Summary
Highlights
William Kidd, known as Captain Kidd, was a privateer turned pirate, active from 1695 to 1698. Initially hired by the government, he became infamous after capturing the Quedagh Merchant, a non-enemy ship. Known for harshness, he once killed a crew member. Kidd was captured in 1699 and executed for piracy and murder in 1701.
Bartholomew Roberts, or Black Bart, was a Welsh pirate who captured over 400 ships between 1719 and 1722. He used intimidation tactics and popularized the Skull and Bones flag. Bart was a strict leader, known for his pirate code, which included marooning offenders. He died in battle in 1722 and was buried at sea.
Stede Bonnet, a wealthy Englishman, turned to piracy for adventure. He custom-built his ship, 'The Revenge', and paid his crew wages. After suffering losses, he teamed up with Blackbeard. Bonnet accepted a King's pardon but continued pirating under a new name. He was eventually captured and hanged in Charleston, South Carolina.
Charles Vane was a ruthless and violent pirate, known for torturing sailors. He rose to captaincy in the Bahamas around 1717. Vane accepted the King's pardon but quickly resumed piracy, raiding ships and brutally interrogating captives. He was shipwrecked in 1719, recognized, arrested, and hanged in Jamaica.
Henry Every, also known as Long Ben, was an English pirate active in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the mid-1690s. He led a lucrative raid on the Ganj-i-Sawai, a Mogul Empire ship, amassing a fortune worth approximately $143 million today. Every became the target of the first worldwide manhunt, but his whereabouts after splitting the loot remain a mystery.
Edward Low, or Ned Low, was one of the most feared and sadistic pirates. His career began after killing a crewman in a fit of rage. Low was notorious for extreme torture methods, including burning, mutilation, and setting ships ablaze with crews aboard. After three years of terror, he disappeared in 1723, with various theories about his fate.
Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, is arguably the most famous pirate. Active from 1716 to 1718, he was known for his intimidating appearance, including fire-burning fuses in his beard. He captured La Concord, renaming it 'Queen Anne's Revenge', and embarked on a brutal looting spree. Blackbeard once blockaded Charleston, South Carolina, holding citizens for ransom. He later accepted a King's pardon but continued his piratical activities. In 1718, Blackbeard was killed in a fierce battle, his head displayed as a warning to other pirates.