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 announcing 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 plundered for a long time along the coast of North America and in the south, until he attracted the attention of the authorities, who sent two sloops to the pirate’s place of residence. 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 the 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.

Adventure Galley is the favorite ship of William Kidd, an English privateer and pirate. This unusual frigate galley was equipped with straight sails and oars, which made it possible to maneuver both against the wind and in calm weather. The 287-ton ship with 34 guns accommodated 160 crew and was primarily intended to destroy the ships of other pirates.

Queen Anne's Revenge is the flagship of the legendary captain Edward Teach, nicknamed Blackbeard. This 40-gun frigate was originally called Concorde, belonged to Spain, then passed to France, until it was finally captured by Blackbeard Under his leadership, the ship was strengthened and renamed. "Queen Anne's Revenge" sank dozens of merchant and military ships that stood in the way of the famous pirate.

Whydah is the flagship of Black Sam Bellamy, one of the pirates of the golden age of sea robbery. The Ouida was a fast and maneuverable vessel capable of carrying a lot of treasure. Unfortunately for Black Sam, only a year after the start of his pirate “career” the ship was caught in a terrible storm and was thrown ashore. The entire crew, except two people, died. By the way, Sam Bellamy was the richest pirate in history, according to Forbes' recalculation, his fortune amounted to about 132 million dollars in modern equivalent.

"Royal Fortune" belonged to Bartholomew Roberts, the famous Welsh corsair, with whose death the golden age of piracy ended. Bartholomew changed several ships during his career, but the 42-gun three-masted battleship was his favorite. On it he met his death in battle with the British warship "Swallow" in 1722.

Fancy is the ship of Henry Avery, also known as Long Ben and the Arch-Pirate. The Spanish 30-gun frigate Charles II successfully plundered French ships, but eventually a mutiny broke out on it, and power passed to Avery, who served as first mate. Avery renamed the ship Imagination and sailed on it until his career ended.

Happy Delivery is a small but beloved ship of George Lowther, an 18th-century English pirate. His signature tactic was to ram an enemy ship with his own while simultaneously boarding it with lightning speed.

The Golden Hind was an English galleon that, under the command of Sir Francis Drake, circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580. The ship was originally named "Pelican", but upon entering the Pacific Ocean, Drake renamed it in honor of his patron, Lord Chancellor Christopher Hatton, who had a golden hind on his coat of arms.

The Rising Sun was a ship owned by Christopher Moody, a truly ruthless thug who took no prisoners as a matter of principle. This 35-gun frigate terrified Moody's enemies until he was safely hanged - but she went down in history with the most unusual pirate flag known, yellow on a red background, and even with wings hourglass to the left of the skull.

Speaker is the first of the capital ships of the corsair John Bowen, a successful pirate and excellent tactician. The Talkative was a large 50-gun vessel with a displacement of 450 tons, originally used to transport slaves and, after being captured by Bowen, for daring attacks on Moorish shipping.

Revenge is the ten-gun sloop of Steed Bonnet, also known as the "Pirate Gentleman". Bonnet lived a rich, albeit short, life, managing to be a small landowner and serve under Blackbeard, fall under amnesty and again take the path of piracy. The small, maneuverable Retribution sank many larger ships.

Large and tiny, powerful and maneuverable - all these ships, as a rule, were built for completely different purposes, but sooner or later they ended up in the hands of corsairs. Some ended their “career” in battle, others were resold, others sank in storms, but all of them glorified their owners in one way or another.

Piracy appeared as soon as people began to use watercraft to transport goods. IN different countries and in different eras, pirates were called filibusters, ushkuiniki, corsairs, privateers.

The most famous pirates in history left behind a significant mark: they inspired fear in life, and in death their adventures continue to attract undiminished interest. Piracy has had big influence for culture: sea ​​robbers became the central figures of many famous literary works, modern films and TV series.

Lived in the 18th century. He is interesting because there were two women on his team. His love for Indian calico shirts in bright colors earned him the nickname Calico Jack. In the navy he found himself in early age out of need. For a long time he served as senior helmsman under the command of the famous pirate Charles Vane. After the latter tried to refuse a fight with a French warship pursuing a pirate ship, Rackham rebelled and was elected as the new captain according to the order of the pirate code. Calico Jack differed from other sea robbers in his gentle treatment of his victims, which, however, did not save him from the gallows. The pirate was executed on November 17, 1720 in Port Royal, and his body was hung as a warning to other robbers at the entrance to the harbor.

The story of one of the most famous pirates in history, William Kidd, still causes controversy among researchers of his life. Some historians are sure that he was not a pirate and acted strictly within the framework of the marque patent. Nevertheless, he was found guilty of attacking 5 ships and murder. Despite the fact that he tried to get his release in exchange for information about the location where the valuables were hidden, Kidd was sentenced to hang. After the execution, the body of the pirate and his accomplices was hung for public display over the Thames, where it hung for 3 years.

The legend of Kidd's hidden treasure has long intrigued people's minds. The belief that the treasure really exists was supported by literary works that mentioned pirate treasure. Kidd's hidden wealth was searched on many islands, but to no avail. The fact that the treasure is not a myth is evidenced by the fact that in 2015, British divers found the wreckage of a pirate ship off the coast of Madagascar and underneath it a 50-kilogram ingot, which, according to experts, belonged to Captain Kidd.

Or Miss 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.

One of the most famous pirates in the world. Actually, he was not a pirate, but a corsair, operating on the seas and oceans against enemy ships special permission 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.

A list of the most famous pirates would be incomplete without a name. 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 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.

Aka Black Bart is one of the most colorful pirates in history, although he is not as famous as Blackbeard or Henry Morgan. Black Bart became the most successful filibuster in the history of piracy. During his short pirate career (3 years), he captured 456 ships. Its production is estimated at 50 million pounds sterling. It is believed that he created the famous "Pirate Code". He was killed in action with a British warship. The pirate's body, according to his will, was thrown into the water, and the remains of one of the greatest pirates were never found.

Or Blackbeard - 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 for spanish inheritance, and after graduation he consciously 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. Happy life The pirate's reign did not last long - Teach died during a boarding battle with a British warship pursuing him.

One of the most famous pirates in history is 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.

One of the most famous filibusters 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.

Among the most famous sea robbers is the one known as Black Sam. He joined the pirates to marry Maria Hallett. Bellamy desperately lacked funds to provide for his future family, and he joined Benjamin Hornigold's crew of pirates. A year later, he became captain of the bandits, allowing Hornigold to leave peacefully. Thanks to a whole network of informants and spies, Bellamy was able to capture one of the fastest ships of the time, the frigate Whyda. Bellamy died while swimming to his beloved. The Whyda was caught in a storm, the ship was driven aground and the crew, including Black Sam, died. Bellamy's career as a pirate lasted only a year.

1680 - 1718

The most famous pirate in the world is Edward Teach, or he is also called “Blackbeard”. He was known to the world for his cruelty, desperation, strength, and indomitable passion for rum and women. His name made the entire Caribbean Sea and English possessions tremble North America. He was tall and strong, had a thick black beard braided, wore a wide-brimmed hat and a black cloak, and always had seven loaded pistols. The opponents surrendered in horror without resistance, considering him an incarnation of hell. In 1718, during the next battle, the pirate Blackbeard continued to fight to the last, wounded by 25 shots, and died from a blow from a saber.

1635 - 1688

This pirate was known as the Cruel or Pirate Admiral. One of the authors of the Pirate Code. An incredible man who excelled in the pirate craft and was a respected lieutenant governor, commander-in-chief of the Jamaican navy. The pirate admiral was considered a talented military leader and a wise politician. His life was full of bright, major victories. Sir Henry Morgan died in 1688 and was buried with honors in St. Catherine's Church, Port Royal. Through, time due strong earthquake, his grave was swallowed up by the sea.

1645 - 1701

The most bloodthirsty pirate legend. He had amazing endurance, special cruelty, sadistic sophistication and skillful talent for piracy. William Kidd was an excellent expert in navigation. He had unconditional authority among pirates. His battles were considered the fiercest in the history of piracy. He robbed both at sea and on land. Legends about his victories and countless treasures live to this day. The search for the looted treasure of William Kidd continues to this day, but so far without success.

1540-1596

A successful English navigator and talented pirate during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The second, after Maggelan, Francis Drake circumnavigated the world. They discovered the widest strait of the World Ocean. During his career, Captain Francis Drake made many discoveries of lands unknown to mankind. For his numerous achievements and rich spoils, he received generous recognition from Queen Elizabeth I.

1682 - 1722

His real name is John Roberts, nicknamed Black Bart. The richest and most incredible pirate. He always loved to dress with taste, adhered to generally accepted manners in society, did not drink alcohol, wore a cross and read the Bible. He knew how to convince, subdue and confidently lead his minions to the intended goal. He fought many successful battles and mined a huge amount of gold (approximately 300 tons). He was shot dead on his own ship during a raid. The trial of the captured Black Bart pirates was the largest trial in history.

1689 - 1717

Black Sam - received this nickname due to his fundamental refusal to wear a combed wig, preferring not to hide his unruly dark hair tied in a knot. Black Sam was led to the path of piracy by love. He was a noble, purposeful man, a wise captain and a successful pirate. Captain Sam Bellamy had both white and black pirates on board, which was considered unthinkable at the time. He had smugglers and spies under his command. He won many victories and won incredible treasures. Black Sam died during a storm that overtook him on the way to his beloved.

1473 - 1518

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.

1651 - 1715

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

1530 - 1603

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.

1785 - 1844

Zheng Shi closes the list of the most famous pirates in the world. She etched her name in history as one of the most successful female pirates. Under the command of this small, fragile Chinese robber there were 70,000 pirates. Zheng Shi started the pirate business together with her husband, but after his death, she boldly took over the reigns. Zheng Shi was an excellent, strict and wise captain; she formed a disciplined and strong army from a chaotic bunch of pirates. This ensured successful offensive operations and fabulous victories. Zheng Shi lived out her years in peace, as the owner of a hotel within the walls of which there was a brothel and a gambling house.

The most famous bloodthirsty pirates Video

Nothing sounds better to the ear than a firm, stern, and quickly memorable pirate name. When people became sea robbers, they often changed their names in order to make it difficult for the authorities to identify them. For others, the name change was purely symbolic: the newly minted pirates mastered not only new activity, but also absolutely new life, which some people preferred to log in with a new name.

In addition to the many pirate names, there are also many recognizable pirate nicknames. Nicknames have always been an integral part of gang culture, and pirates were no exception in this regard. We will talk about the most common pirate nicknames, analyze their origins and provide a list of the most popular ones.

• Blackbeard. The origin of the nickname is very trivial. had a thick black beard, and, according to legend, before battle he wove burning wicks into it, the smoke of which made him look like the devil himself from the underworld.
• Calico Jack. Nickname pirate, so he was dubbed for his love for various decorations made of chintz fabric.
• Spaniard Killer. This is what they called the famous man who was cruel and ruthless towards the Spaniards.
• Red, Bloody Henry. Two nicknames belonging to famous pirate. The first nickname has a direct relation to the color of his hair, and the second - to his far from merciful deeds.
• Gentleman Pirates. A nickname given to him due to his aristocratic origins.
• Vulture. Nickname of a French pirate. It is not entirely clear why this nickname stuck to him; apparently, it somehow better reflected his character and temper.
• Lanky John. Pirate nickname of a fictional pirate. In addition to this nickname, he had one more - Ham.
• Black Corsair. Nickname of the main character in the novel of the same name by Emilio Salgari.

These were the nicknames of the most famous real and fictional pirates. If you need unique thematic names, then in the Corsairs Online game, when creating a character, you have at your disposal a pirate nickname generator, you can try to pick up something interesting for yourself.

Pirate nicknames for a party

If you are throwing a pirate-themed party and need to somehow name everyone present, then the list below should help you with this.