Gentlemen of the sea have inspired fear in people with their names for many centuries. For example, Jack Sparrow, Captain Flint and John Silver. Their list of names can be continued for a long time. Cunning and treacherous, people without honor have always been adventurers

The pirate lived from 1680 to 1718. It is he who begins our selection of ratings. Despite the fact that the name is a fictional character, which was created by the thought of the Scottish writer Robert Stevenson, his mention is worthy of being in the selection. Flint has always been a merciless person. This can be confirmed by the famous pirate song. It contains the words: Fifteen men for a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum. It was 15 people who became unwitting witnesses to the places where the pirate buried his treasures. With this he signed his own death warrant.

Henry was a pirate from 1635 to 1688. The name of this character is known to many from the film “Hearts of Three”. It was based on the novel of the same name by Jack London. Only, unlike the previous participant in our rating, Henry really existed. He was both a pirate and a man who assisted England in gaining control of the entire Caribbean region. For these actions he received the rank of Governor of Jamaica. Unfortunately, the sea could not part with its pet. So, due to the earthquake, the cemetery where the pirate was buried went under water. But the cause of the pirate’s death should be called liver disease, which was caused by high consumption of rum.

Years of piracy from 1540 to 1596. Francis was born into a priest's family. Despite this, he was never an exemplary Christian. This was facilitated by the blessing of the Queen of England. She was ready to do anything to ensure that the Spaniards did not become the leading power in the world. Drake became the captain of a pirate ship at age 18. He robbed and destroyed the property of Spain. In 15772, Drake took part in the capture of the Spanish Silver Caravan. Thanks to these actions, the pirate brought the treasury 30,000 kilograms of silver. Francis was also seen taking part in a secret voyage to South America. Thanks to this, the treasury of England also received income. Over time, Drake was knighted.

Years of rule on ships from 1645 to 1701. His fate became a reminder to all pirates of inevitable punishment. William was executed by court order. But his body was displayed in a metal cage in London for more than 23 years. The reason for this was Kidd's pirate antics. He was considered a real disaster not only for the French, but also for the British.

In the annals of piracy, this name was recorded for life. Grace was a pirate from 1530 to 1603. The life of this lady should be called a continuous series of love and adventurous adventures. From the very beginning, the pirate was with her father. When he died, Grace became the leader of the Owen clan. With her locks flowing and a saber in her hands, she made her enemies tremble. Only such actions did not prevent her from loving and being loved. Grace gave birth to 4 children, even at an advanced age. And then she raided. Moreover, the lady rejected the proposal of the Queen of England to enter the service of Her Royal Majesty.

One of the most famous pirates. His homeland was France. Wasser did not directly participate in the pirate raids that were directed against the Spaniards and the British. However, he received his lion's share of all the spoils. And the reason for this was the island of Tortuga. Today it is called Haiti. A talented engineer turned the island into an impregnable fortress. It became a refuge for all the pirates of the world. There is also a legend that during the years of managing the island, Wasser accumulated more than 235 million pounds sterling. Only his bad character played a cruel joke on the pirate. In general, the pirate became food for sharks.

Although piracy was William Damir's main occupation, he is also considered the father of modern oceanography. This can only be explained by the fact that he not only engaged in piracy, but also described all his travels and what was connected with them. The result of these actions was a book called A New Journey Around the World.

Zheng was a night butterfly from the very beginning. After that, she was a wife, and after the widow of the popular pirate Zheng Yi, the girl inherited after the death of her husband more than 400 ships, which were a threat to the Chinese merchant fleet. The strictest discipline was present on the ships, which put an end to such pirate antics as violence against prisoners and robbery of allies. Zheng, among other things, is known in history as the owner of brothels, as well as the patroness of gambling.

Son of a potter. The guy's homeland was the island of Lesvos. Most likely, Urouj did not find his love there. The island was also captured by the Turks. Therefore, a guy at the age of 16 decides to become a pirate. After 4 years, he entered into an agreement with the Tunisian authorities. The agreement showed the creation of a pirate base on one of the islands. In exchange, Arouj gives a percentage of the profits to Tunisia. A little later, the pirate became the Sultan of Algeria. However, his reign did not last long. Due to a clash with the Spaniards, he was killed. The successor was the younger brother, known as Barbaross the Second.

His name frightened the French and English governments. Teach, thanks to his cruelty and courage, soon became one of the most terrible pirates in the Jamaica area. In 1718, Teach was strung up on a yardarm. This was done by the English Lieutenant Maynardt.

Video: Top 10 most famous pirates

Edward Teach (1680-1718)

When you mention the word “pirates”, the plots of the trilogy about Jack Sparrow or the heroes of the book “Treasure Island”, read in childhood, immediately come to mind. Sea battles, dangers, treasures, rum and adventures... Over the centuries, legends about sea corsairs or filibusters have gradually become overgrown with mystery, and now it is no longer possible to understand where is fiction and where is the truth. But, undoubtedly, there is some truth in these legends! We will tell you about the most famous pirates in history.

Edward Teach (1680-1718)

One of the most famous corsairs in the history of piracy is Edward Teach, who bore the nickname “Blackbeard.” He was born in Bristol in 1680. His real name is John. Teach became the prototype for the pirate Flint in Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. Because of his beard, which covered almost his entire face, his appearance was terrifying and legends circulated about him as a terrible villain. Teach died on November 22, 1718 in a battle with Lieutenant Maynard. Upon hearing of the death of this terrible man, the whole world breathed a sigh of relief.

Henry Morgan (1635-1688)

Henry Morgan (1635-1688)

The English navigator, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica Sir Henry Morgan, nicknamed “The Cruel” or “Pirate Admiral,” was considered a very famous pirate in his time. He became famous for being one of the authors of the Pirate Code. Morgan was not only a successful corsair, but also a cunning politician and an intelligent military leader. It was with his help that England was able to control the entire Caribbean Sea. Morgan's life, full of the delights of the pirate craft, flew by at a frantic pace. He lived to old age and died in Jamaica on August 25, 1688 from cirrhosis of the liver. He was buried as a nobleman, but soon the cemetery where he was buried was washed away by a wave.

William Kidd (1645-1701)

William Kidd (1645-1701)

This pirate is a legend; more than a century has passed since his death, but his fame lives on to this day. His pirate activity dates back to the 17th century. He was known as a despot and a sadist, but became famous throughout the world as a clever robber. Kidd was quite a famous person; his name was known even in the British Parliament. There is information that he was rich, but no one knows where his treasures are hidden. They are still looking for the treasure hidden by Kidd, but there is no result yet.

Francis Drake (1540-1596)

Francis Drake (1540-1596)

The famous pirate of the 16th century, Francis Drake, was born in 1540 in England in the county of Devonshire, in the family of a poor village priest. Drake was the eldest of twelve children of his parents. He acquired navigational skills while serving as a cabin boy on a small merchant ship. He was reputed to be a very cruel man, to whom fortune favored. We must pay tribute to Drake's curiosity; he visited many places where no man had gone before. Thanks to this, he made many discoveries and corrections on the world maps of his time. Captain Francis Drake's crowning glory came at the end of the 16th century, but during one of his trips to the shores of America he fell ill with tropical fever and soon died.

Bartholomew Roberts (1682-1722)

Bartholomew Roberts (1682-1722)

Captain Bartholomew Roberts is no ordinary pirate. He was born in 1682. Roberts was the most successful pirate of his time, always well and tastefully dressed, with excellent manners, he did not drink alcohol, read the Bible and fought without removing the cross from his neck, which greatly surprised his fellow corsairs. A stubborn and brave young man who set foot on the slippery path of sea adventures and robberies, during his short four-year career as a filibuster, he became quite a famous person of that time. Roberts died in a fierce battle and was buried, in accordance with his will, at sea.

Sam Bellamy (1689-1717)

Sam Bellamy (1689-1717)

Love led Sam Bellamy to the path of sea robbery. Twenty-year-old Sam fell in love with Maria Hallett, the love was mutual, but the girl’s parents did not let her marry Sam. He was poor. And in order to prove to the whole world the right to the hand of Maria Bellamy, she becomes a filibuster. He went down in history as “Black Sam.” He got his nickname because he preferred his unruly black hair to a powdered wig, tying it in a knot. At his core, Captain Bellamy was known as a noble man; dark-skinned people served on his ships along with white pirates, which was simply unthinkable in the era of slavery. The ship on which he sailed to meet his beloved Maria Hallett was caught in a storm and sank. Black Sam died without leaving the captain's bridge.

Arouj Barbarossa (1473-1518)

Arouj Barbarossa (1473-1518)

Arouj Barbarossa was a Turkish pirate who was powerful among the corsairs and had great power over them. He was a cruel and ruthless man who was very fond of executions and bullying. He was born into a family of a potter. He took part in many naval battles, and in one of them, heroically fighting along with his devoted crew, he died.

William Dampier (1651-1715)

William Dampier (1651-1715)

And among the sea filibusters - robbers, there were exceptions. An example of this is William Dampier; in his person the world has lost an explorer and discoverer. He never took part in pirate feasts, but spent all his free time studying and describing his observations of sea currents in the ocean and the direction of the winds. One gets the impression that he became a robber solely in order to have the means and opportunity to do what he loved. From the age of seventeen, Dampier served on an English sailing ship. And in 1679, already twenty-seven years old, he joined the Caribbean pirates and soon became a filibuster captain.

Grace O'Male (1530 - 1603)

Grace O'Male (1530 - 1603)

Grace O'Male is the lady of fortune. This fearless woman - a pirate could give a head start to any man. Her adventures are a whole adventurous novel! Grace from a young age, together with her father and his friends, took part in the attack on merchant ships that passed off the coast Ireland. After the death of her father, in battle she won the right to be the leader of the Owen clan. Beautiful Grace, with flowing hair and sabers in her hands, terrified her enemies, while causing admiration in the eyes of her companions. Such a turbulent pirate life did not interfere with this brave girl. to love and be loved, she had four children from two marriages. Grace did not leave her craft, and even at an advanced age she continued to make raids. She was awarded the attention of the queen and received an offer from her to serve, but the proud and freedom-loving Grace refused. that she was arrested.

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.

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" and 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 in modern terms.

"Royal Fortune" belonged to Bartholomew Roberts, the famous Welsh corsair, with whose death the golden age of piracy ended. Bartholomew had several ships during his career, but the 42-gun, three-masted ship of the line 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 ship while simultaneously boarding it with lightning speed.

The Golden Hind was an English galleon that circumnavigated the world between 1577 and 1580 under the command of Sir Francis Drake. 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 a winged hourglass to the left of the skull.

Pirates! Gentlemen of the sea. For many centuries, their names inspired fear in people. Captain Flint, Jack Sparrow, John Silver, James Hook... The list of their names can be continued for a long time! The menace of the Royal Navy, cunning and treacherous, “people without honor and conscience,” tireless adventurers. Read below about these undaunted sea creatures.

1 Jethrow Flint (1680-1718)

Our selection today begins with the famous Captain Flint. Despite the fact that this is the name of a fictional character created by the thought of the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, his mention is worthy of this collection. Flint was a merciless man. Confirmation of this is the famous pirate song, which contains the words - “Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum.” It was fifteen people who became unwitting witnesses to the place where Flint buried his treasures. And with this they signed their own death warrant.

2 Henry Morgan (1635-1688)

We know the name of this pirate from the film “Hearts of Three,” based on the novel of the same name by Jack London.
However, unlike the previous participant in our selection, Henry Morgan really existed. He was not only a pirate, but also a man who helped England gain control of the entire Caribbean region. For this he received the rank of governor of Jamaica. However, the sea could not part with its favorite, and as a result of the earthquake, the cemetery where the old pirate was buried went under water. The cause of Morgan's death was liver disease caused by the indefatigable consumption of rum, the favorite drink of pirates.

3 Francis Drake (1540-1596)

Despite the fact that Francis was born into the family of a priest, he was not an exemplary Christian. This was facilitated by the blessing of the Queen of England, who was ready to do anything so that the Spaniards would not be the leading power in the world. At age 18, Drake becomes the captain of a pirate ship that plunders and destroys property in Spain. In 1572, he participated in the capture of the Spanish "Silver Caravan", thanks to which he brought the treasury 30,000 kg of silver. In addition, with a desire to visit unknown countries, Drake was a participant. Thanks to her, the treasury of England received an income that was three times the size of its annual budget. In addition, the British became acquainted with a then exotic vegetable - potatoes. For this, Drake was knighted and received the rank of admiral.

4 William Kidd (1645-1701)

His fate became a reminder to all pirates of inevitable punishment. According to the court's verdict, he was executed, and his body was displayed in a metal cage in London for more than 23 years. The reason for this was the pirate antics of Kidd, who was a real disaster not only for the French, but also for the British.

5 Grace O'Male (1530-1603)

This name is forever included in the annals of piracy. The life of this girl is a continuous series of love and adventurous adventures. At first, she pirates with her father. Then, after the death of her father, she herself becomes the leader of the Owen clan. With a saber in her hands and her hair flowing, she made her enemies tremble. However, this did not stop her from loving and being loved. The mother of four children, even at an advanced age, continued to carry out raids. At the same time, she rejected the offer of the Queen of England to enter the service of Her Royal Majesty.

6 Olivier (Francois) le Vasseur (1690-1730)

One of the most famous pirates, whose homeland was France. Without taking direct part in pirate raids directed against the British and Spaniards, Vasser meanwhile received the lion's share of all the booty. The reason for this was the island of Tortuga (present-day Haiti), which this talented engineer turned into an impregnable fortress and became a refuge for pirate elements. Legend has it that over the years he managed the island, he accumulated more than £235 million. But his character, which deteriorated over time, played a cruel joke on him, as a result of which he became food for sharks. The gold, which has not yet been found, remains hidden somewhere on the islands in the middle of the world's oceans.

7 William Dampier (1651-1715)

Despite the fact that William Damir's main occupation was piracy, he is also considered the father of modern oceanography. This is explained by the fact that he not only pirated, but also described all his travels and what was connected with them. The result of this was a book called “A New Journey Around the World.”

8 Zheng Shi (1785-1844)

“Night Butterfly”, who first became the wife and then the widow of the famous pirate Zheng Yi., after the death of her husband, she inherited more than 400 ships that were a threat to the Chinese merchant fleet. The strictest discipline was introduced on the ships, putting an end to such pirate liberties as robbery of allies and violence against prisoners. In addition, Zheng Shi is known in history as the owner of brothels and the patroness of gambling.

9 Arouge Barbarossa (1473-1518)

Son of a potter. His homeland was the island of Lesbos. Probably because he did not find his great love on it, or perhaps because of the capture of the island by the Turks, Barbarossa became a pirate at the age of 16. After 4 years, he enters into an agreement with the Tunisian authorities, according to which he can create his own base on one of the islands, and in return, he shares a percentage of the profits. Soon he becomes the Sultan of Algeria. However, as a result of a clash with the Spaniards, he was killed. His successor was his younger brother, known as Barbaross the Second.

10 Edward Teach (1680–1718)

It was not without reason that this name frightened the English and French governments. Thanks to his courage and cruelty, Teach soon became one of the most feared pirates operating in the Jamaica area. By 1718, more than 300 men were fighting under his leadership. The enemies were horrified by Teach's face, almost completely covered by a black beard, in which the wicks woven into it smoked. In November 1718, Teach was overtaken by the English lieutenant Maynardt and, after a short trial, was strung up on a yardarm. It was he who became the prototype of the legendary Jethrow Flint from Treasure Island.

Pirates, “gentlemen of fortune” have always terrified the population of coastal cities. They were feared, raided, executed, but interest in their adventures never waned.

Madame Jin is her son's wife

Madame Jin, or Zheng Shi, was the most famous "sea robber" of her time. The army of pirates under her command terrified the coastal cities of Eastern and Southeast China at the beginning of the 19th century. Under her command there were about 2,000 ships and 70,000 people, which even the large fleet of the Qing Emperor Jia-ching (1760-1820), sent in 1807 to defeat the willful pirates and capture the powerful Jin, could not defeat.

Zheng Shi's youth was unenviable - she had to engage in prostitution: she was ready to sell her body for hard cash. At the age of fifteen, she was kidnapped by a pirate named Zheng Yi, who, like a true gentleman, took her as his wife (after marriage she received the name Zheng Shi, which meant “Zheng’s wife”). After the wedding, they went to the shores of Vietnam, where the newly-made couple and their pirates, attacking one of the coastal villages, kidnapped a boy (the same age as Zheng Shi) - Zhang Baotsai - whom Zheng Yi and Zheng Shi adopted, since the latter could not have children. Zhang Baozai became Zheng Yi's lover, which apparently did not bother the young wife at all. When her husband died in a storm in 1807, Madame Jin inherited a fleet of 400 ships. Under her, there was iron discipline in the flotilla, and nobility was not alien to it, if this quality can be correlated with piracy at all. Madame Jin sentenced the perpetrators to death for plundering fishing villages and raping captive women. For unauthorized absence from the ship, the culprit's left ear was cut off, which was then presented to the entire crew for intimidation.

Zheng Shi married her stepson, putting her in command of her fleet. But not everyone on Madame Jin’s team was happy with the woman’s power (especially after the unsuccessful attempt of two captains to woo her, one of whom Zheng Shi shot). The dissatisfied rebelled and surrendered to the mercy of the authorities. This undermined Madame Jin's authority, which forced her to negotiate with the emperor's representatives. As a result, according to the agreement of 1810, she went over to the side of the authorities, and her husband received a sinecure (a position that did not give any real powers) in the Chinese government. After retiring from pirate affairs, Madame Zheng settled in Guangzhou, where she ran a brothel and gambling den until her death at the age of 60.

Arouj Barbarossa - Sultan of Algeria

This pirate, who terrorized the cities and villages of the Mediterranean, was a cunning and resourceful warrior. He was born in 1473 in the family of a Greek potter who converted to Islam, and from a young age, together with his brother Atzor, began to engage in piracy. Urouj went through captivity and slavery on the galleys owned by the Ionite knights, from which his brother ransomed him. The time spent in slavery hardened Urouge; he plundered ships belonging to Christian kings with particular cruelty. So in 1504 Arouj attacked galleys loaded with valuable cargo that belonged to Pope Julius II. He managed to capture one of the two galleys, the second tried to escape. Arunj used a trick: he ordered some of his sailors to put on the uniform of soldiers from the captured galley. Then the pirates moved to the galley and took their own ship in tow, thus simulating the complete victory of the papal soldiers. Soon the lagging galley appeared. The sight of a pirate ship in tow caused a surge of enthusiasm among Christians, and the ship approached the “trophy” without any fear. At that moment, Urouge gave a sign, after which the crew of pirates began to brutally kill the fugitives. This event significantly increased Arouj's authority among the Muslim Arabs of North Africa.

In 1516, in the wake of the Arab uprising against the Spanish troops settled in Algeria, Aruj proclaimed himself sultan under the name Barbarossa (Redbeard), after which he, with even greater zeal and cruelty, began to plunder the cities of southern Spain, France, and Italy, amassing enormous wealth. The Spaniards sent a large expeditionary force (about 10,000 people) led by the Marquis de Comares against him. He managed to defeat the army of Arouj, and the latter began to retreat, taking with him the wealth accumulated over the years. And, as the legend says, along the entire retreat route Arouj, in order to delay his pursuers, scattered silver and gold. But this did not help, and Urouj died, his head was cut off along with the pirates loyal to him.

Forced to be a man

One of the famous pirates who lived at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, Mary Reed, was forced to hide her gender all her life. Even as a child, her parents prepared a fate for her - to “take the place” of her brother, who died shortly before Mary was born. She was an illegitimate child. To hide the shame, the mother, having given birth to a girl, gave her to her rich mother-in-law, having previously dressed her daughter in the clothes of her deceased son. Mary was a “grandson” in the eyes of her unsuspecting grandmother, and all the time the girl was growing up, her mother dressed and raised her as a boy. At the age of 15, Mary went to Flanders and joined an infantry regiment as a cadet (still dressed as a man, under the name Mark). According to the memoirs of contemporaries, she was a brave fighter, but still could not advance in the service and transferred to the cavalry. There, gender took its toll - Mary met a man with whom she fell passionately in love. Only to him did she reveal that she was a woman, and they soon got married. After the wedding, they rented a house near the castle in Breda (Holland) and equipped the Three Horseshoes tavern there.

But fate was not favorable; soon Mary’s husband died, and she, again disguised as a man, went to the West Indies. The ship she was sailing on was captured by English pirates. Here a fateful meeting took place: she met the famous pirate Anne Bonny (a woman dressed as a man, just like her) and her lover John Rackham. Mary joined them. Moreover, she and Anne began to cohabit with Rackham, forming a bizarre “love triangle.” The personal courage and bravery of this trio made them famous throughout Europe.

Scientist Pirate

William Dampier, born into an ordinary peasant family and having lost his parents at an early age, had to make his own way in life. He began by becoming a cabin boy on a ship, then took up fishing. A special place in his activities was occupied by a passion for research: he studied new lands to which fate had thrown him, their flora, fauna, climatic features, participated in an expedition to explore the shores of New Holland (Australia), discovered groups of islands - the Dampir archipelago. In 1703, he went to the Pacific Ocean to become a pirate. On the island of Juan Fernandez Dampier (according to another version, Stradling, the captain of another ship) landed the sailing master (according to another version, the boatswain) Alexander Selkirk. The story of Selkirk's stay on a desert island formed the basis of Daniel Defoe's famous book Robinson Crusoe.

Bald Grainne

Grace O'Malle, or, as she was also called, Grainne the Bald, is one of the controversial figures in English history. She was always ready to defend her rights, no matter what. She became acquainted with navigation thanks to her father, who took his little daughter on long trading voyages. Her first husband was a match for Grace. About the O'Flagherty clan, to which he belonged, they said: “Cruel people who most brazenly rob and kill their fellow citizens.” Although, in fairness, it should be noted that for the Irish clans of mountainous Connacht, civil strife is a common thing. When he was killed, Grace returned to her family and took control of her father's flotilla. Thus, she had in her hands a truly enormous force, with the help of which she could keep the entire West Coast of Ireland in obedience.

Grace allowed herself to behave so freely, even in the presence of the queen. After all, she was also called the “queen”, only the pirate one. When Elizabeth I handed her lace handkerchief to Grace to wipe her nose after snuff, Grace used it and said, “Do you need it? In my area they are never used more than once!” - and threw the handkerchief to her retinue. According to historical sources, two long-time opponents - and Grace managed to send to a dozen English ships - were able to come to an agreement. The Queen granted the pirate, who was already about 60 years old at that time, forgiveness and immunity.

Black beard

Thanks to his courage and cruelty, Edward Teach became one of the most feared pirates operating in the Jamaica area. By 1718, more than 300 men were fighting under his leadership. The enemies were horrified by Teach's face, almost completely covered by a black beard, in which the wicks woven into it smoked. In November 1718, Teach was overtaken by the English lieutenant Maynardt and, after a short trial, was strung up on a yardarm. It was he who became the prototype of the legendary Jethrow Flint from Treasure Island.

Pirate President

Murat Reis Jr., whose real name is Jan Janson (Dutch), converted to Islam in order to avoid captivity and slavery in Algeria. After this, he began to cooperate and actively participate in the pirate raids of such pirates as Suleiman Reis and Simon the Dancer, just like him - the Dutch who converted to Islam. Jan Janson in 1619 moved to the Moroccan city of Sale, which lived off piracy. Soon after Janson arrived there, he declared his independence. A pirate republic was created there, the first head of which was Janson. He married in Sale, his children followed in their father's footsteps, becoming pirates, but then joined the Dutch colonists who founded the city of New Amsterdam (present-day New York).