guinea and the island of Waigeo, are named after him.
1530 - 1603
Female pirate, legendary captain, lady of fortune. Her life was full of colorful adventures. Grace had heroic courage, unprecedented determination and high talent as a pirate. For her enemies she was a nightmare, for her followers an object of admiration. Despite the fact that she had three children from her first marriage and 1 child from her second, Grace O'Mail continued her favorite business. Her work was so successful that Queen Elizabeth I herself invited Grace to serve her, to which she received a decisive refusal.
1785 - 1844
Zheng Shi closes the list of the most famous pirates in the world. She etched her name in history as one of the most successful female pirates. Under the command of this small, fragile Chinese robber there were 70,000 pirates. Zheng Shi started the pirate business together with her husband, but after his death, she boldly took over the reigns. Zheng Shi was an excellent, strict and wise captain; she formed a disciplined and strong army from a chaotic bunch of pirates. This ensured successful offensive operations and fabulous victories. Zheng Shi lived out her years in peace, as the owner of a hotel within the walls of which there was a brothel and a gambling house.
The most famous bloodthirsty pirates Video
Stories about pirates excited the imagination back in the 19th century, but now, thanks to the series of Hollywood films “Pirates of the Caribbean”, this topic has become even more popular. We invite you to “get acquainted” with the most famous real-life pirates.
10 PHOTOS
1. Henry Every (1659-1699).
The pirate, known by the nickname "Long Ben", grew up in the family of an English navy captain. When a riot broke out on the ship where he served as first mate, Everett joined the mutineers and became their leader. His most famous trophy was the Indian ship Ganga-i-Sawai, loaded with gold and silver coins, as well as precious stones.
2. Anne Bonny (1700-1782). Anne Bonny, one of the few women who succeeded in piracy, grew up in a wealthy mansion and received a good education. However, when her father decided to marry her off, she ran away from home with a simple sailor. Some time later, Anne Bonny met the pirate Jack Rackham and he took her on his ship. According to eyewitnesses, Bonnie was not inferior to male pirates in courage and ability to fight.
3. Francois Olone (1630-1671). The French filibuster, known for his cruelty, began his career as a soldier in the West India Company. He then became a buccaneer in Saint-Domingue. The most famous Ohlone operations were the capture of the Spanish cities of Maracaibo and Gibraltar. The pirate ended his warlike and bloody journey at the stake of the cannibals, to whom he was captured in Nicaragua.
4. Edward Lau (1690-1724). Edward Lau was born into a family of thieves and was himself a robber from early childhood. At one time he served as a sailor, then gathered a crew and captured a small sloop. Thus began his career as a pirate. During his voyage, Edward Lau captured more than a hundred ships.
5. Jack Rackham (1682-1720). Before becoming a pirate, Jack Rackham served in the Navy with early age. At first, things did not go very well for Captain Rackham and his crew - they were almost caught several times. Fame came to the pirate after he met Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and began to rob in the waters of Jamaica. The glorious epic ended with the authorities announcing a hunt for them, as a result of which Rackham was hanged and Reed died in prison.
6. Steed Bonnet (1688-1718). Steed Bonnet was a nobleman who served as a major in the colonial militia on the island of Barbados before becoming a pirate. According to rumors, the reason why Bonnet joined the pirates was the scandalous nature of his wife. The pirate plundered for a long time along the coast of North America and in the south, until he attracted the attention of the authorities, who sent two sloops to the pirate’s place of residence. Bonnet's ship was captured and he was hanged at White Point.
7. Bartholomew Roberts (1682-1722). Bartholomew Roberts did not become a pirate by choice, but was forcibly assigned to the crew as a navigator after pirates captured the ship he was sailing on. Becoming captain after just six weeks, Roberts successfully fished in the Caribbean and Atlantic, capturing more than four hundred ships.
8. Henry Morgan (1635-1688). The son of a landowner, Henry Morgan deliberately decided to become a pirate in order to make a fortune. Starting with the purchase of one ship, he soon commanded an entire flotilla of 12 pirate ships that captured entire cities. He was caught and sent to London, but soon the influential pirate was not only released, but also appointed lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
9. William Kidd (1645-1701). According to some historians, William Kidd was not a pirate in the strict sense of the word, but carried out exclusively privateering contracts. Kidd fought in the War of the League of Augsburg, commanding various capital ships and capturing French and pirate ships in the Indian Ocean. His further expeditions took place in various regions of the world. Most of all, Kidd became known after his death, in connection with the legends about the treasures he hid, which have not yet been found.
10. Edward Teach (1680-1718). The famous English pirate Edward Teach, nicknamed "Blackbeard", began his pirate career under the command of Captain Hornigold. Later, when Hornigold surrendered to the British authorities, Teach set sail on his own on the ship Queen Anne's Revenge. The most famous “feat” of the pirate is the blockade of Charlestown, during which 9 ships with influential passengers were captured, for which Teach received a huge ransom.
The phenomenon of piracy has given human history many names of legendary adventurers. The peak of maritime robberies occurred in the 17th century, when the World Ocean was the scene of struggle between Spain, England and some other emerging European colonial powers. Most often, pirates made their living through independent criminal robberies, but some of them ended up in government service and deliberately harmed foreign fleets.
Francis Drake
Born in 1540, he came from an ordinary farming family, and nothing foreshadowed that he would become a great pirate and navigator. A sharp turn in his fate happened at the age of 12, when his parents moved to Kent. There the teenager became a cabin boy on a merchant barque. The owner of the ship was his distant relative. Dying, he handed over the ship as an inheritance to Drake. So, by an amazing coincidence, already at the age of 18, the young man turned out to be a captain.
Like all other contemporary sailors, Francis dreamed of the distant western seas, where the Spaniards continued to rule since their discovery. The most famous pirates of that time, as one, hunted royal galleons loaded with American gold. The Spanish did control the West Indies and had no intention of giving its resources to the British. There were constant skirmishes between the ships of these two countries. In one of them, in 1567, Francis Drake almost lost his life. Of the entire English flotilla, only two ships survived. After this episode, the Spaniards became Drake's sworn enemies.
Francis received from his authorities a privateering patent and the right to freely plunder enemy bases. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the pirate captured Spanish fortresses and outposts in the Caribbean. In 1572, his detachment intercepted a huge cargo of silver. A robber sailed to England with 30 tons of precious metal.
Drake became famous not only as a threat to the Spaniards, but also as a brave navigator. In 1577, Queen Elizabeth I sent him on an expedition around the world. It was this pirate who became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. During his journey, he found out that Tierra del Fuego is an island, and not the southern mainland, as was previously believed in Europe. After his triumphant return, Francis Drake received a knighthood and became sir. The high rank did not change the habits of the sea wolf. On the contrary, over and over again he was eager to embark on another adventurous voyage.
In 1588, Francis Drake took part in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. The victory of the English fleet heralded British naval rule for several centuries. After this success, Drake went on expeditions to the West Indies several more times. He destroyed enemy pirate bases that interfered with profitable English trade. Sir Drake died in 1596 while traveling in Panama. His lead coffin was buried in the ocean. Without a doubt, the adventurer is the most famous pirate of the 16th century.
Henry Morgan
Henry Morgan was born in 1635 in the Welsh countryside into the family of a landowner. The boy could have become his father's heir, but from childhood his passion was not agriculture, but the sea. As time has shown, the love for distant horizons turned out to be justified. The most famous pirates were jealous of the success of Henry Morgan, who became a living legend of his time.
As a young man, the Englishman was hired on a ship sailing to the harbor of the island of Barbados. Once in the Caribbean, Morgan began to build an amazing pirate career. Having joined the sea robbers, he moved to Jamaica. Young quickly became a participant in raids, the main purpose of which was to rob ships that came to hand. In a short time, the boy learned all the laws and customs of marine life. Already in his youth, he became the owner of considerable capital, amassed from pirate earnings and winnings at dice. With this money Henry bought his first ship.
Very soon, even the most famous pirates heard about Morgan's daring and luck. A group of like-minded people formed around the pirate. New ships began to join his ship. Growing influence could not but lead to growing ambitions. In 1665, Morgan decided to give up looting ships and began planning an operation to capture the entire city. Trujillo was his first target. The bandit then captured several Spanish bases in Cuba. Both simple privateers and the most famous pirates could not boast of such successes.
Morgan's most famous military enterprise was his campaign against Panama, which took place in 1670. By this time, the robber already had a fleet of 35 ships and a crew of 2 thousand people at his disposal. This gang landed in Panama and moved to the Spanish fortress of the same name. Although the garrison numbered 2.5 thousand soldiers, it was unable to defend the city. Having taken Panama, the pirates exterminated all those who resisted and plundered everything they could reach. The city was set on fire and destroyed. After this raid, the names of the most famous pirates faded in comparison with the name of Henry Morgan.
When the English subject returned to Jamaica, which belonged to the crown, the authorities unexpectedly arrested him. The fact was that the day before London and Madrid made peace. The pirates did not act on behalf of the state, but enjoyed its benevolent connivance. Having made peace with Spain, the English government promised to rein in its pirates. Henry Morgan was exiled to his homeland. A trial awaited him at home, but the trial turned out to be only a sham demonstration. The authorities were not going to punish the pirate who had provided them with so many services in the fight against Spanish rule at sea.
Soon Henry Morgan returned to Jamaica. He became the island's vice-governor and commander-in-chief of its fleet and army. Subsequently, the pirate continued to faithfully serve the crown. He died in 1688 and was buried with honors in Port Royal Church. A few years later, Jamaica was rocked by a catastrophic earthquake, and Morgan's grave was washed into the ocean.
Anne Bonney
Although sea robbery has always been traditionally considered an exclusively male affair, the most famous female pirates are of no less interest. One of them was (born in 1700). The girl came from a wealthy Irish family. When she was still a child, her father acquired an estate in distant America. So Anne moved to the New World.
At the age of 18, the daughter ran away from home and embarked on a path of adventurous adventures. She met a pirate and decided to join his sea adventures. The girl had to get used to men's clothing and master fighting and shooting skills. Rackham's crew was captured by the authorities in 1720. The captain was executed, but the punishment for Anne was constantly postponed due to her pregnancy. Her further fate remained unknown.
According to one version, Bonnie was freed and died during another raid; according to another, her influential father rescued her, after which the former robber spent her entire life in South Carolina and died in 1782 at a ripe old age. Be that as it may, the most famous female pirates (another famous robber at the time) generated even more rumors than their male companions.
Blackbeard
The legendary figure of Blackbeard remains one of the most recognizable in the pirate pantheon. Edward Teach was hiding under this nickname. Almost nothing is known about his childhood. The sailor made his presence known in 1713, when at the age of 33 he joined the bandits of Benjamin Hornigold. Like all world-famous pirates, this crew hunted in the Caribbean Sea, attractive for its valuable cargo. Teach was the true ideal of a pirate. He knew nothing except regular raids and robberies. His ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, terrified both sailors and civilians on earth.
In 1717, thanks to the efforts of the governor of the Bahamas, the official authorities began an uncompromising fight against pirates. In new unusual conditions, many robbers (including that same Hornigold) decided to lay down their arms and receive a royal pardon. However, Teach refused to change his lifestyle. From that moment on, he became enemy number one for the British military and naval forces.
Many famous pirates who did not want to fit into the new order joined Blackbeard. The most famous adventure of this captain was the blockade of Charleston in South Carolina. The raiders captured many high-ranking citizens and received a colossal ransom in exchange for their return.
The treachery of the owner of Queen Anne's Revenge did not go unpunished. The authorities promised 100 pounds for the pirate's head, which was a fortune at the time. A real hunt has begun for Blackbeard. Very soon, on November 22, 1718, he died in a boarding battle against the team of Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Often the most famous pirates and their ships haunted the seas for an extremely short but eventful period. The same was the lot of Blackbeard.
Bartholomew Roberts
The fame enjoyed by the most famous pirates in history gave rise to many rumors and myths around them. Bartholomew Roberts was no exception to this rule. It is he who is credited with the authorship of the Pirate Code, a set of rules according to which many generations of sea robbers lived.
Roberts was born in 1682 in the small Welsh town of Haverfordwest. His sea travels began on a slaver ship, where Bartholomew was mate. He became involved with pirates at the age of 37, when he was hired on the ship Princess of London. Within a month and a half, the novice robber was elected captain of his own ship.
Roberts' further independent enterprises made him famous in many seas and countries. At that time it was believed that he was the most famous pirate in the world. Bartholomew's team operated not only in the Caribbean, but also in the coastal waters of West Africa, Brazil and even Canada. The thugs robbed everything that could be sold profitably: ships with precious metals, galleons with northern furs, barges with rare American goods. Roberts made his flagship a hijacked French brig, which he named the Royal Pirate.
Bartholomew was killed in 1722 during another trip to Africa, where he intended to engage in the profitable slave trade. The legendary pirate was ruined by his companions' addiction to drinking. When a British ship unexpectedly attacked Roberts's ship, its entire crew was dead drunk. The most famous pirates of the Caribbean and the admirals of the Royal Navy were amazed at what happened: it seemed to everyone that Bartholomew was invincible. Roberts stood out noticeably from his comrades not only in his own successes, but also in his habit of dressing well, as well as his aversion to gambling and foul language. There is no doubt that he was one of the most extravagant pirates of his time.
Henry Avery
During his short life he managed to acquire many nicknames. Some contemporaries called him Long Ben, others - the Arch-Pirate. Avery's love for the sea was predetermined by his own roots. Henry's father served as a captain in the English fleet. In 1659, a son appeared in the officer’s family, who was destined to become one of the brightest and legendary pirates of his era.
At first, the future criminal sailed on merchant ships and only then changed them to robber ships. In 1694, 25-year-old Emery was hired on a privateer ship. The main difference between such a ship and a classic pirate ship was that it robbed and attacked foreign traders with the permission of its government. Sometimes contracts were violated: when the ship stopped paying wages, the crew rebelled. The sailors decided to become pirates and chose a new one instead of the old captain. It turned out to be Henry Emery.
The new leader of the robbers left the Caribbean Sea and went to the Indian Ocean, where there was also something to profit from. The place of the first long stop was Madagascar. Emery's team then attacked ships belonging to the Indian Mughal Empire. The robbers managed to seize a huge amount of rare oriental goods and all kinds of jewelry. All American pirates dreamed of such a profitable enterprise. After that expedition, Avery disappeared from view. There were rumors that he moved to England and tried to start an honest business and ended up completely broke.
Thomas Tew
The path that Henry Emery followed during his famous expedition was called the “Pirate Circle”. The first to travel this route (Atlantic - southern Africa - Madagascar - India) was Thomas Tew. Like Emery, he began as a privateer and ended as a pirate. In 1693, he robbed several ships in the Red Sea. Before his attack, European cutthroats had never traded in this area. Perhaps Tew's success is connected to this - no one expected the appearance of the Caribbean gentlemen of luck.
On his second voyage to Madagascar, Thomas met Henry Emery by chance. Due to the spread of rumors about easy money in the eastern countries, the most famous sea robbers now sought to repeat the success of Tew. This captain remained in the memory of the pirates precisely as the discoverer of the “Circle”. He didn't have time to do more. In 1695, Thomas Tew was killed during an attack on a Mughal flotilla.
Thomas Cavendish
A list that includes the most famous pirates in world history cannot be complete without mentioning Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592). He was a contemporary of Francis Drake. The biographies of these two pirates, who acted in the interests of the English crown, have many similarities. Cavendish, following Drake, decided to travel around the world. The expedition, carried out in 1586-1588, was not at all peaceful. Rounding America, English pirates robbed many Spanish ships filled to capacity with gold. In a sense, Thomas Cavendish's journey was an audacity. The Spaniards considered the Pacific Ocean to be their “inner lake” and were furious when foreign robbers entered these still unknown waters.
Cavendish's team made its most profitable attack off the coast of Mexico. Subjects of Elizabeth I attacked a galleon that was carrying an annual supply of Peruvian gold (120 thousand pesos). Another profitable enterprise of the pirates was the stopover in Java. This island was famous for its pepper and cloves. Spices at that time were worth their weight in precious metals. Cavendish managed to obtain a large cargo of this expensive product. The pirates returned to their native Plymouth in 1588. Having traveled around the world in 2 years and 50 days, they set a speed record that lasted for two centuries.
Cavendish quickly spent the fortune he had earned. A few years after his amazing success, he assembled a second expedition, intending to exactly repeat his previous triumph. However, this time the pirate was plagued by failure. In 1592 he died in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Presumably Cavendish's ship sank near Ascension Island.
Francois Ohlone
Although the most famous pirates and their ships were usually associated with England, other countries also had their own nuggets. For example, the Frenchman François Olone (1630-1671) left a significant mark on history. In his youth, he became famous in the main Caribbean pirate port of Tortuga. In 1662, the young robber received a privateering patent and began to hunt Spanish ships. One day the Ohlone ship was wrecked. The pirate washed up on the Mexican coast, where he and his crew were attacked by the Spaniards who arrived in time. All the French died, and only Olona, who pretended to be dead in time, managed to survive.
François's most ambitious undertaking was his capture of the Spanish city of Maracaibo in modern-day Venezuela. The daredevils who attacked the colony fit on only five ships. On the way, the pirates plundered a Spanish ship and obtained a valuable cargo of jewelry and cocoa. Arriving on the mainland, Ohlone led the assault on the fort, which was garrisoned by 800 people. The pirates captured the fortress and obtained 80 thousand silver piastres. In honor of the fall of Maracaibo, the captain received the nickname “scourge of the Spaniards.”
The last campaign for the famous French robber was his expedition to Nicaragua. After three months of searching for profit, pirates captured a ship loaded with cheap paper. Due to failure, part of the team returned to Tortuga. Ohlone continued the raid, but unfortunately for the captain, his ship ran aground near Cartagena. A French detachment of 40 people that reached the shore was attacked by a crowd of Indians. Ohlone and his crew were torn to pieces and eaten by local cannibals.
Amaro Pargo
Amaro Pargo is one of the most famous Spanish pirates. He was born in 1678 on the Canary Islands and already in his youth began to earn his living by transporting slaves from Africa to America. Free workers on plantations were highly valued, thanks to which Pargo quickly became rich. He was the sworn enemy of Blackbeard and all English pirates in general.
Before his death in 1747, Pargo drew up a will in which he indicated that he had buried a chest with fabulous treasures: silver, gold, pearls, jewelry, precious stones and expensive fabrics. For several decades, many adventurers, including the most famous pirates, tried to find this treasure. There are still a lot of blank spots in the story of Pargo's inheritance. Despite a long search for the Spanish pirate's treasure, no one found it.
Adventure Galley is the favorite ship of William Kidd, an English privateer and pirate. This unusual frigate galley was equipped with straight sails and oars, which made it possible to maneuver both against the wind and in calm weather. The 287-ton ship with 34 guns accommodated 160 crew and was primarily intended to destroy the ships of other pirates.
Queen Anne's Revenge is the flagship of the legendary captain Edward Teach, nicknamed Blackbeard. This 40-gun frigate was originally called Concorde, belonged to Spain, then passed to France, until it was finally captured by Blackbeard Under his leadership, the ship was strengthened and renamed. "Queen Anne's Revenge" sank dozens of merchant and military ships that stood in the way of the famous pirate.
Whydah is the flagship of Black Sam Bellamy, one of the pirates of the golden age of sea robbery. The Ouida was a fast and maneuverable vessel capable of carrying a lot of treasure. Unfortunately for Black Sam, only a year after the start of his pirate “career” the ship was caught in a terrible storm and was thrown ashore. The entire crew, except two people, died. By the way, Sam Bellamy was the richest pirate in history, according to Forbes' recalculation, his fortune amounted to about 132 million dollars in modern equivalent.
"Royal Fortune" belonged to Bartholomew Roberts, the famous Welsh corsair, with whose death the golden age of piracy ended. Bartholomew had several ships during his career, but the 42-gun, three-masted ship of the line was his favorite. On it he met his death in battle with the British warship "Swallow" in 1722.
Fancy is the ship of Henry Avery, also known as Long Ben and the Arch-Pirate. The Spanish 30-gun frigate Charles II successfully plundered French ships, but eventually a mutiny broke out on it, and power passed to Avery, who served as first mate. Avery renamed the ship Imagination and sailed on it until his career ended.
Happy Delivery is a small but beloved ship of George Lowther, an 18th-century English pirate. His signature tactic was to ram an enemy ship with his own while simultaneously boarding it with lightning speed.
The Golden Hind was an English galleon that, under the command of Sir Francis Drake, circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580. The ship was originally named "Pelican", but upon entering the Pacific Ocean, Drake renamed it in honor of his patron, Lord Chancellor Christopher Hatton, who had a golden hind on his coat of arms.
« Rising Sun"(Rising Sun) - a ship owned by Christopher Moody, a truly ruthless thug who took no prisoners on principle. This 35-gun frigate terrified Moody's enemies until he was safely hanged - but she went down in history with the most unusual pirate flag known, yellow on a red background, and even with a winged hourglass to the left of the skull.
Speaker is the first of the capital ships of the corsair John Bowen, a successful pirate and excellent tactician. The Talkative was a large 50-gun vessel with a displacement of 450 tons, originally used to transport slaves and, after being captured by Bowen, for daring attacks on Moorish shipping.
Revenge is the ten-gun sloop of Steed Bonnet, also known as the "Pirate Gentleman". Bonnet lived a rich, albeit short, life, managing to be a small landowner, serve under Blackbeard, receive an amnesty, and again take the path of piracy. The small, maneuverable Retribution sank many larger ships.
Large and tiny, powerful and maneuverable - all these ships, as a rule, were built for completely different purposes, but sooner or later they ended up in the hands of corsairs. Some ended their “career” in battle, others were resold, others sank in storms, but all of them glorified their owners in one way or another.
There isn't much documentary material on piracy. Many of the existing facts are only partly true. Information about who these people really were has undergone many different interpretations. As often happens in the absence of reliable first-hand data, quite a large amount of folklore is devoted to this topic. Considering all of the above, we decided to present dossiers on several legendary sea robbers.
Active period: 1696-1701
Territories: east coast of North America, Caribbean Sea, Indian Ocean.
How he died: he was hanged in a specially designated area in the docks located in east London. His body was subsequently hung over the Thames, where it hung for three years as a warning to potential sea robbers.
What is famous for: the founder of the idea of buried treasure.
In fact, the exploits of this Scottish sailor and British privateer were not particularly extraordinary. Kidd took part in several minor battles with pirates and other ships as a privateer for the British authorities, but none of them significantly influenced the course of history.
The most interesting thing is that the legend about Captain Kidd appeared after his death. During his career, many colleagues and superiors suspected him of exceeding his privateering powers and dabbling in piracy. After irrefutable evidence of his actions emerged, military ships were sent for him, which were supposed to return Kidd to London. Suspecting what awaited him, Kidd allegedly buried untold riches on Gardines Island off the coast of New York. He wanted to use these treasures as insurance and a bargaining tool.
The British court was not impressed by the stories of buried treasure, and Kidd was sentenced to the gallows. This is how his story suddenly ended and a legend appeared. It was thanks to the efforts and skill of writers who became interested in the adventures of the terrible robber that Captain Kidd became one of the most famous pirates. His actual actions were significantly inferior to the glory of other sea robbers of that time.
Period of activity: 1719-1722
Territories: from the eastern coast of North America to the eastern coast of Africa.
How he died: Killed by cannon fire during a battle against the British fleet.
What is famous for: he can be considered the most successful pirate.
Although Bartholomew Roberts may not be the most famous pirate, he was the best at everything he did. During his career, he managed to capture more than 470 ships. He operated in the waters of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. In his youth, when he was a sailor aboard a merchant ship, his ship and its entire crew were captured by pirates.
Thanks to his navigational skills, Roberts stood out from the crowd of hostages. Therefore, he soon became a valuable resource for the pirates who captured their ship. In the future, an incredible career rise awaited him, leading to him becoming the captain of a team of sea robbers.
Over time, Roberts came to the conclusion that it was completely pointless to fight for the miserable life of an honest employee. From that moment on, his motto was the statement that it is better to live for a short time, but for your own pleasure. We can safely say that with the death of 39-year-old Roberts, the Golden Age of Piracy came to an end.
Period of activity: 1716-1718
Territories: Caribbean Sea and East Coast of North America.
How he died: in a battle against the British fleet.
What is famous for: successfully blockaded the port of Charleston. He had a bright appearance and a thick dark beard, into which during battles he wove ignition wicks, frightening the enemy with clouds of smoke emitted.
He was probably the most famous pirate, both in terms of his piratical prowess and his memorable appearance. He managed to mobilize quite an impressive fleet of pirate ships and lead it in many battles.
Thus, the flotilla under the command of Blackbeard managed to blockade the port of Charleston for several days. During this time, they captured several ships and took many hostages, who were later exchanged for various medicines for the crew. For many years, Teach kept the Atlantic coast and the islands of the West Indies at bay.
This continued until his ship was surrounded by the British fleet. This happened during a battle off the coast of North Carolina. Then Teach managed to kill many Englishmen. He himself died from multiple saber blows and gunshot wounds.
Active period: 1717-1720
Territories: Indian Ocean and Caribbean Sea.
How he died: died shortly after being removed from command of the ship and landing in Mauritius.
What is famous for: the first to use a flag with the image of the classic “Jolly Roger”.
Edward England became a pirate after being captured by a gang of thugs. He was simply forced to join the team. After a short stay in the waters of the Caribbean, he was in for a rapid rise up the pirate career ladder.
As a result, he began to command his own ship, used to attack slave ships in the Indian Ocean. It was he who came up with the flag with the image of a skull above two crossed femurs. This flag later became a classic symbol of piracy.
Active period: 1718-1720
Territories: waters of the Caribbean Sea.
How he died: hanged in Jamaica.
What is famous for: the first pirate to allow women on board.
Calico Jack cannot be classified as a successful pirate. His main occupation was the capture of small commercial and fishing vessels. In 1719, during a brief attempt at retirement, the pirate met and fell in love with Anne Bonny, who later disguised herself as men's clothing and joined his team.
Some time later, Rackham's team captured a Dutch merchant ship, and without knowing it, they took another woman dressed as a man on board the pirate ship. Reed and Bonnie turned out to be brave and courageous pirates, which made Rackham famous. Jack himself cannot be called a good captain.
When his crew was captured by the ship of the governor of Jamaica, Rackham was so drunk that he did not even manage to get into a fight, and only Mary and Anne defended their ship to the last. Before his execution, Jack asked for a meeting with Anne Bonny, but she flatly refused and, instead of dying consoling words, told her former lover that his pitiful appearance caused her indignation.
