The most famous pirates in history

The phenomenon of piracy gave human history a lot of names of legendary adventurers. The peak of sea robbery came in the 17th century, when the World Ocean was the arena of the struggle between Spain, England and some other emerging European colonial powers. More often than not, pirates earned their living by independent criminal looting, but some of them were in the civil service and purposefully inflicted damage on the foreign fleet.

Francis Drake

Born in 1540, Francis Drake was from an ordinary farming family, and nothing foreshadowed that he would become a great pirate and navigator. A sharp turn in his fate happened at the age of 12 when his parents moved to Kent. There the teenager became a boy on a trading barque. The owner of the ship was his distant relative. When he died, he handed the ship over to Drake. So, by an amazing coincidence, at the age of 18 the young man turned out to be a captain.

Like all other sailors, contemporaries, Francis dreamed of the distant western seas, where the Spaniards continued to host them from the time of their discovery. The most famous pirates of that time, like one, hunted the royal galleons laden with American gold. The Spaniards really controlled the West Indies and were not going to give its resources to the British. Between the ships of these two countries there were constant skirmishes. In one of them in 1567, Francis Drake nearly lost his life. Of the entire English fleet, only two ships survived. After this episode, the Spaniards became sworn enemies of Drake.

Francis received from his authorities a privateer patent and the right to free robbery of enemy bases. Taking this opportunity, the pirate captured Spanish fortresses and outposts in the Caribbean. In 1572, his unit seized a huge load of silver. In England, the robber sailed with 30 tons of noble metal.

Drake became famous not only as a thunderstorm of the Spaniards, but also as a brave explorer. In 1577, Queen Elizabeth I sent him to the round-the-world expedition. It was this pirate who became the first Englishman to circumvent the globe. During his travels, he found out that Tierra del Fuego is an island, not a southern continent, as was formerly believed in Europe. After his triumphant return, Francis Drake received the knightly title and became sir. The high rank did not change the habits of the sea-wolf. On the contrary, he repeatedly tore into another adventurous voyage.

In 1588, Francis Drake participated in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. The victory of the English fleet became the foreshadowing of British maritime rule for several centuries. After this success, Drake went on an expedition to the West Indies several times. In the Caribbean, he destroyed the enemy pirate bases, which prevented profitable English trade. Sir Drake died in 1596 while traveling in Panama. His leaden coffin was buried in the ocean. No doubt, this adventurer and adventurer is the most famous pirate of the 16th century.

Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan was born in 1635 in the Welsh provinces in the family of a landowner. The boy could become the heir of his father, but from childhood his passion was not agriculture, but the sea. As time showed, the love of distant horizons proved to be justified. The most famous pirates envied the success of Henry Morgan, who became a living legend of his time.

A young man, an Englishman, was hired on a ship heading for the harbor of the island of Barbados. Once in the Caribbean, Morgan began to build an amazing pirate career. After joining the marauding bandits, he moved to Jamaica. Jung quickly became a participant in the raids, the main purpose of which were looting of the ships that came under the arm. In a short time the boy learned all the laws and customs of marine life. Already in his youth he became the owner of a considerable amount of money, made up of pirate proceeds and winnings in the bones. With this money, Henry bought his first ship.

Very soon, even the most famous pirates heard about the removal and success of Morgan. A group of like-minded people formed around the pirate. New vessels began to join his ship. The growth of influence could not but lead to the growth of ambitions. In 1665, Morgan decided to abandon the looting of ships and proceeded to plan an operation to capture the whole city. His first goal was Trujillo. Then the robber captured several Spanish bases in Cuba. And ordinary privateers, and the most famous pirates could not boast of such successes.

The most famous military enterprise of Morgan was his campaign against Panama, which took place in 1670. By this time, the fleet of 35 ships and a team of 2 thousand people were at the disposal of the robber. This band landed in Panama and moved to the Spanish fortress of the same name. Although the garrison numbered 2.5 thousand soldiers, it could not protect the city. Taking Panama, the pirates destroyed all those who resisted and plundered everything they could reach. The city was set on fire and destroyed. After this raid, the names of the most famous pirates faded against the background of the name of Henry Morgan.

When the English citizen returned to Jamaica, which belonged to the crown, the authorities unexpectedly arrested him. The thing was that on the eve of London and Madrid made peace. Pirates did not act on behalf of the state, but enjoyed his benevolent connivance. After concluding peace with Spain, the British government promised to curb its pirates. Henry Morgan was deported to his homeland. His house was awaited by the court, but the process was just a sham demonstration. The authorities were not going to punish the pirate, who provided them with so many services in the fight against Spanish rule at sea.

Soon Henry Morgan returned to Jamaica. He became vice-governor of the island and commander-in-chief of his fleet and army. In the future, the pirate continued to faithfully serve the crown. He died in 1688 and was buried with honor in the church of Port Royal. A few years later Jamaica was shaken by a catastrophic earthquake, and Morgan's grave was washed into the ocean.

Anne Bonnie

Although maritime robbery at all times has traditionally been considered exclusively a man's business, the most famous pirate women are no less interesting. One of them was Ann Bonnie (born in 1700). The girl came from a wealthy Irish family. When she was still a child, her father acquired an estate in a distant America. So Ann moved to the New World.

At 18, her daughter fled the house and embarked on the path of adventurous adventure. She met with the pirate Jack Rackham and decided to join his maritime adventures. The girl had to get used to men's clothes and learn the skills of fighting and shooting. The Rackham team was seized by the authorities in 1720. The captain was executed, but the punishment for Ann was postponed all the time because of her pregnancy. Her fate remained unknown.

According to one version, Bonnie was released and killed during another raid, the other was rescued by an influential father, after which the former robber spent her entire life in South Carolina and died in 1782 in deep old age. Whatever it was, the most famous pirate women (another famous robber at that time was Mary Reed) generated even more rumors than their fellow men.

Black Beard

The legendary figure of Blackbeard remains one of the most recognizable in the pirate pantheon. Under this nickname was hiding Edward Teach. About his childhood, almost nothing is known. The sailor declared himself in 1713, when at the age of 33 he joined the bandits of Benjamin Hornigold. Like all the world famous pirates, this team traded in attractive valuable cargo of the Caribbean Sea. Thich was the real ideal of a pirate. He knew nothing but regular raids and looting. His ship "The Revenge of Queen Anne" terrified both the sailors and civilians on the ground.

In 1717, thanks to the efforts of the Governor of the Bahamas, official authorities began an uncompromising struggle against pirates. In the new unusual conditions, many robbers (including the same Hornigold) decided to lay down their arms and get royal pardon. However, Teach refused to change his way of life. Since that moment, he became the enemy number 1 for the British military and naval forces.

Many well-known pirates who did not want to integrate into the new order joined the Blackbeard. The most famous adventure of this captain was the blockade of Charleston in South Carolina. Raiders captured a lot of high-ranking citizens and in exchange for their return received a colossal ransom.

The perfidy of the owner of "The Revenge of Queen Anne" did not go unpunished. The authorities promised a pirate's head 100 pounds, which was then a fortune. A real hunt began on the Black Beard. Already very soon on November 22, 1718 Edward Teach died in boarding battle against a team of Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Often, the most famous pirates and their ships excited the sea is extremely short, but rich in the event time. The same was the fate of Blackbeard.

Bartholomew Roberts

The glory, which was used by the most famous pirates in history, generated around them a lot of rumors and myths. Bartholomew Roberts was no exception in this rule. It is attributed to him the authorship of the Code of Pirates - a set of rules, according to which lived many generations of sea robbers.

Roberts was born in 1682 in the small Welsh town of Haverforddust. His sea voyages began on a ship of slavers, where Bartholomew was an assistant captain. To pirates, he got to 37 years old when he was hired on the ship "Princess of London". Within a month and a half the beginning robber was elected captain of his own ship.

Further independent enterprises Roberts glorified him in many seas and countries. At that time it was believed that he was the most famous pirate in the world. The Bartholomew team operated not only in the Caribbean, but also in the coastal waters of West Africa, Brazil and even Canada. The thugs plundered everything that could be profitable to sell: vessels with precious metals, galleons with northern furs, barges with rare American goods. His flagship Roberts made a stolen French brig, which he called "The Royal Pirate."

Bartholomew was killed in 1722 during his next trip to Africa, where he intended to engage in a lucrative slave trade. The legendary pirate ruined the addiction of his companions to drinking. When the British ship suddenly attacked the ship Roberts, his entire team was dead drunk. The most famous pirates of the Caribbean and admirals of the Royal Navy were amazed at what had happened: it seemed to everyone that Bartholomew was invincible. Roberts stood out against his companions not only with his own successes, but also with the habit of dressing well, and also with aversion to gambling and profanity. There is no doubt that he was one of the most extravagant pirates of his time.

Henry Avery

During his short life Henry Avery managed to get a lot of nicknames. Some contemporaries called him Lanky Ben, others called Arpypiracy. Love Avery to the sea was predetermined by its roots. Father Henry served as captain in the English fleet. In 1659, a son appeared in the family of an officer, who was destined to become one of the most brilliant and legendary pirates of his era.

At first the future criminal was floating on merchant ships and only then changed them to robberies. In 1694, 25-year-old Emery hired a privateer ship. The main difference between this ship and the classic pirate was that it robbed and attacked foreign traders with the permission of their government. Sometimes contracts were broken: when the ship stopped paying salaries, the crew rebelled. The sailors decided to become pirates and instead of the old captain they chose a new one. It was Henry Emery.

The new leader of the bandits left the Caribbean Sea and went to the Indian Ocean, where he also had something to profit. The place of the first long stop was Madagascar. Then the Emery team attacked the ships belonging to the Indian empire of the Great Moguls. The robbers managed to capture a huge number of rare Oriental goods and all kinds of jewelry. All pirates of America dreamed of such a profitable enterprise. After that expedition, Avery disappeared from sight. It was rumored that he moved to England and tried to start an honest business and eventually went bankrupt.

Thomas Tew

The path that followed during his famous expedition Henry Emery, was named "Pirate Circle". The first route (Atlantic - South Africa - Madagascar - India) was Thomas Tew. As Emery, he started as a privateer, and finished with a pirate. In 1693, he robbed several ships in the Red Sea. Prior to his attack, European thugs never traded in this water area. Perhaps this is the reason for Tew's success - no one expected the arrival of the Caribbean gentlemen of luck.

During his second voyage to Madagascar, Thomas accidentally met Henry Emery. Due to widespread rumors of easy money in the eastern countries, the most famous sea bandits now sought to replicate the success of Tew. In the memory of the pirates, this captain remained exactly as the pioneer of the "Circle". He did not manage to do more. In 1695, Thomas Tew died during an attack on the Mughal flotilla.

Thomas Cavendish

The list, which includes the most famous pirates in world history, can not do without mentioning Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592). He was a contemporary of Francis Drake. The biographies of these two pirates, acting in the interests of the English crown, have many similarities. Cavendish, following Drake, decided to make a round-the-world trip. Expedition, committed in 1586-1588, was not at all peaceful. Bending around America, English pirates robbed a lot of packed with gold Spanish ships. In a sense, Thomas Cavendish's journey was audacity. The Spaniards considered the Pacific Ocean to be their "inner lake" and came into a rage when foreign robbers penetrated these still plainly unknown waters.

The most lucrative attack team Cavendish committed near the coast of Mexico. The subjects of Elizabeth I attacked the galleon, which transported an annual supply of Peruvian gold (120,000 pesos). Another profitable enterprise of pirates was parking in Java. This island was famous for its pepper and cloves. Spices at that time were valued for the weight of precious metals. Cavendish managed to get a large load of this expensive product. The pirates returned to their native Plymouth in 1588. Having made a round-the-world trip for 2 years and 50 days, they set a speed record that lasted for two centuries.

Cavendish quickly spent his income. A few years after his surprising success, he assembled a second expedition, intending to repeat exactly his past triumph. However, this time the pirate was followed by setbacks. In 1592, he died in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Presumably the Cavendish ship sank near the island of Ascension.

Francois Olone

Although the most famous pirates and their ships, as a rule, were connected with England, there were nuggets in other countries. For example, a significant mark in the history left the Frenchman Francois Olon (1630-1671). In his youth he became famous in the main Caribbean port of pirates Tortuga. In 1662, a young robber received a privateer patent and began to hunt for Spanish ships. Once the ship Olona was wrecked. The pirate was thrown onto the Mexican shore, where he and his team were attacked by the Spanish troops who arrived in time. All the French were killed, and only in time the pretending dead Olon managed to survive.

The most grandiose enterprise of Francois was his capture of the Spanish city of Maracaibo in modern Venezuela. The daredevils who attacked the colony fit only on five ships. On the way, the pirates sacked the Spanish ship and got a valuable load of jewelry and cocoa. Arriving on the mainland, Olon led the storming of the fort, the garrison of which was 800 people. Pirates captured the fortress and got 80 thousand silver piastres. In honor of the fall of Maracaibo, the captain was nicknamed "the scourge of the Spaniards".

His last expedition to the famous French robber was his expedition to Nicaragua. After three months of searching for profit, the pirates seized a ship loaded with cheap paper. Due to failure, part of the team returned to Tortuga. Olon continued the raid, but unfortunately for the captain near Cartagena his ship ran aground. The French detachment of 40 men, who reached the shore, was attacked by a crowd of Indians. Local cannibals tore and devoured Olona and his team.

Amaro Pargo

Amaro Pargo is one of the most famous Spanish pirates. He was born in 1678 in the Canary Islands and already in his youth began to trade transportation of slaves from Africa to America. Free workers in the plantations were highly valued, which allowed Pargo to get rich fast. He was the sworn enemy of Blackbeard and in general all English pirates.

Before his death in 1747, Pargo made a will, in which he indicated that he had buried a chest with fabulous treasures: silver, gold, pearls, ornaments, precious stones and expensive fabrics. For several decades, many adventurers tried to find this treasure, including the most famous pirates. In the story of the legacy of Pargo, there is still a large number of white spots. Despite the long search for treasure of the Spanish pirate so no one found.