The most famous pirates in history: who they are and what is “elite”

If you think that the famous pirates that historians still remember are similar to Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, then you are very wrong. They were very different from the sea robbers that can be seen in these movies. They frightened the crews of merchant ships and amassed a great fortune in their lives. So who are they – the most famous pirates in history, and how did they deserve a bad memory? The Live Science publication writes about it.

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According to scientists, many pirates, 16th-18th century. In the 19th century, during the golden age of piracy, he began his career as a pirate. That is, they were legalized pirates who were allowed by their countries to rob the merchant ships of enemy countries. But sometimes, when the lure of easy prey was too great, pirates would also attack their own country’s ships. Some pirates were so successful and so brutal in their illegal activities that they are forever enshrined in the annals of history. Here are some of the most famous pirates of all time.

black beard

Scientists do not know much about the life of perhaps the most famous pirate in the world, who became famous under the nickname Blackbeard. Many facts about his activities are taken from a 1724 book by the author Charles Johnson called A General History of Pirates. Some researchers believe that this is not the real name of the author, but a pseudonym, and it is not known who actually wrote this book. Although official documents are used in the book, many facts as it is known later do not coincide with reality.

Scholars now believe that Blackbeard’s real name is Edward Teach, and that he was born in England in 1680. Initially, he was a pirate in the service of the British crown, and in 1716 he embarked on piracy with his ship Queen Anne’s Revenge in the Caribbean and off the coast of the current states of South Carolina and Virginia (USA).

According to scientists, during his short pirate career, Blackbeard managed to earn the image of a ruthless pirate and “sea storm”. Scientists believe that the crew of merchant ships specifically tried to create such an image so that when they saw the flagship, they surrendered without a fight.

As for the nickname Tich, he wore a really thick black beard and also always kept three pairs of pistols with him to intimidate enemies. The Pirate Teach spent only 2 years and died in a battle with the British fleet off Ocracoke Island, off the US state of what is now North Carolina.

Francis Drake

Another famous pirate was Francis Drake, born in England in 1540. Still, although he was a pirate from the point of view of the English crown, that is, he only attacked Spanish ships and Spanish colonies.

By the way, another achievement of Drake is his circumnavigation of the world, which lasted from 1577 to 1580. Although this voyage was not a planned expedition, it was a byproduct of the goal of raiding Spanish ships in America. For the Spaniards, Drake was a real pirate, whom they nicknamed “Dragon”.

Drake brought a large amount of treasure from his circumnavigation and shared his wealth with Queen Elizabeth I of England. He also fought the Spanish “Invincible Navy” in 1588, which was trying to invade England and overthrow the Queen.

Among its so-called “achievements”, scholars also name the organization of the British slave trade when its fleet raided the west coast of Africa to enslave the local population.

Drake died of dysentery in 1596 off the coast of Panama.

Sam Bellamy

Samuel Bellamy lived only 28 years, but he managed to make a name for himself in his short life. He is believed to have been born in England in the late 17th century and entered the service of the Royal Navy at the age of 13. A few years later he became a pirate and ship captain.

According to scientists, Bellamy managed to rob 53 ships, including the ship “Ouida”, which carried slaves and a wealth of gold, silver and other goods. This happened in 1716. By the way, after the ship was taken, Bellamy made it his flagship. However, in 1717, the pirate sank with his ship during a storm.

Historians believe that the hacker managed to steal an estimated $120 million at modern prices.

By the way, this sea robber also had a nickname – “Black Sam” or “Black Sam Bellamy”. The fact is that the pirate wore a black wig. Historians note that this robber was not bloodthirsty and freed the captives.

Black Bart

Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts was a prominent Welsh-born pirate in the early 18th century. He initially worked on merchant ships, but became a sea thief and was soon named captain of his own ship.

Roberts captured more than 400 ships in her lifetime, including off the Caribbean and African coasts. He often attacked ships carrying slaves and then demanded gold from their captains in exchange for their return. When one of these captains refused, Roberts burned the ship with 80 slaves on board.

The pirate and his crew were captured by the British fleet off the coast of West Africa in 1722, after which Roberts was killed immediately and members of his crew were hanged soon after.

Captain Kidd

Often referred to as Captain Kidd, William Kidd is known for being a pirate and a pirate at the same time. He was born in Scotland in 1645 and entered the service of the English Crown privately in 1689. But in the end he was just hanged for piracy.

Kidd became famous after the capture of the Indian merchant ship Kedah Merchant off the west coast of India in 1698. The ship was loaded with gold, silver, and other valuables. He was then declared a pirate, captured, and executed in London in 1701.

henry morgan

Another famous pirate, Henry Morgan, was born in Wales around 1635 and went to the Caribbean as a laborer in 1655. After completing his contract job in Barbados, Morgan sought his fortune in Jamaica and soon became a pirate.

From 1666 he commanded his own ship and raided cities on the coasts of Mexico, Panama, and Cuba. During his piracy, Morgan looted great treasures, even though he was still a pirate. Morgan died of natural causes in Jamaica in 1688. At the time of his death, he owned three farms run by slaves.

Ann Bonnie and Mary Read

Female pirates were no exception to the rule in the 18th century. Among them, historians distinguish Anne Bonny and Mary Reid. Both were part of the same pirate gang that terrorized ships in the Caribbean in the early 1700s.

The most interesting thing is that both women dress and look like men in order not to stand out from the other members of the team. They fought with a machete in one hand and a pistol in the other.

In 1720 their ship was captured by the British fleet off Jamaica and all the pirates were put on trial. But Bonnie and Reed escaped the gallows because they were pregnant. Reid died of fever in prison, but Bonnie survived because her father, a wealthy farmer in South Carolina, set her free. As a result, she lived to be 84 years old.

Focus He had already written that scientists had discovered the hideout of Henry Avery, one of the most ruthless pirates of the 17th century. The famous British pirate disappeared without a trace after the announcement of the first worldwide hunt for him.