Famous Pirates Of The Marine World

8 Famous Pirates Of All Time

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the world's most famous pirates roamed the seven seas and amassed vast fortunes. Many of these hijackers are still famous today. They differed greatly, though, from the friendly pirates in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series.

Many of history's most famous pirates started out as privateers. A privateer was a sailor hired aboard a private warship, permitted to attack his country's enemies at sea. He could also harass merchant ships in designated areas. Some of these pirates attacked their own country's ships as well, when the lure of gold was too great. They then set out under their flags to raid merchant ships illegally.

The period between 1689 and 1718 in the United States was the Golden Age of Piracy. Many pirates appeared in those years, including Blackbeard and Henry Morgan. The same era also produced female pirates such as Anne Bonny and Mary Read.

List of Some Famous Pirates of All Time

Some pirates were so successful that they struck fear into the hearts of the world. They also made millions of dollars by today's standards. Here are 8 of the most famous pirates in the marine world.

The Barbarossa Brothers

From state-sponsored pirates to outlaws, these pirates earned a reputation as fearsome marauders. Setting sail from North Africa's Barbary Coast, brothers Oruj and Hazir grew rich by seizing European ships in the Mediterranean. Their most lucrative early victims were two Papal warships and a Sardinian warship. Even so, they began targeting the Spanish when Oruj lost an arm in battle.

In 1516, the Ottoman Sultan placed Oruj in charge of the entire Barbary Coast. Hazir took over that position two years after his brother's death. Hazir, also known as Khair ad-Din, spent the rest of his life battling various Christian enemies. Among them was the Holy League fleet the Pope had specially assembled to destroy.

Sir Francis Drake

Francis Drake was called a "buccaneer" by Queen Elizabeth I of England. He was also one of the so-called "dogfish" pirates, licensed by the English government to attack Spanish ships. Drake made his most famous voyage between 1577 and 1580, becoming the first English captain to sail worldwide.

On the same voyage, he lost four of his five ships. A subordinate who was plotting a mutiny was executed on his orders. He attacked various Spanish ports, and captured a Spanish ship laden with treasure. Upon his return, Queen Elizabeth knighted him, and eight years later Drake helped defeat the Spanish Armada.

L’Olonnais

L'Ollonna was one of many pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the mid-to-late 17th century. That company ranged from state-sponsored privateers to outright outlaws. Lunette, also known as Jean-David Nau, arrived in the Caribbean as an indentured servant. Soon after that he is believed to have begun launching attacks on Spanish ships and coastal settlements. He became notorious for his extreme cruelty.

Alexandre Excmelin, a 17th-century pirate historian, wrote that Lunette would cut his victims into pieces bit by bit. Others were strangled with a rope around their necks until their eyes bulged out. Lunette was also suspected of treason. He is said to have once ripped out a man's heart and taken a bite out of it. According to Exkmlen, karma came back to haunt him in 1668. That was the year he was captured and eaten by cannibals.

Swashbuckling Sisters: 6 Lady Pirates

Pirates of the Modern Age: The Evolving Threat of Maritime Piracy

Knock Nevis – World’s Largest Supertanker

Practical considerations

Do You Know About Davy Jones Ship – Find Out Now

10 Best Ways To Enhance Ship Security

10 Famous Ship Paintings in The World

Henry Morgan

Perhaps the most famous pirate of the Age of Piracy was Henry Morgan. He once ordered his men to lock the residents of Puerto Principe, Cuba, inside a church. That left him free to sack the city undisturbed. He then went on to capture Puerto Bello, Panama. He managed it in part by setting up a human shield of priests, women, and the mayor. Other brutal attacks followed in the following years on the towns of Venezuela and Panama City.

Morgan was briefly captured in 1672. He eventually served as acting governor of Jamaica in 1678, and again from 1680 to 1682. Ironically, the Jamaican legislature passed anti-piracy laws during his time in office, and even helped Morgan prosecute pirates.

Captain Kidd

Captain William Kidd was once a respected pirate. He set sail in 1696 with a mission to hunt pirates in the Indian Ocean. But he soon turned pirate himself, seizing ships such as the Quetta Merchant and killing a subordinate with a barrel. Mass defections left him with a ragtag crew. He embarked on a journey home with them, and the route included a stop at Gardiners Island, New York, to bury treasure.

After falling out with the powerful British East India Company, Kidd was arrested before returning to England. He was subsequently tried and executed. His rotting body was then displayed on the banks of the Thames as a warning to other pirates.

Blackbeard

Blackbeard, born Edward Teach, terrorized his enemies by wrapping a smoking wick in his long braided beard. He also threw several pistols and daggers across his chest. In November 1717, he captured a French slave ship, later named the Queen Anne's Revenge, and re-armed it with 40 guns. With this extra firepower, he blockaded the port of Charleston, South Carolina. The blockade held until the city's residents responded to his request for a large crate of medicine.

After hiding out for months in North Carolina, Blackbeard was killed in a battle with the British navy. Legend has it that he died from 20 stab wounds and five gunshot wounds. The so-called Golden Age of Piracy, dominated by Blackbeard, would last only a few years. Countless books, plays and movies have since brought a romanticized version of the era into the public eye. They run from Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Calico Jack

John Rackham, also known as Calico Jack, was pardoned for his previous piracy in 1719. However, he set sail again the following year, after capturing a 12-gun sloop in Nassau Harbor, Bahamas. Among Rackham's dozens of followers, two were the only female pirates to sail the Caribbean.

One of them, Anne of Bonny, left her husband to be with Rackham. The other, Mary Read, is believed to have sailed for some time disguised as a man. In October 1720, Rackham's drunken gang was overtaken by a pirate trawler. It is believed that Bonnie, Reed, and perhaps only one other person resisted.

Although Rackham was executed the next month, his colleague escaped the hanging because she was pregnant.

Madame Cheng

In 1805, Lady Cheng's husband, Cheng Yi, formed what quickly became the largest pirate guild in history. After his death two years later, Lady Cheng expanded it further. At its peak she commanded an estimated 1,800 ships and 70,000 men.

Zhang Baozai was her husband's adopted son and her lover. With his help, she extorted protection money from coastal communities. She attacked ships in the South China Sea, and even kidnapped seven British sailors. In 1810, when Chinese authorities began to crack down on piracy, Lady Cheng was granted amnesty.

Next steps

For related career routes, eligibility questions and rank guidance, continue with the merchant navy guide. It sets out the ranks, the certificates and the entry points in one place.

Market context for high-compliance maritime regions

Readers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Europe should take one more step. Famous Pirates Of The Marine World is worth comparing with ports, cargo owners and ship managers. It is also worth setting against charterers, insurers and route-risk teams. The same maritime topic can carry a different practical meaning in each market. Expectations differ under USCG, MCA, Transport Canada, AMSA, MPA Singapore and European authorities.

Use the market links below to connect the article with regional trade exposure. They also cover port activity, shipping jobs and commercial maritime demand.

• United States maritime market
• United Kingdom maritime market
• Canada maritime market
• Australia maritime market
• Singapore maritime market
• European maritime market coverage