Famous pirate names. The most famous pirates in history. Incredible facts about pirates
There is not much documentary material available 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 lot has been devoted to this topic. a large number of folklore 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 eastern shores 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 Ocean. 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 subsequently dressed as a man and joined his crew.
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.
For a long time, the Caribbean islands served as a bone of contention for the great maritime powers, since untold riches were hidden here. And where there is wealth, there are robbers. Piracy in the Caribbean has exploded and become a serious problem. In reality, the sea robbers were much more cruel than we imagine.
In 1494 the Pope divided New World between Spain and Portugal. All the gold of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans of South America went to the ungrateful Spaniards. The other European maritime powers naturally did not like this, and conflict was inevitable. And their struggle for Spanish possessions in the New World (this mainly concerned England and France) led to the emergence of piracy.
Famous corsairs
At the very beginning, piracy was even approved by the authorities and was called privateering. A privateer or corsair is a pirate ship, but with a national flag, designed to capture enemy ships.Francis Drake
As a corsair, Drake possessed not only the usual greed and cruelty, but was also extremely inquisitive, and, eager to visit new places, eagerly took on orders from Queen Elizabeth, mainly concerning the Spanish colonies. In 1572, he was especially lucky - on the Isthmus of Panama, Drake intercepted the “Silver Caravan” en route to Spain, which was carrying 30 tons of silver.
Once he got carried away and even traveled around the world. And he completed one of his campaigns with unprecedented profit, replenishing the royal treasury by 500 thousand pounds sterling, which was more than one and a half times its annual income. The Queen personally arrived on the ship to bestow a knighthood on Jack. In addition to treasures, Jack also brought potato tubers to Europe, for which in Germany, in the city of Offenburg, they even erected a monument to him, on the pedestal of which it is written: “To Sir Francis Drake, who spread potatoes in Europe.”
Henry Morgan
Morgan was a world-famous successor to Drake's work. The Spaniards considered him their most terrible enemy, for them he was even more terrible than Francis Drake. Having brought an entire army of pirates to the walls of the Spanish city of Panama at that time, he mercilessly plundered it, taking out huge treasures, after which he turned the city into ashes. Largely thanks to Morgan, Britain was able to seize control of the Caribbean from Spain for some time. King Charles II of England personally knighted Morgan and appointed him governor of Jamaica, where he spent his last years.
Golden Age of Piracy
Since 1690 between Europe, Africa and Caribbean islands active trade was established, which led to an extraordinary flourishing of piracy. Numerous ships of the leading European powers, transporting valuable goods, on the high seas became tasty prey for sea robbers, who multiplied in numbers. Real sea robbers, outlaws, who were engaged in outright robbery of all passing ships indiscriminately, at the end of the 17th century they replaced the corsairs. Let's remember some of these legendary pirates.
Steed Bonnet was a completely prosperous man - a successful planter, worked in the municipal police, was married and suddenly decided to become a robber of the seas. And Steed was just very tired of the gray everyday life with his always grumpy wife and routine work. Having independently studied maritime affairs and become proficient in it, he bought himself a ten-gun ship called “Revenge,” recruited a crew of 70 people and set off towards the wind of change. And soon his raids became quite successful.
Steed Bonnet also became famous for not being afraid to argue with the most formidable pirate at that time - Edward Teach, Blackbeard. Teach, on his ship with 40 cannons, attacked Steed's ship and easily captured it. But Steed could not come to terms with this and constantly pestered Teach, repeating that real pirates do not act like that. And Teach set him free, but with only a few pirates and completely disarming his ship.
Then Bonnet went to North Carolina, where he had recently pirated, repented to the governor and offered to become their corsair. And, having received consent from the governor, a license and a fully equipped ship, he immediately set off in pursuit of Blackbeard, but to no avail. Steed, of course, did not return to Carolina, but continued to engage in robberies. At the end of 1718 he was caught and executed.
Edward Teach
An indomitable lover of rum and women, this famous pirate in his invariable wide-brimmed hat was nicknamed “Blackbeard.” He actually wore a long black beard, braided into pigtails with wicks woven into them. During the battle, he set them on fire, and at the sight of him, many sailors surrendered without a fight. But it is quite possible that the wicks are just an artistic invention. Blackbeard, although he had a terrifying appearance, was not particularly cruel, and defeated the enemy only by intimidation.
Thus, he captured his flagship ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, without firing a single shot - the enemy team surrendered only after seeing Teach. Teach landed all the prisoners on the island and left them a boat. Although, according to other sources, Teach was indeed very cruel and never left his prisoners alive. At the beginning of 1718, he had 40 captured ships under his command, and about three hundred pirates were under his command.
The British became seriously concerned about his capture; a hunt was announced for him, which ended in success at the end of the year. In a brutal duel with Lieutenant Robert Maynard, Teach, wounded by more than 20 shots, resisted to the last, killing many British in the process. And he died from a blow from a saber - when his head was cut off.
British, one of the most cruel and heartless pirates. Without feeling the slightest compassion for his victims, he also did not take into account the members of his team at all, constantly deceiving them, trying to appropriate as much profit as possible. Therefore, everyone dreamed of his death - both the authorities and the pirates themselves. During another mutiny, the pirates removed him from his captain's post and dropped him off the ship onto a boat, which the waves carried to a desert island during a storm. After some time, a passing ship picked him up, but a person was found who identified him. Vane's fate was sealed; he was hanged at the entrance to the port.
He was nicknamed "Calico Jack" because he liked to wear wide trousers made of bright calico. Not being the most successful pirate, he glorified his name by being the first to allow women on the ship, contrary to all maritime customs.
In 1720, when Rackham's ship met at sea with the ship of the governor of Jamaica, to the surprise of the sailors, only two pirates fiercely resisted them; as it turned out later, they were women - the legendary Anne Bonny and Mary Read. And everyone else, including the captain, was completely drunk.
In addition, it was Rackham who came up with the same flag (skull and crossbones), the so-called “Jolly Roger”, which we all now associate with pirates, although many sea robbers flew under other flags.
A tall, handsome dandy, he was a fairly educated man, knew a lot about fashion, and observed etiquette. And what is completely uncharacteristic of pirates is that he did not tolerate alcohol and punished others for drunkenness. Being a believer, he wore a cross on his chest, read the Bible and held services on the ship. The elusive Roberts was distinguished by extraordinary courage and, at the same time, was very successful in his campaigns. Therefore, the pirates loved their captain and were ready to follow him anywhere - after all, they would definitely be lucky!
In a short period, Roberts captured more than two hundred ships and about 50 million pounds sterling. But one day, Lady Luck betrayed him. The crew of his ship, busy dividing up the spoils, was taken by surprise by an English ship under the command of Captain Ogle. At the first shot, Roberts was killed, the buckshot hit him in the neck. The pirates, having lowered his body overboard, resisted for a long time, but were still forced to surrender.
From an early age, spending his time among street criminals, he absorbed all the worst. And being a pirate, he turned into one of the most bloodthirsty sadistic fanatics. And although his time was already at the end of the “Golden Age,” Lowe, in a short time, showing extraordinary cruelty, captured more than 100 ships.
Decline of the "Golden Age"
By the end of 1730, the pirates were finished, they were all caught and executed. Over time, they began to be remembered with nostalgia and a certain touch of romanticism. Although in fact, for their contemporaries, pirates were a real disaster.As for the well-known captain Jack Sparrow, such a pirate did not exist at all, there is no specific prototype of him, the image is entirely fictitious, a Hollywood parody of pirates, and many of the charismatic features of this colorful and charming character were invented on the fly by Johnny Depp.
Pirates are sea (or river) robbers. The word "pirate" (lat. pirata) comes, in turn, from the Greek. πειρατής, cognate with the word πειράω (“try, test”). Thus, the meaning of the word would be "trying one's luck." Etymology shows how precarious the boundary between the professions of navigator and pirate was from the very beginning.
Henry Morgan (1635-1688) became the most famous pirate in the world, enjoying a peculiar fame. This man became famous not so much for his corsair exploits as for his activities as a commander and politician. Morgan's main achievement was helping England seize control of the entire Caribbean Sea. Since childhood, Henry was restless, which affected his adult life. In a short time, he managed to be a slave, gather his own gang of thugs and get his first ship. Along the way, many people were robbed. While in the queen's service, Morgan directed his energy to the ruin of the Spanish colonies, which he did very well. As a result, everyone learned the name of the active sailor. But then the pirate unexpectedly decided to settle down - he got married, bought a house... However, his violent temper took its toll, and in his spare time, Henry realized that it was much more profitable to capture coastal cities than just rob sea vessels. One day Morgan used a cunning move. On the way to one of the cities he took big ship and filled it to the top with gunpowder, sending it to the Spanish port at dusk. The huge explosion led to such chaos that there was simply no one to defend the city. So the city was taken, and the local fleet was destroyed, thanks to Morgan's cunning. While storming Panama, the commander decided to attack the city from land, sending his army around the city. As a result, the maneuver was a success and the fortress fell. Last years Morgan spent his life as Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. His whole life passed at a frantic pirate pace, with all the delights appropriate to the occupation in the form of alcohol. Only rum defeated the brave sailor - he died of cirrhosis of the liver and was buried as a nobleman. True, the sea took his ashes - the cemetery sank into the sea after the earthquake.
Francis Drake (1540-1596) was born in England, the son of a priest. The young man began his maritime career as a cabin boy on a small merchant ship. It was there that the smart and observant Francis learned the art of navigation. Already at the age of 18, he received command of his own ship, which he inherited from the old captain. In those days, the queen blessed pirate raids, as long as they were directed against the enemies of England. During one of these voyages, Drake fell into a trap, but, despite the death of 5 other English ships, he managed to save his ship. The pirate quickly became famous for his cruelty, and fortune also loved him. Trying to take revenge on the Spaniards, Drake begins to wage his own war against them - he plunders their ships and cities. In 1572, he managed to capture the "Silver Caravan", carrying more than 30 tons of silver, which immediately made the pirate rich. An interesting feature of Drake was the fact that he not only sought to loot more, but also to visit previously unknown places. As a result, many sailors were grateful to Drake for his work in clarifying and correcting the world map. With the permission of the queen, the pirate went on a secret expedition to South America, with official version Australian Research. The expedition was a great success. Drake maneuvered so cunningly, avoiding the traps of his enemies, that he was able to travel around the world on his way home. Along the way, he attacked Spanish settlements in South America, circumnavigated Africa and brought home potato tubers. The total profit from the campaign was unprecedented - more than half a million pounds sterling. At that time it was twice the budget of the entire country. As a result, right on board the ship, Drake was knighted - an unprecedented event that has no analogues in history. The apogee of the pirate's greatness came at the end of the 16th century, when he took part as an admiral in the defeat of the Invincible Armada. Later, the pirate’s luck turned away; during one of his subsequent voyages to the American shores, he fell ill with tropical fever and died.
Edward Teach (1680-1718) is better known by his nickname Blackbeard. It was because of this external attribute that Teach was considered a terrible monster. The first mention of the activities of this corsair dates back only to 1717; what the Englishman did before that remains unknown. Based on indirect evidence, one can guess that he was a soldier, but deserted and became a filibuster. Then he was already a pirate, terrifying people with his beard, which covered almost his entire face. Teach was very brave and courageous, which earned him respect from other pirates. He wove wicks into his beard, which, when smoking, terrified his opponents. In 1716, Edward was given command of his sloop to conduct privateering operations against the French. Soon Teach captured a larger ship and made it his flagship, renaming it Queen Anne's Revenge. At this time, the pirate operates in the Jamaica area, robbing everyone and recruiting new henchmen. By the beginning of 1718, Tich already had 300 people under his command. Within a year, he managed to capture more than 40 ships. All the pirates knew that the bearded man was hiding treasure on some uninhabited island, but no one knew where exactly. The pirate's outrages against the British and his plunder of the colonies forced the authorities to announce a hunt for Blackbeard. A massive reward was announced and Lieutenant Maynard was hired to hunt down Teach. In November 1718, the pirate was overtaken by the authorities and killed during the battle. Teach's head was cut off and his body was suspended from a yardarm.
William Kidd (1645-1701). Born in Scotland near the docks, the future pirate decided to connect his destiny with the sea from childhood. In 1688, Kidd, a simple sailor, survived a shipwreck near Haiti and was forced to become a pirate. In 1689, betraying his comrades, William took possession of the frigate, calling it the Blessed William. With the help of a privateering patent, Kidd took part in the war against the French. In the winter of 1690, part of the team left him, and Kidd decided to settle down. He married a rich widow, taking possession of lands and property. But the pirate’s heart demanded adventure, and now, 5 years later, he is already a captain again. The powerful frigate "Brave" was designed to rob, but only the French. After all, the expedition was sponsored by the state, which did not need unnecessary political scandals. However, the sailors, seeing the meager profits, periodically rebelled. The capture of a rich ship with French goods did not save the situation. Fleeing from his former subordinates, Kidd surrendered into the hands of the English authorities. The pirate was taken to London, where he quickly became a bargaining chip in the struggle of political parties. On charges of piracy and the murder of a ship's officer (who was the instigator of the mutiny), Kidd was sentenced to death. In 1701, the pirate was hanged, and his body hung in an iron cage over the Thames for 23 years, as a warning to the corsairs of imminent punishment.
Mary Read (1685-1721). From childhood, girls were dressed in boy's clothes. So the mother tried to hide the death of her early deceased son. At age 15, Mary joined the army. In the battles in Flanders, under the name Mark, she showed miracles of courage, but she never received any advancement. Then the woman decided to join the cavalry, where she fell in love with her colleague. After the end of hostilities, the couple got married. However, the happiness did not last long, her husband died unexpectedly, Mary, dressed in men's clothing, became a sailor. The ship fell into the hands of pirates, and the woman was forced to join them, cohabiting with the captain. In battle, Mary wore a man's uniform, participating in skirmishes along with everyone else. Over time, the woman fell in love with a craftsman who helped the pirates. They even got married and were going to put an end to the past. But even here the happiness did not last long. Pregnant Reed was caught by authorities. When she was caught along with other pirates, she said that she committed the robberies against her will. However, other pirates showed that there was no one more determined than Mary Read in the matter of plundering and boarding ships. The court did not dare to hang the pregnant woman; she patiently awaited her fate in a Jamaican prison, not fearing a shameful death. But a strong fever finished her off early.
Olivier (Francois) le Vasseur became the most famous French pirate. He was nicknamed "La Blues", or "the buzzard". A Norman nobleman of noble origin was able to transform the island of Tortuga (now Haiti) into impregnable fortress filibusters. Initially, Le Vasseur was sent to the island to protect the French settlers, but he quickly expelled the British (according to other sources, the Spaniards) from there and began to pursue his own policy. Being a talented engineer, the Frenchman designed a well-fortified fortress. Le Vasseur issued a filibuster with very dubious documents for the right to hunt the Spaniards, taking the lion's share of the spoils for himself. In fact, he became the leader of the pirates, without taking direct part in the hostilities. When the Spaniards failed to take the island in 1643, and were surprised to find fortifications, Le Vasseur's authority grew noticeably. He finally refused to obey the French and pay royalties to the crown. However, the deteriorating character, tyranny and tyranny of the Frenchman led to the fact that in 1652 he was killed by his own friends. According to legend, Le Vasseur collected and hid the largest treasure of all time, worth £235 million in today's money. Information about the location of the treasure was kept in the form of a cryptogram on the governor's neck, but the gold remained undiscovered.
William Dampier (1651-1715) is often called not just a pirate, but also a scientist. After all, he completed three voyages around the world, discovering many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Having been orphaned early, William chose the sea path. At first he took part in trade voyages, and then he managed to fight. In 1674, the Englishman came to Jamaica as a trading agent, but his career in this capacity did not work out, and Dampier was forced to again become a sailor on a merchant ship. After exploring the Caribbean, William settled on the Gulf Coast, on the Yucatan coast. Here he found friends in the form of runaway slaves and filibusters. Dampier's subsequent life revolved around the idea of traveling around Central America, plundering Spanish settlements on land and sea. He swam in the waters of Chile, Panama, New Spain. Dhampir almost immediately began keeping notes about his adventures. As a result, his book “A New Voyage Around the World” was published in 1697, which made him famous. Dampier became a member of the most prestigious houses in London, entered the royal service and continued his research, writing a new book. However, in 1703, on an English ship, Dampier continued a series of robberies of Spanish ships and settlements in the Panama region. In 1708-1710, he took part as a navigator of a corsair expedition around the world. The works of the pirate scientist turned out to be so valuable for science that he is considered to be one of the fathers of modern oceanography.
Zheng Shi (1785-1844) is considered one of the most successful pirates. The scale of her actions will be indicated by the fact that she commanded a fleet of 2,000 ships, on which more than 70 thousand sailors served. The 16-year-old prostitute "Madame Jing" married the famous pirate Zheng Yi. After his death in 1807, the widow inherited a pirate fleet of 400 ships. Corsairs not only attacked merchant ships off the coast of China, but also sailed deep into river mouths, ravaging coastal settlements. The emperor was so surprised by the actions of the pirates that he sent his fleet against them, but this did not have significant consequences. The key to Zheng Shi's success was the strict discipline she established on the courts. It put an end to traditional pirate freedoms - robbery of allies and rape of prisoners was punishable by death. However, as a result of the betrayal of one of her captains, the female pirate in 1810 was forced to conclude a truce with the authorities. Her further career took place as the owner of a brothel and a gambling den. The story of a female pirate is reflected in literature and cinema; there are many legends about her.
Edward Lau (1690-1724) also known as Ned Lau. For most of his life, this man lived in petty theft. In 1719, his wife died in childbirth, and Edward realized that from now on nothing would tie him to home. 2 years later he became a pirate operating around Azores, New England and the Caribbean. This time is considered the end of the age of piracy, but Lau became famous for the fact that in a short time he managed to capture more than a hundred ships, while showing rare bloodthirstiness.
Arouge Barbarossa(1473-1518) became a pirate at age 16 after the Turks captured his home island of Lesbos. Already at the age of 20, Barbarossa became a merciless and brave corsair. Having escaped from captivity, he soon captured a ship for himself, becoming the leader. Arouj entered into an agreement with the Tunisian authorities, who allowed him to set up a base on one of the islands in exchange for a share of the spoils. As a result, Urouge's pirate fleet terrorized all Mediterranean ports. Getting involved in politics, Arouj eventually became the ruler of Algeria under the name of Barbarossa. However, the fight against the Spaniards did not bring success to the Sultan - he was killed. His work was continued by his younger brother, known as Barbaross the Second.
Bartholomew Roberts(1682-1722). This pirate was one of the most successful and fortunate in history. It is believed that Roberts was able to capture more than four hundred ships. At the same time, the cost of the pirate's production amounted to more than 50 million pounds sterling. And the pirate achieved such results in just two and a half years. Bartholomew was an unusual pirate - he was enlightened and loved to dress fashionably. Roberts was often seen in a burgundy vest and breeches, he wore a hat with a red feather, and on his chest hung a gold chain with a diamond cross. The pirate did not abuse alcohol at all, as was customary in this environment. Moreover, he even punished his sailors for drunkenness. We can say that it was Bartholomew, who was nicknamed “Black Bart”, who was the most successful pirate in history. Moreover, unlike Henry Morgan, he never cooperated with the authorities. And the famous pirate was born in South Wales. His maritime career began as a third mate on a slave trading ship. Roberts' responsibilities included supervising the "cargo" and its safety. However, after being captured by pirates, the sailor himself was in the role of a slave. Nevertheless, the young European was able to please the captain Howell Davis who captured him, and he accepted him into his crew. And in June 1719, after the death of the leader of the gang during the storming of the fort, it was Roberts who led the team. He immediately captured the ill-fated city of Principe on the coast of Guinea and razed it to the ground. After going to sea, the pirate quickly captured several merchant ships. However, production off the African coast was scarce, which is why Roberts headed to the Caribbean in early 1720. The glory of a successful pirate overtook him, and merchant ships were already shying away at the sight of Black Bart's ship. In the north, Roberts sold African goods profitably. Throughout the summer of 1720, he was lucky - the pirate captured many ships, 22 of them right in the bays. However, even while engaged in robbery, Black Bart remained a devout man. He even managed to pray a lot in between murders and robberies. But it was this pirate who invented cruel execution using a board thrown over the side of the ship. The team loved their captain so much that they were ready to follow him to the ends of the earth. And the explanation was simple - Roberts was desperately lucky. At various times he managed from 7 to 20 pirate ships. The teams included escaped criminals and slaves of many different nationalities, calling themselves the "House of Lords". And the name of Black Bart inspired terror throughout the Atlantic.
Jack Rackham (1682-1720). And this famous pirate had the nickname Calico Jack. The fact is that he loved to wear Calico pants, which were brought from India. And although this pirate was not the most cruel or the luckiest, he managed to become famous. The fact is that Rackham’s team included two women dressed in men’s clothing - Mary Read and Anne Boni. Both of them were the pirate's mistresses. Thanks to this fact, as well as the courage and bravery of his ladies, Rackham's team became famous. But his luck changed when in 1720 his ship met the ship of the governor of Jamaica. At that time, the entire crew of pirates was dead drunk. To escape pursuit, Rackham ordered the anchor to be cut. However, the military were able to catch up with him and take him after a short fight. The pirate captain and his entire crew were hanged in Port Royal, Jamaica. Just before his death, Rackham asked to see Anne Bonney. But she herself refused him this, saying that if the pirate had fought like a man, he would not have died like a dog. It is said that John Rackham is the author of the famous pirate symbol - the skull and crossbones, the Jolly Roger.
Jean Lafitte (?-1826). This famous corsair was also a smuggler. With the tacit consent of the government of the young American state, he calmly robbed the ships of England and Spain in the Gulf of Mexico. The heyday of pirate activity occurred in the 1810s. It is unknown where and when exactly Jean Lafitte was born. It is possible that he was a native of Haiti and was a secret Spanish agent. It was said that Lafitte knew the Gulf coast better than many cartographers. It was known for sure that he sold the stolen goods through his brother, a merchant who lived in New Orleans. The Lafittes illegally supplied slaves to the southern states, but thanks to their guns and men, the Americans were able to defeat the British in 1815 at the Battle of New Orleans. In 1817, under pressure from the authorities, the pirate settled on the Texas island of Galveston, where he even founded his own state, Campeche. Lafitte continued to supply slaves, using intermediaries. But in 1821, one of his captains personally attacked a plantation in Louisiana. And although Lafitte was ordered to be insolent, the authorities ordered him to sink his ships and leave the island. The pirate has only two ships left from what was once a whole fleet. Then Lafitte and a group of his followers settled on the island of Isla Mujeres off the coast of Mexico. But even then he did not attack American ships. And after 1826 there is no information about the valiant pirate. In Louisiana itself, there are still legends about Captain Lafitte. And in the city of Lake Charles, “smugglers’ days” are even held in memory of him. A nature reserve near the coast of Barataria is even named after the pirate. And in 1958, Hollywood even released a film about Lafitte, he was played by Yul Brynner.
Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592). Pirates not only robbed ships, but were also brave travelers, discovering new lands. In particular, Cavendish was the third sailor who decided to travel around the world. His youth was spent in the English fleet. Thomas led such a hectic life that he quickly lost all his inheritance. And in 1585, he left the service and went to rich America for his share of the spoils. He returned to his homeland rich. Easy money and the help of fortune forced Cavendish to choose the path of a pirate to gain fame and fortune. On July 22, 1586, Thomas headed his own flotilla from Plymouth to Sierra Leone. The expedition aimed to find new islands and study winds and currents. However, this did not stop them from engaging in parallel and outright robbery. At the first stop in Sierra Leone, Cavendish, along with his 70 sailors, plundered local settlements. A successful start allowed the captain to dream of future exploits. On January 7, 1587, Cavendish passed through the Strait of Magellan and then headed north along the coast of Chile. Before him, only one European passed this way - Francis Drake. The Spaniards controlled this part Pacific Ocean, generally calling it Spanish Lake. The rumor of English pirates forced the garrisons to gather. But the Englishman's flotilla was worn out - Thomas found a quiet bay for repairs. The Spaniards did not wait, having found the pirates during the raid. However, the British not only repelled the attack of superior forces, but also put them to flight and immediately plundered several neighboring settlements. Two ships went further. On June 12, they reached the equator and until November the pirates waited for a “treasury” ship with all the proceeds of the Mexican colonies. Persistence was rewarded, and the British captured a lot of gold and jewelry. However, when dividing the spoils, the pirates quarreled, and Cavendish was left with only one ship. With him he went to the west, where he obtained a cargo of spices by robbery. On September 9, 1588, Cavendish's ship returned to Plymouth. The pirate not only became one of the first to circumnavigate the world, but also did it very quickly - in 2 years and 50 days. In addition, 50 of his crew returned with the captain. This record was so significant that it lasted for more than two centuries.
Gentlemen of the sea have inspired fear in people with their names for many centuries. For example, Jack Sparrow, Captain Flint and John Silver. Their list of names can be continued for a long time. Cunning and treacherous, people without honor have always been adventurers
The pirate lived from 1680 to 1718. It is he who begins our selection of ratings. Despite the fact that the name is a fictional character, which was created by the thought of the Scottish writer Robert Stevenson, his mention is worthy of being in the selection. Flint has always been a merciless person. This can be confirmed by the famous pirate song. It contains the words: Fifteen men for a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum. It was 15 people who became unwitting witnesses to the places where the pirate buried his treasures. With this he signed his own death warrant.
Henry was a pirate from 1635 to 1688. The name of this character is known to many from the film “Hearts of Three”. It was based on the novel of the same name by Jack London. Only, unlike the previous participant in our rating, Henry really existed. He was both a pirate and a man who assisted England in gaining control of the entire Caribbean region. For these actions he received the rank of Governor of Jamaica. Unfortunately, the sea could not part with its pet. So, due to the earthquake, the cemetery where the pirate was buried went under water. But the cause of the pirate’s death should be called liver disease, which was caused by high consumption of rum.
Years of piracy from 1540 to 1596. Francis was born into a priest's family. Despite this, he was never an exemplary Christian. This was facilitated by the blessing of the Queen of England. She was ready to do anything to ensure that the Spaniards did not become the leading power in the world. Drake became the captain of a pirate ship at age 18. He robbed and destroyed the property of Spain. In 15772, Drake took part in the capture of the Spanish Silver Caravan. Thanks to these actions, the pirate brought the treasury 30,000 kilograms of silver. Francis was also seen taking part in a secret voyage to South America. Thanks to this, the treasury of England also received income. Over time, Drake was knighted.
Years of rule on ships from 1645 to 1701. His fate became a reminder to all pirates of inevitable punishment. William was executed by court order. But his body was displayed in a metal cage in London for more than 23 years. The reason for this was Kidd's pirate antics. He was considered a real disaster not only for the French, but also for the British.
In the annals of piracy, this name was recorded for life. Grace was a pirate from 1530 to 1603. The life of this lady should be called a continuous series of love and adventurous adventures. From the very beginning, the pirate was with her father. When he died, Grace became the leader of the Owen clan. With her locks flowing and a saber in her hands, she made her enemies tremble. Only such actions did not prevent her from loving and being loved. Grace gave birth to 4 children, even at an advanced age. And then she raided. Moreover, the lady rejected the proposal of the Queen of England to enter the service of Her Royal Majesty.
One of the most famous pirates. His homeland was France. Wasser did not directly participate in the pirate raids that were directed against the Spaniards and the British. However, he received his lion's share of all the spoils. And the reason for this was the island of Tortuga. Today it is called Haiti. A talented engineer turned the island into an impregnable fortress. It became a refuge for all the pirates of the world. There is also a legend that during the years of managing the island, Wasser accumulated more than 235 million pounds sterling. Only his bad character played a cruel joke on the pirate. In general, the pirate became food for sharks.
Although piracy was William Damir's main occupation, he is also considered the father of modern oceanography. This can only be explained by the fact that he was not only involved in piracy, but also described all his travels and what was connected with them. The result of these actions was a book called A New Journey Around the World.
Zheng was a night butterfly from the very beginning. After that, she was a wife, and after the widow of the popular pirate Zheng Yi, the girl inherited after the death of her husband more than 400 ships, which were a threat to the Chinese merchant fleet. The strictest discipline was present on the ships, which put an end to such pirate antics as violence against prisoners and robbery of allies. Zheng, among other things, is known in history as the owner of brothels, as well as the patroness of gambling.
Son of a potter. The guy's homeland was the island of Lesvos. Most likely, Urouj did not find his love there. The island was also captured by the Turks. Therefore, a guy at the age of 16 decides to become a pirate. After 4 years, he entered into an agreement with the Tunisian authorities. The agreement showed the creation of a pirate base on one of the islands. In exchange, Arouj gives a percentage of the profits to Tunisia. A little later, the pirate became the Sultan of Algeria. However, his reign did not last long. Due to a clash with the Spaniards, he was killed. The successor was the younger brother, known as Barbaross the Second.
His name frightened the French and English governments. Teach, thanks to his cruelty and courage, soon became one of the most terrible pirates in the Jamaica area. In 1718, Teach was strung up on a yardarm. This was done by the English Lieutenant Maynardt.
Video: Top 10 most famous pirates
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 from an 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 declaring 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 robbed along the coast for a long time North America and in the south, until he attracted the attention of the authorities, who sent two sloops to the pirate’s location. 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 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.