Legendary pirates and their ships. Pirates, corsairs

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 pirate 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.

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 growing 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. Below is a list of the ten most famous pirates in history.

William Kidd (22 January 1645 - 23 May 1701) was a Scottish sailor who was convicted and executed for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean to hunt pirates. Considered one of the most cruel and bloodthirsty sea robbers of the seventeenth century. The hero of many mysterious stories. Some modern historians, such as Sir Cornelius Neale Dalton, consider his pirate reputation to be unfair.

Bartholomew Roberts (May 17, 1682 - February 17, 1722) was a Welsh pirate who robbed about 200 ships (according to another version 400 ships) in the vicinity of Barbados and Martinique over two and a half years. Known primarily as the opposite of the traditional image of a pirate. He was always well dressed, had refined manners, hated drunkenness and gambling, and treated the crew of the ships he captured well. He was killed by cannon shot during a battle with a British warship.

Blackbeard or Edward Teach (1680 - November 22, 1718) was an English pirate who traded in the Caribbean in 1716–1718. He liked to strike terror into his enemies. During the battle, Teach wove incendiary wicks into his beard and, in clouds of smoke, like Satan from hell, burst into the ranks of the enemy. Due to his unusual appearance and eccentric behavior, history has made him one of the most famous pirates, despite the fact that his “career” was quite short, and his success and scale of activity were much smaller compared to his other colleagues on this list.

Jack Rackham (December 21, 1682 - November 17, 1720) was an English pirate, famous primarily for the fact that his crew included two more equally famous corsairs, female pirates Anne Bonny, nicknamed “Mistress of the Seas” and Mary Read.

Charles Vane (1680 – March 29, 1721) was an English pirate who plundered ships between 1716 and 1721 in North American waters. He became famous for his extreme cruelty. As history says, Vane was not attached to such feelings as compassion, pity and empathy; he easily broke his own promises, did not respect other pirates and did not take anyone’s opinion into account. The meaning of his life was only production.

Edward England (1685 - 1721) was a pirate active off the coast of Africa and in the waters of the Indian Ocean from 1717 to 1720. He differed from other pirates of that time in that he did not kill prisoners unless absolutely necessary. Ultimately, this led to his crew mutinying when he refused to kill sailors from yet another captured English merchant ship. England was subsequently landed in Madagascar where he survived for some time by begging and eventually died.

Samuel Bellamy, nicknamed Black Sam (February 23, 1689 - April 26, 1717) was a great English sailor and pirate who traded at the beginning of the 18th century. Although his career lasted just over a year, he and his crew captured at least 53 ships, making Black Sam the richest pirate in history. Bellamy was also known for his mercy and generosity towards those he captured in his raids.

Saida al-Hurra (1485 – c. 14 July 1561) - last queen of Tetouan (Morocco), reigning between 1512–1542, pirate. In alliance with the Ottoman corsair Arouj Barbarossa of Algeria, al-Hura controlled the Mediterranean Sea. She became famous for her fight against the Portuguese. She is rightfully considered one of the most outstanding women of the Islamic West of the modern era. The date and exact circumstances of her death are unknown.

Thomas Tew (1649 - September 1695) was an English privateer and pirate who made only two major piracy voyages, a voyage later known as the "Pirate Circle". He was killed in 1695 while attempting to rob the Mughal ship Fateh Muhammad.

Steed Bonnet (1688 - December 10, 1718) was a prominent English pirate, nicknamed the "pirate gentleman." Interestingly, before Bonnet turned to piracy, he was a fairly wealthy, educated and respected man, owning a plantation in Barbados.

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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 simply rob sea ships. One day Morgan used a cunning move. On the way to one of the cities, he took a large ship and filled it to the top with gunpowder, sending it to the Spanish port at dusk. The huge explosion led to such turmoil 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 bypassing the city. As a result, the maneuver was a success and the fortress fell. Morgan spent the last years of 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 the official version of the exploration of Australia. 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 turn the island of Tortuga (now Haiti) into an impregnable fortress of 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 further life revolved around the idea of traveling around Central America, plundering Spanish settlements on land and sea. He sailed in the waters of Chile, Panama, and 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 facts 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. After 2 years, he became a pirate operating near the 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 came up with the idea of a 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 different 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 Spanish controlled this part of the 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.

1. William Kidd

2. Bartholomew Roberts

3. Blackbeard

4. Jack Rackham

5. Charles Vane

6. Edward England

7. Samuel Bellamy

8. Saida al-Hurra

9. Thomas Tew

10. Steed Bonnet

11. Madame Shi

Madame Shi, or Madam Zheng, is one of the world's most famous female pirates. After the death of her husband, she inherited his pirate flotilla and put sea robbery on a grand scale. Under her command were two thousand ships and seventy thousand people. The strictest discipline helped her command an entire army. For example, for unauthorized absence from a ship, the offender lost an ear. Not all of Madame Shi's subordinates were happy with this state of affairs, and one of the captains once rebelled and went over to the side of the authorities. After Madame Shi's power was weakened, she agreed to a truce with the emperor and subsequently lived to an old age in freedom, running a brothel.

12. Francis Drake

Francis Drake is one of the most famous pirates in the world. Actually, he was not a pirate, but a corsair who acted on the seas and oceans against enemy ships with the special permission of Queen Elizabeth. Devastating the coasts of Central and South America, he became immensely rich. Drake accomplished many great deeds: he opened a strait, which he named in his honor, and under his command the British fleet defeated the Great Armada. Since then, one of the ships of the English navy has been named after the famous navigator and corsair Francis Drake.

13. Henry Morgan

The list of the most famous pirates would be incomplete without the name of Henry Morgan. Despite the fact that he was born into a wealthy family of an English landowner, from his youth Morgan connected his life with the sea. He was hired as a cabin boy on one of the ships and was soon sold into slavery in Barbados. He managed to move to Jamaica, where Morgan joined a gang of pirates. Several successful trips allowed him and his comrades to purchase a ship. Morgan was chosen as captain, and it was a good decision. A few years later there were 35 ships under his command. With such a fleet, he managed to capture Panama in a day and burn the entire city. Since Morgan acted mainly against Spanish ships and pursued an active English colonial policy, after his arrest the pirate was not executed. On the contrary, for the services rendered to Britain in the fight against Spain, Henry Morgan received the post of lieutenant governor of Jamaica. The famous corsair died at the age of 53 from cirrhosis of the liver.

14. Edward Teach

Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, is one of the most famous pirates in the world. Almost everyone has heard his name. Teach lived and was engaged in sea robbery at the very height of the golden age of piracy. Having enlisted at the age of 12, he gained valuable experience, which would then be useful to him in the future. According to historians, Teach took part in the War of the Spanish Succession, and after its end he deliberately decided to become a pirate. The fame of a ruthless filibuster helped Blackbeard seize ships without the use of weapons - upon seeing his flag, the victim surrendered without a fight. The cheerful life of a pirate did not last long - Teach died during a boarding battle with a British warship pursuing him.

15. Henry Avery

One of the most famous pirates in history is Henry Avery, nicknamed Long Ben. The father of the future famous buccaneer was a captain in the British fleet. Since childhood, Avery dreamed of sea voyages. He began his career in the navy as a cabin boy. Avery then received an appointment as first mate on a corsair frigate. The ship's crew soon rebelled, and the first mate was proclaimed captain of the pirate ship. So Avery took the path of piracy. He became famous for capturing the ships of Indian pilgrims heading to Mecca. The pirates' booty was unheard of at that time: 600 thousand pounds and the daughter of the Great Mogul, whom Avery later officially married. How the life of the famous filibuster ended is unknown.

16. Amaro Pargo

Amaro Pargo is one of the most famous freebooters of the golden age of piracy. Pargo transported slaves and made a fortune from it. Wealth allowed him to engage in charity work. He lived to a ripe old age.

17. Arouge Barbarossa

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.

18. William Dampier

A sailor from England. By vocation he was a researcher and discoverer. Made 3 trips around the world. He became a pirate in order to have the means to engage in 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.

19. Grace O'Mail

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.

20 . Anne Bonney

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.

Incredible facts about pirates

1. In the 18th century, the Bahamas were a paradise for pirates

The Bahamas, today's respectable resort, and its capital, Nassau, were once the capital of maritime lawlessness. In the 17th century, the Bahamas, which formally belonged to the British crown, did not have a governor, and pirates took the reins of government into their own hands. At that time, more than a thousand sea robbers lived in the Bahamas, and squadrons of the most famous pirate captains moored in the island’s harbors. The pirates preferred to call the city of Nassau Charlestown in their own way. Peace returned to the Bahamas only in 1718, when British troops landed in the Bahamas and regained control of Nassau.

2. “Jolly Roger” is not a single pirate flag at all

The Jolly Roger, a black flag with a skull and crossbones, is often called the main pirate symbol. But it is not so. He is rather the most famous and spectacular. However, it was not used as often as is commonly believed. It appeared as a pirate flag only in the 17th century, that is, already at the end of the golden era of piracy. And not all pirates used it, since each captain himself decided under which flag to carry out raids. So, along with the Jolly Roger, there were dozens of pirate flags, and the skull and crossbones was not particularly popular among them.

3. Why did pirates wear earrings?

Books and films don’t lie: almost all pirates wore earrings. They were even part of the pirate initiation ritual: young pirates received an earring upon their first crossing of the equator or Cape Horn. The fact is that among pirates there was a belief that an earring in the ear helps preserve vision and even helps cure blindness. It was this pirate superstition that led to the mass fashion for earrings among sea robbers. Some even tried to use them for dual purposes, casting a spell against drowning on the earring. Also, an earring taken from the ear of a killed pirate could guarantee a decent funeral for the deceased.

4. There were a lot of female pirates

Oddly enough, women in pirate crews were not such a rare occurrence. There weren't even that few female captains. The most famous of them are the Chinese Cheng Yi Sao, Mary Read and, of course, the famous Anne Bonny. Anne was born into the family of a wealthy Irish lawyer. From an early age, her parents dressed her like a boy so that she could help her father in the office as a clerk. The boring life of a lawyer's assistant did not appeal to Anne, and she ran away from home, joining the pirates and quickly becoming a captain thanks to her determination. According to rumors, Anne Bonny had a hot temper and often beat her assistants if they tried to challenge her opinion.

5. Why are there so many one-eyed pirates?

Anyone who has watched a movie about pirates has probably thought at least once: why are there so many one-eyed people among them? The eye patch has long remained an indispensable part of the pirate image. However, the pirates did not wear it because they all lacked an eye. It was simply convenient for quick and more accurate aiming in battle, but putting it on for battle took too long - it was more comfortable to wear it without taking it off.

6. There was strict discipline on pirate ships

Pirates could do any obscenity on the shore, but strict discipline reigned on board pirate ships, because the lives of sea robbers depended on it. Each pirate, upon boarding a ship, signed a contract with the captain, stipulating his rights and obligations. The main duties were unquestioning obedience to the captain. A simple pirate did not even have the right to contact the commander directly. This could be done at the insistence of the sailors only by an appointed representative of the team - usually the boatswain. In addition, the contract strictly determined the part of the booty that the pirate would receive, and an attempt to conceal the captured property was subject to immediate execution - this was done to avoid bloody showdowns on board.

7. The pirates included people from all walks of life

Among the sea robbers there were not only poor people who went to sea for lack of other means of subsistence, or fugitive criminals who did not know the possibility of legal earnings. There were also people from rich and even noble families among them. For example, the famous pirate William Kidd - Captain Kidd - was the son of a Scottish nobleman. He was originally a British naval officer and pirate hunter. But his innate cruelty and passion for adventure pushed him onto a different path. In 1698, under the cover of the French flag, Kidd captured a British merchant ship loaded with gold and silver. When the first prize turned out to be so impressive, could Kidd refuse to continue his career?

8. Buried pirate treasure is the stuff of legends.

There are many legends about buried pirate treasures - much more than there are treasures themselves. Of the famous pirates, only one is reliably known to have actually buried treasure - William Kidd did this, hoping to use it as ransom if he was caught. This did not help him - after his capture he was immediately executed as a pirate. Typically, pirates did not leave behind large fortunes. The pirates' expenses were high, the crews were numerous, and each member of the crew, including the captain, was succeeded by one of his friends and colleagues. At the same time, realizing that their life was short, the pirates preferred to waste money rather than hide it in the prospect of a very unreliable future.

9. A walk along the yard was a rare punishment

Judging by the films, the most common method of execution among pirates was the “yardwalk,” where a man with his hands tied was forced to walk along a thin yard until he fell overboard and drowned. In fact, such punishment was rare and was applied only to sworn personal enemies - to see their fear or panic. The traditional punishment was “dragging under the keel,” when a pirate or an obstinate prisoner punished for disobedience was lowered overboard with the help of ropes and dragged under the bottom of the ship, pulled out from the other side. A good swimmer could easily not choke during the punishment, but the body of the punished person ended up being so cut up by shells. stuck to the bottom, which took many weeks to recover. The punished could easily die, and, again, more likely from wounds than from drowning.

10. Pirates roamed all seas

After the film "Pirates of the Caribbean", many believe that the seas of Central America were the nest of world piracy. In fact, piracy was equally common in all regions - from Britain, whose privateers, pirates in the royal service, terrorized European ships, to Southeast Asia, where piracy remained a real force well into the 20th century. And the raids of the northern peoples on the cities of Ancient Rus' along the rivers were real pirate raids!

11. Piracy as a way to make a living

In difficult times, many hunters, shepherds and lumberjacks became pirates not for adventure, but for a banal piece of bread. This was especially true for residents of Central America, where in the 17th-18th centuries there was an endless battle between European powers for colonies. Constant armed clashes deprived people not only of work, but also of home, and residents of coastal settlements knew maritime affairs from childhood. So they went to where they had a chance to be well-fed and not think too much about tomorrow.

12. Not all pirates were outlaws

Government piracy is a phenomenon that has existed since ancient times. Berber corsairs served the Ottoman Empire, Dunker privateers served Spain, and Britain, during the era of dominion over the ocean, kept a fleet of privateers - warships that captured enemy merchant ships - and corsairs - private individuals engaged in the same trade. Despite the fact that state pirates were engaged in the same craft as their free brothers, the difference in their position was enormous. Captured pirates were subject to immediate execution, while a corsair with the appropriate patent could count on the status of a prisoner of war, a quick ransom and a state reward - like Henry Morgan, who received the post of governor of Jamaica for his corsair service.

13. Pirates still exist today

Today's pirates are armed with modern machine guns instead of cutlass, and prefer modern high-speed boats to sailing ships. However, they act just as decisively and ruthlessly as their ancient predecessors. The Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Malacca and the coastal waters of Madagascar are considered the most dangerous places for pirate attacks, and civilian ships are advised not to enter there without an armed escort.

7 Most Scary Pirates in History

With the advent of the famous Jack Sparrow, pirates turned into cartoon characters of modern pop culture. And that makes it easy to forget that real sea robbers were more formidable than their Hollywood parody. They were brutal mass murderers and slave owners. In a word, they were pirates. Real pirates, not pathetic caricatures. As evidenced by the following...

1. Francois Ohlone

The French pirate François Ohlone hated Spain with all his heart. Early in his pirate career, Ohlone nearly died at the hands of Spanish marauders, but instead of reconsidering his life and becoming, say, a farmer, he decided to dedicate himself to hunting the Spanish. He clearly expressed his attitude towards this people after he beheaded the entire crew of a Spanish ship that came his way, with the exception of one single man, whom he sent to his fellows to convey the following words: “From this day forward, not a single Spaniard will receive from me not a cent."

But these were only flowers. Considering what happened next, we can say that the beheaded Spaniards got off lightly.

Having earned a reputation as a cutthroat, Ohlone gathered eight pirate ships and several hundred men under his command and set out to terrorize the coast of South America, destroying Spanish cities, capturing ships bound for Spain, and generally causing severe headaches for that state.

Nevertheless, Olone's luck suddenly turned away when he, returning from another raid on the coast of Venezuela, was ambushed by Spanish soldiers who outnumbered him. Explosions thundered here and there, pirates flew into pieces, and Olona barely managed to escape from this meat grinder, simultaneously capturing several hostages. But this was not the end of his difficulties, because Olona and his team still needed to escape alive from enemy territory and not run into another ambush, which they simply could not repulse.

What did Ohlone do? He took out a saber, slashed the chest of one of the Spanish hostages, pulled out his heart and “sank his teeth into it like a greedy wolf, telling the others: “The same thing awaits you if you don’t show me the way out.”

The intimidation worked, and soon the pirates were out of danger. If you're wondering what happened to the heads of the beheaded Spaniards we mentioned earlier... well, let's just say that for a week the pirates ate like kings.

2. Jean Lafitte

Despite his effeminate name and French origin, Jean Lafitte was a true pirate king. He owned his own island in Louisiana, robbed ships and smuggled stolen goods into New Orleans. Lafitte was so successful that when the governor of Louisiana offered $300 for his capture (at that time, 300 bucks was half the country's budget), the pirate responded by offering $1,000 for the capture of the governor himself.

Newspapers and authorities portrayed Lafitte as a dangerous and violent criminal and mass murderer, a sort of 1800s Osama bin Laden, if you will. Apparently his fame crossed the Atlantic Ocean, since in 1814 Lafitte was given a letter signed personally by King George III, who offered the pirate British citizenship and lands if he sided with them. He also promised that he would not destroy his small island and sell it piece by piece. Lafitte asked to be given a few days to think... and in the meantime he hurried straight to New Orleans to warn the Americans about the British advance.

So, maybe the United States did not like Jean Lafitte, but for Lafitte the United States was like family.

Even though he was not an American, Lafitte treated the new country with respect and even ordered his fleet not to attack American ships. Lafitte personally killed one pirate who disobeyed his order. In addition, the privateer treated hostages well and sometimes returned their ships if they were not suitable for the pirate business. New Orleans residents considered Lafitte almost a hero, as the contraband he brought in allowed people to buy things they otherwise could not afford.

So, how did the American authorities react to the report of a future British attack? They attacked the island of Lafitte and captured his people, because they thought that he was simply lying. Only after future President Andrew Jackson intervened, noting that New Orleans was not ready to withstand a British attack, did the authorities agree to release Lafitte's men on the condition that they agree to help their navy.

It can be said that it was only thanks to the pirates that the Americans managed to defend New Orleans, which otherwise could have been a significant strategic victory for the British. In this city the latter could gather their forces before attacking the rest of the country. Just think: if it weren’t for that unwashed French “terrorist,” the United States might not exist today.

3. Stephen Decatur

Stephen Decatur does not fit the typical pirate mold in that he was a fairly respected US Navy officer. Decatur became the youngest captain in the history of the Navy, which would be a ridiculous fiction if it were not true. He was recognized as a national hero, and for a time his portrait even appeared on the twenty-dollar bill.

How did he manage to achieve such popularity? Organizing some of the most epic and bloody raids in history.

For example, when Tripolitan pirates captured the frigate Philadelphia in 1803, 25-year-old Decatur gathered a group of men disguised as Maltese sailors and armed only with swords and pikes and entered the enemy harbor. There, without losing a single person, he captured the enemies and set fire to the frigate so that the pirates could not use it. Admiral Horatio Nelson called the raid "the boldest and most daring adventure of the century."

But that is not all. Later, returning from the capture of another ship whose crew was twice the size of Decatur's, the man learned that his brother had been mortally wounded in a battle with pirates. Although his crew was exhausted from a recent raid, Decatur turned the ship around and pursued the enemy ship, which he and ten others later boarded.

Ignoring the others, Decatur ran straight towards the man who had shot his brother and killed him. The rest of the team eventually gave up. Thus, in one day, the young man captured 27 hostages and killed 33 pirates.

He was only 25 years old.

4. Ben Hornigold

Benjamin Hornigold was Blackbeard's Emperor Palpatine. While his protégé became the most famous pirate in history, Hornigold forever became a footnote in the books about Edward Titch.

Hornigold began his pirate career in the Bahamas; at that time he had only a couple of small boats at his disposal. However, a few years later Hornigold sailed on a huge 30-gun warship, thanks to which it became much easier for him to engage in sea robbery. So much easier that, apparently, the privateer began to rob solely for fun.

Once, for example, in Honduras, Hornigold boarded a merchant ship, but all he demanded from the crew was their hats. He explained his demand by saying that last night his team got very drunk and lost their hats. Having received what he wanted, Hornigold boarded his ship and sailed away, leaving the merchants with their goods.

And this was not the only case. On another occasion, a crew of sailors captured by Hornigold said that the pirate released them with only “a little rum, sugar, gunpowder and ammunition.”

Alas, his crew did not seem to share their captain's views. Hornigold always considered himself a “privateer” rather than a pirate, and to prove this, he refused to attack British ships. This position did not find support from the sailors, and ultimately Hornigold was removed, and a good part of his crew and ships went to Blackbeard. Before he lost his head.

Hornigold left the pirate life, accepted a royal pardon and took the other side, starting to hunt for those with whom he once hung out.

5. William Dampier

The Englishman William Dampier was used to achieving a lot. Not wanting to be content with the status of the first person to travel around the world three times, as well as a recognized author and scientific researcher, he had a small business on the side - he plundered Spanish settlements and plundered other people's ships. All this in the name of science, of course.

Pop culture insists that all pirates were toothless, illiterate bums, but Dampier was the opposite: he not only respected the English language, but also filled it with new words. The Oxford English Dictionary refers to Dampier more than a thousand times in its articles, since it was he who wrote examples of the spelling of words such as “barbecue”, “avocado”, “chopsticks” and hundreds of others.

Dampier was recognized as Australia's first naturalist, and his contribution to Western culture is simply invaluable. It was his observations that Darwin based on when working on the theory of evolution, and he is also mentioned in a laudatory tone in Gulliver’s Travels.

However, his most striking achievement did not concern literature or science. In 1688, when his first trip around the world was almost over, Dampier sent his crew away and landed somewhere on the coast of Thailand. There he boarded a canoe and swam home. Dampier landed on the English coast only three years later; he had nothing on him except a diary... and a tattooed slave.

6. Black Bart

In the 17th-18th centuries, sailing on military or merchant ships was an extremely thankless task. The working conditions were disgusting, and if you suddenly angered a senior, the punishment that followed was extremely cruel and often led to death. As a result, no one wanted to become a sailor, so the military and merchants had to literally kidnap people from the ports and force them to work on their ships. It is clear that this method of hiring did not awaken in the sailors any particular loyalty to the cause and to their superiors.

Bartholomew Roberts (or simply “Black Bart”) himself became a pirate by force, which, however, does not make him worse than others. Roberts worked on a slave trading ship that was captured by pirates. When they invited the sailors to join them, he agreed without hesitation. Although there is a possibility that the robbers also threatened to kill him if he did not go with them. Thanks to his high intelligence and talent for navigation, Roberts quickly gained the captain's trust. When the latter was killed, he (by that time having lived with the pirates for only six months) was elected in his place.

Roberts became an outstanding pirate, but apparently never forgot where he came from. Having boarded a ship, he, before making money, asked the captured sailors whether the captain and officers had treated them well. If a complaint was made against anyone from the commanding staff, Roberts dealt mercilessly with the offenders. By the way, other pirates also practiced this. although their punishments were more sophisticated.

Roberts, being a civilized man, eventually forced his crew (the one who had previously captured him) to follow a strict 11-point code of conduct, which included: a ban on gambling, a ban on women on board, and an eight-hour blackout. evenings and mandatory washing of dirty bed linen.

7. Barbarossa

In movies and TV shows, a pirate can be considered lucky if they have at least one ship and a crew of a couple dozen people. But as it turned out, some real pirates were much luckier in life. Thus, the Turkish pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa had not only his own fleet, but also his own state.

Barbarossa started out as an ordinary merchant, but after an unsuccessful political decision (he supported the wrong candidate for sultan) he was forced to leave the Eastern Mediterranean. Becoming a pirate, Barbarossa began attacking Christian ships in the area of what is now Tunisia until his enemies captured his base, leaving him homeless. Tired of being constantly kicked out from everywhere, Barbarossa founded his own state, known as the Algerian Regency (the territory of modern Algeria, Tunisia and part of Morocco). He succeeded in this thanks to an alliance with the Turkish Sultan, who, in exchange for support, supplied him with ships and weapons.

These ships have been burning in the furnaces of the underworld for a long time. All because the most evil pirates carried out their most terrible plans on them.

“Adventure” (Adventure Galley)

William Kidd's favorite ship. This is a Scottish sailor and English privateer, who became famous thanks to a high-profile trial - he was accused of crimes and pirate attacks. The results are still disputed to this day.

“Adventure” is an unusual frigate galley, equipped with straight sails and oars. Due to the latter, it was very maneuverable - both against the wind and in calm weather. Weight - 287 tons, armament - 34 guns. 160 crew members could easily fit on board. The main goal of “Adventure” is to destroy the ships of other pirates.

Source: wikipedia.org

Queen Anne's Revenge

The flagship of the legendary captain Edward Teach. Teach, aka Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean from 1703 to 1718.

Teach loved “Revenge” for its weapons - 40 guns. The frigate, by the way, was originally called “Concord” and belonged to Spain. Then he moved to France, and then he was captured by “Blackbeard”. So “Concord” became “Queen Anne’s Revenge”, which sank dozens of merchant and military ships that stood in the way of the famous pirate.

Source: wikipedia.org

“Whydah”

“The Master” is the pirate Black Sam Bellamy, one of the most famous pirates of the Golden Age of sea robbery. The Ouida was a fast and maneuverable vessel capable of carrying a lot of treasure. But a year after the start of the pirate robbery, the ship was caught in a terrible storm and was thrown onto the sandbank. Result: the entire team (except for two people) died.

Source: wikipedia.org

“Royal Fortune”

It was listed in the possession of Bartholomew Roberts, the famous Welsh pirate (real name John Roberts), who traded in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. By the way, he captured more than 400 ships. He was distinguished by extravagant behavior.

So, Roberts was crazy about the 42-gun, 3-masted “Royal Fortune”. It was on board that he met his death - in a battle with the British warship Swallow in 1722.

Source: wikipedia.org

“Fancy”

The owner is Henry Avery, aka Arch-Pirate and Long Ben, a pirate nicknamed “one of the most successful buccaneers and gentlemen of fortune.” Fantasia was originally the Spanish 30-gun frigate Charles II. Her team successfully robbed French ships. But then a riot broke out on it, and power passed to Avery, who served as the first mate. The pirate renamed the ship and continued to rampage on it (and with it) until death did them part.

Source: wikipedia.org

“Happy Delivery”

A small, but no less beloved ship of George Lowther, an English pirate of the 18th century who “worked” in the Caribbean and the Atlantic. Lowther's trick is to ram an enemy ship with a simultaneous lightning-fast boarding. Often the pirate did this on “Delivery”.

“Rising Sun”

The ship was part of the estate of Christopher Moody, one of the most ruthless thugs - on principle he did not take anyone prisoner, and quickly and efficiently released everyone to the next world. So, “Rising Sun” is a 35-gun frigate that terrified everyone, especially Moody’s enemies. True, this continued until the thug was hanged. The bright and then painfully recognizable Moody flag deserves special attention.