The peak of maritime robberies came in the 17th century, when the World Ocean was the scene of a struggle between Spain, England and some other European colonial powers gaining momentum. Most often, pirates made their living by independent criminal robberies, but some of them ended up on public service and purposefully harmed the foreign fleet. Below is a list of the ten most famous pirates in history.

William Kidd (January 22, 1645 – May 23, 1701) was a Scottish sailor who was convicted and executed for piracy after returning from a voyage to Indian Ocean where he was supposed to hunt pirates. It is 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 Neil 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 in 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 well the crew of the ships he captured. He was killed by cannon shot during a battle with a British warship.

Blackbeard or Edward Teach (1680 - November 22, 1718) - an English pirate who hunted in the Caribbean in 1716-1718. He liked to strike terror into his enemies. During the battle, Tich weaved 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 rather short, and his success and scale of activity were much smaller compared to his other colleagues from this list.

Jack Rackham (December 21, 1682 - November 17, 1720) was an English pirate who became famous primarily for the fact that his team included two more equally famous corsairs, female pirates Anne Bonnie, nicknamed the "mistress of the seas" and Mary Read.

Charles Vane (1680 – 29 March 1721) was an English pirate who robbed ships between 1716 and 1721 in North American waters. Notorious for his extreme cruelty. As the story goes, Wayne was not attached to such feelings as compassion, pity and sympathy, he easily broke his own promises, did not respect other pirates and did not at all consider anyone's opinion. The meaning of his life was only prey.

Edward England (1685 - 1721) - 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. This eventually led his crew to mutiny when he refused to kill sailors from yet another captured English merchant ship. Subsequently, England was 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 hunted in the early 18th century. Although his career spanned 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 - circa 14 July 1561) - last queen of Tetouan (Morocco) who ruled between 1512–1542, pirate In alliance with the Ottoman corsair Aruj Barbarossa of Algiers, al-Hura controlled the Mediterranean. She became famous for her fight against the Portuguese. Rightfully considered one of the most prominent women of the Islamic West 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 route later known as the Pirate's Circle. He was killed in 1695 while trying to rob the Mughal ship Fateh Muhammad.

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

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Nothing sounds as good as a firm, stern, and easy-to-remember pirate's name. Having succumbed to the sea robbers, people often changed their names in order to complicate the authorities' ability to identify them. For others, the change of name was purely symbolic: the newly minted pirates mastered not only new activities, but also absolutely new life, which some preferred to enter with a new name.

In addition to many pirate names, there are also many recognizable pirate nicknames. Aliases have always been an integral part of gangster culture, and pirates were no exception in this regard. We will talk about the most common pirate nicknames, analyze their origin 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 the battle he wove burning wicks into it, the smoke of which made him look like the devil himself from the underworld.
• Calico Jack. The nickname of the pirate, so he was christened for his love for various calico decorations.
• Spaniard killer. That is what they called the cruel and ruthless towards the Spaniards famous.
• Redhead, Bloody Henry. Two nicknames that belonged to the famous pirate. The first nickname is directly related to the color of his hair, and the second - to his far from merciful deeds.
• Pirate Gentleman. A nickname given to him due to his aristocratic origin.
• Vulture. Nickname for a French pirate. It is not entirely clear why this nickname stuck to him, apparently, after all, it better reflected his character and temper.
• Lanky John. Pirate nickname for a fictional pirate. In addition to this nickname, he had one more - Ham.
• Black Corsair. The nickname of the protagonist 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 game Corsairs Online, 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 the party

If you're hosting a pirate-themed party and need to name everyone in attendance, the list below should help you with that.

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 names goes on and on! Thunderstorm of the royal fleet, cunning and treacherous, "people without honor and conscience", tireless adventurers. Read about such fearless marines below.

1 Jetrow Flint (1680-1718)

The famous Captain Flint begins our selection today. Despite the fact that this is the name of a fictional character created by the thought of the Scottish writer Robert Lewis Stevenson, his mention is worthy of this collection. Flint was a merciless man. This is confirmed by the famous pirate song, which contains the words - "Fifteen people for a dead man's chest, yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum." It was fifteen people who unwittingly witnessed the place where Flint buried his treasures. And with that, they signed their own death warrant.

2 Henry Morgan (1635-1688)

The name of this pirate, we know 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 over 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 use of rum, a favorite drink of pirates.

3 Francis Drake (1540-1596)

Despite the fact that Francis was born in 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 for anything, if only the Spaniards were not the leading power in the world. At 18, Drake becomes the captain of a pirate ship that robs and destroys Spain's property. In 1572, he participated in the capture of the Spanish "Silver Caravan", thanks to which he brought 30,000 kg of silver to the treasury. In addition, with the 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 got acquainted with the then exotic vegetable- potatoes. For this, Drake was knighted and received the rank of admiral.

4 William Kidd (1645-1701)

His fate has become a reminder to all pirates of the inevitable punishment. By a court verdict, he was executed, and his body was placed on display 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'Malle (1530-1603)

This name is forever entered into the annals of piracy. The life of this girl is a continuous series of love and adventurous adventures. In the beginning, she is a pirate along with her father. Then, after the death of her father, she herself becomes the leader of the Owen clan. With a saber in hand and loose hair, she made her enemies tremble. However, this did not stop her from loving and being loved. The mother of four children, even when she was no longer young, continued to raid. At the same time, she rejected the proposal 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 a direct part in the pirate raids against the British and Spaniards, Vasser, meanwhile, received the lion's share of all 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 haven for pirating elements. There is a legend that during the years of managing the island, he saved up more than 235 million pounds. But his character, which deteriorated over time, played a cruel joke with him, as a result of which he became food for sharks. Gold, which has not been found so far, 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, she inherited more than 400 ships after the death of her husband, which were a thunderstorm of the Chinese merchant fleet. The strictest discipline was introduced on the ships, which put an end to such pirate liberties as the 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)

Potter's son. His homeland was the island of Lesvos. Probably because he did not find his great love on it, or perhaps because of the capture of the island by the Turks, Barbarossa becomes a pirate at the age of 16. After 4 years, he concludes 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 Sultan of Algeria. However, as a result of a clash with the Spaniards, he was killed. His successor was a younger brother known as Barbaross II.

10 Edward Teach (1680–1718)

This name not without reason frightened the British 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 him. The enemies were horrified by Tich's face, almost completely covered with 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 hung up on a yardarm. It was he who became the prototype of the legendary Jetrow Flint, from Treasure Island.

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid are mystics, experts in esotericism and occultism, authors of 14 books.

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Pirates

Surnames and names of famous pirates

Pirates- these are sea and river robbers of any nationality, who at all times robbed the ships of all countries and peoples.

The word "pirate" (Latin pirata) comes from the Greek. "try, test" The meaning of the word "pirate" is to try one's luck, a gentleman of fortune.

The word "pirate" came into use around the 4th-3rd centuries BC. e., and before that the concept of "leistes" was used, known since the time of Homer and closely related to such concepts as robbery, murder, booty. Piracy in its original form sea ​​raids appeared simultaneously with navigation and maritime trade. All the coastal tribes, who mastered the basics of navigation, were engaged in such raids. Piracy, as a phenomenon, is reflected in ancient poetry - in Ovid's Metamorphoses and Homer's poems.

With the development of trade and legal ties between countries and peoples, attempts began to be made to combat this phenomenon.

The pirates had own flag. The idea to sail under a pirate flag appeared in order to psychologically influence the crew of the attacked ship. For the purpose of intimidation, the blood-red flag was originally used, which often depicted symbols of death: skeleton, skull, crossbones, crossed sabers, death with a scythe, skeleton with a goblet.

The most common method of piracy attack there was a boarding (fr. abordage). The enemy ships approached side to side, grappled with boarding gear, and pirates jumped onto the enemy ship, supported by fire from the pirate ship.

Modern piracy

Currently, most of the pirate attacks occur in East Africa (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique).

The region of the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia is not free from pirate raids.

Types of pirates

Sea pirates

River Pirates

Tevkry- Middle Eastern pirates in the XV-XI centuries BC. They were destroyed by the combined forces of the Greeks during the Trojan War.

Dolopians- Ancient Greek pirates (Skyrians), in the second half of the VI century BC settled on the island of Skyros. They hunted in the Aegean Sea.

Ushkuiniki- Novgorod river pirates, who hunted throughout the Volga up to Astrakhan, mainly in the XIV century.

barbary pirates- Pirates of North Africa. Based in the ports of Algeria and Morocco.

Likedelers- pirates of the northern European seas, descendants of the ancient Vikings.

Buccaneers – English title filibuster, a synonym for a pirate who hunted in the waters of America.

filibusters- sea robbers of the 17th century who robbed Spanish ships and colonies in America. The word comes from the Dutch "vrijbuiter", which means "free earner".

Corsairs- this word appeared at the beginning of the XIV century from the Italian "corsa" and the French "la corsa". In wartime, a corsair received from the authorities of his (or another) country a letter of marque (corsair patent) for the right to rob enemy property. A corsair ship was equipped by a private shipowner, who bought a corsair patent or a letter of reprisal from the authorities. The captains and crew members of such a ship were called corsairs. In Europe, the word "corsair" was used by the French, Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese in relation to their own and foreign gentlemen of fortune. In the countries of the Germanic language group, a synonym for corsair is privateer, in English speaking countries privateer(from the Latin word privatus - private).

privateers- private individuals in the countries of the German language group, who received from the state a license (diploma, patent, certificate, commission) to seize and destroy ships of enemy and neutral countries in exchange for a promise to share with the employer. Such a license in English was called Letters of Marque - letter of marque. The word "caper" comes from the Dutch verb kepen or the German kapern (to seize). Germanic synonym for corsair.

Privateers is the English name for a privateer or corsair.

Pechelings (flexelings)- so in Europe and the New World (America) they called Dutch privateers. The name comes from the main port of their base - Vlissingen. This term has appeared since the mid-1570s, when Dutch sailors began to gain fame (rob) around the world, and little Holland became one of the leading maritime countries.

Klefts (sea guides)- Greek pirates in the era Ottoman Empire, who attacked mainly Turkish ships.

Wokow- pirates of Japanese origin who attacked the coasts of China, Korea and Japan in the period from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

Surnames and names of famous pirates

Teuta (Teuta)- the queen of the Illyrian pirates, III century. BC.

Aruj Barbarossa I(1473-1518)

Khair-ad-Din (Khyzir)(1475-1546), Barbarossa II

Nathaniel Butler(born 1578)

Hawkins John(1532-1595)

Francis Drake(1540-1596)

Thomas Cavendish(1560-1592)

Dragut-Rais(16th century)

Alexandre Olivier Exquemelin(c. 1645-1707)

Edward Teach(1680-1718), nickname "Blackbeard"

Jan Jacobsen(15(?)-1622)

Arundell, James(d. 1662)

Henry Morgan(1635-1688)

William Kidd(1645-1701)

Michel de Grammont

Mary Reid(1685-1721)

Francois Olone(17th century)

William Dampier(1651-1715)

Abraham Blauvelt(16??-1663)

Olivier (Francois) Le Wasser, nicknames "La blues", "buzzard"

Edward Lau(1690-1724)

Bartholomew Roberts(1682-1722), nickname "Black Bart"

Jack Rackham(1682-1720), nicknamed "Calico Jack". It is believed that he is the author of the pirate symbol - the skull and crossbones.

Joseph Barss(1776-1824)

Henry Avery

Jean Ango

Daniel "The Destroyer" Montbar

Laurens de Graaf(17th century)

Zheng Shi(1785-1844)

Jean Lafitte(?-1826)

Jose Gaspar(first quarter of the 19th century), nickname "Black Caesar"

Moses Vauclain

Amyas Preston

WilliamHenryHayes(William Henry Hays)(1829-1877)

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Pirates

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The phenomenon of piracy has given human history many names of legendary adventurers. The peak of maritime robberies came in the 17th century, when the World Ocean was the scene of a struggle between Spain, England and some other European colonial powers gaining momentum. Most often, pirates made a living by independent criminal robberies, but some of them ended up in public service and purposefully harmed foreign fleets.

Francis Drake

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

Like all other contemporary sailors, Francis dreamed of distant western seas, where the Spaniards continued to rule since their discovery. The most famous pirates of that time, as one, hunted royal galleons loaded with American gold. The Spaniards really controlled the West Indies and were not going to give its resources to the British. Skirmishes constantly occurred between the ships of these two countries. In one of them, in 1567, Francis Drake almost lost his life. Of the entire English flotilla, only two ships survived. After this episode, the Spaniards became Drake's sworn enemies.

Francis received from his authorities a letter of marque and the right to free robbery of enemy bases. Using this opportunity, the pirate captured Spanish fortresses and outposts in the Caribbean. In 1572, his detachment intercepted a huge cargo of silver. The robber sailed to England with 30 tons of precious metal.

Drake became famous not only as a thunderstorm of the Spaniards, but also as a brave navigator. In 1577, Queen Elizabeth I sent him on an expedition around the world. It was this pirate who became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. During his journey, he discovered that Tierra del Fuego- this is an island, and not the southern mainland, as was previously believed in Europe. After his triumphant return, Francis Drake received a knighthood and became a sir. The high rank did not change the habits of the sea wolf. On the contrary, over and over again he rushed into another adventurous voyage.

In 1588, Francis Drake participated in the defeat of the Spanish Invincible Armada. The victory of the English fleet was a harbinger of British maritime dominance for several centuries. After this success, Drake went on expeditions to the West Indies several times. In it, he destroyed enemy bases of pirates that interfered with the lucrative English trade. Sir Drake died in 1596 while traveling in Panama. His lead coffin was buried in the ocean. Without a doubt, the adventurer is the most famous pirate of the 16th century.

Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan was born in 1635 in the Welsh outback to a landowner's family. The boy could become the heir of his father, but from childhood his passion was not Agriculture, and the sea. As time has shown, love for distant horizons was justified. The most famous pirates envied the success of Henry Morgan, who became a living legend of his time.

As a young man, an Englishman hired himself on a ship sailing to the harbor of the island of Barbados. Once in the Caribbean, Morgan began to build an amazing career as a pirate. Joining the sea robbers, he moved to Jamaica. Junga quickly became a participant in raids, the main purpose of which was to rob ships that came to hand. Per a short time the boy learned all the laws and customs of marine life. Already in his youth, he became the owner of considerable capital, knocked together from pirate proceeds and winnings in dice. With this money, Henry bought his first ship.

Very soon, even the most famous pirates heard about the prowess and luck of Morgan. A group of like-minded people formed around the pirate. New ships began to join his ship. The growth of influence could not but lead to the growth of ambitions. In 1665, Morgan decided to give up plundering ships and began planning an operation to capture the entire city. Trujillo was his first target. Then the robber captured several Spanish bases in Cuba. Both simple privateers and the most famous pirates could not boast of such success.

Morgan's most famous military enterprise was his campaign against Panama in 1670. By this time, the robber already had a fleet of 35 ships and a team of 2 thousand people at his disposal. This gang landed in Panama and moved to the Spanish fortress of the same name. Although the garrison consisted of 2.5 thousand soldiers, he was unable to defend the city. Having taken Panama, the pirates exterminated 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 an English subject returned to Jamaica, which belonged to the crown, the authorities unexpectedly arrested him. The fact was that on the eve of London and Madrid made peace. Pirates did not act on behalf of the state, but enjoyed its benevolent connivance. Having made peace with Spain, the British government promised to rein in their pirates. Henry Morgan was expelled to his homeland. At home, a court was waiting for him, but the process turned out to be only a sham demonstration. The authorities were not going to punish the pirate who had rendered them so many services in the fight against Spanish rule at sea.

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

Ann Bonnie

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

At the age of 18, her daughter ran away from home and embarked on a path of adventurous adventure. She met a pirate and decided to join his sea adventures. The girl had to get used to men's clothing and master the skills of combat and shooting. Rackham's crew was seized by the authorities in 1720. The captain was executed, but the punishment for Ann was constantly postponed due to her pregnancy. Her further fate remains unknown.

According to one version, Bonnie freed herself and died during another raid, according to another, her influential father rescued her, after which the former robber spent her whole life in South Carolina and died in 1782 at a ripe old age. Be that as it may, the most famous female pirates (another famous robber at the time was even more rumored than their male counterparts.

Blackbeard

The legendary figure of Blackbeard remains one of the most recognizable in the pirate pantheon. Under this nickname was Edward Teach. Almost nothing is known about his childhood. The sailor made himself known in 1713, when at the age of 33 he joined the robbers of Benjamin Hornigold. Like all world-famous pirates, this team hunted in the Caribbean Sea, which is attractive for valuable cargo. Teach was the true ideal of a pirate. He knew nothing but regular raids and robberies. His ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, terrified both sailors and civilians on earth.

In 1717, thanks to the efforts of the governor of the Bahamas, the official authorities began an uncompromising fight against pirates. In new unusual conditions, many robbers (including the same Hornigold) decided to lay down their arms and receive a royal pardon. However, Teach refused to change his lifestyle. From that moment on, he became enemy No. 1 for the British military and naval forces.

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

The treachery of the owner of Queen Anne's Revenge did not go unpunished. The authorities promised 100 pounds for the head of a pirate, which was then a fortune. A real hunt began for Blackbeard. Very soon, on November 22, 1718, he died in a boarding battle against the team of Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Often the most famous pirates and their ships disturbed the seas for an extremely short, but eventful period. The same was the fate of Blackbeard.

Bartholomew Roberts

The fame enjoyed by the most famous pirates in history gave rise to many rumors and myths around them. Bartholomew Roberts was no exception to this rule. It is he who is credited with the authorship of the Code of Pirates - a set of rules according to which many generations of sea robbers lived.

Roberts was born in 1682 in the small Welsh town of Haverfordwest. His sea travels began on a slave ship, where Bartholomew was the captain's mate. He got to the pirates at the age of 37, when he was hired on the ship "Princess of London". A month and a half later, the novice robber was elected captain of his own ship.

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

Bartholomew was killed in 1722 while on another trip to Africa, where he intended to engage in a profitable slave trade. The legendary pirate was killed by the addiction of his companions to drink. When a British ship unexpectedly attacked Roberts' ship, his entire crew was dead drunk. The most famous pirates of the Caribbean and the admirals of the Royal Navy were amazed by what happened: it seemed to everyone that Bartholomew was invincible. Roberts stood out noticeably from his comrades not only in his own successes, but also in his habit of dressing well, as well as his aversion to gambling and foul language. There is no doubt that he was one of the most extravagant pirates of his time.

Henry Avery

During his short life, he managed to acquire many nicknames. Some contemporaries called him Lanky Ben, others called him the Arch-Pirate. Avery's love of the sea was predetermined by his own roots. Henry's father was a captain in the English navy. In 1659, a son appeared in the officer's family, who was destined to become one of the brightest and most legendary pirates of his era.

At first, the future criminal sailed on merchant ships and only then changed them to robber ones. In 1694, 25-year-old Emery was employed on a privateer ship. The main difference between such a ship and a classic pirate ship was that it robbed and attacked foreign merchants with the permission of its government. Sometimes contracts were violated: 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 turned out to be Henry Emery.

The new leader of the robbers left the Caribbean Sea and went to the Indian Ocean, where there was also something to profit from. The place of the first long stop was Madagascar. Emery's team then attacked ships belonging to the Indian Mughal Empire. The robbers managed to capture a huge amount of rare oriental goods and all kinds of jewelry. All the pirates of America dreamed of such a profitable enterprise. After that expedition, Avery disappeared from view. There were rumors that he moved to England and tried to start an honest business and ended up completely broke.

Thomas Tew

The path that Henry Emery followed during his famous expedition was called the "Pirate Circle". Thomas Tew was the first to pass this route (Atlantic - South Africa - Madagascar - India). Like Emery, he started out as a privateer and ended up as a pirate. In 1693 he robbed several ships in the Red Sea. Before his attack, European thugs had never hunted in this area. Perhaps this is the reason for Tew's success - no one expected the appearance of Caribbean gentlemen of fortune.

During his second voyage to Madagascar, Thomas met Henry Emery by chance. Because of the rumors about easy money in the eastern countries, the most famous sea robbers now sought to repeat the success of Tew. In the memory of the pirates, this captain remained precisely as the discoverer of the "Circle". He couldn't do more. In 1695, Thomas Tew died during an attack on a Mughal flotilla.

Thomas Cavendish

The list, which includes the most famous pirates in world history, cannot be complete without mentioning Thomas Cavendish (1560-1592). He was a contemporary of Francis Drake. The biographies of these two pirates, who acted in the interests of the English crown, have many common features. Cavendish, following Drake, decided to commit trip around the world. The expedition, made in 1586-1588, was not peaceful at all. Rounding America, English pirates robbed many Spanish ships full of gold. In a sense, Thomas Cavendish's journey was audacity. The Spaniards considered the Pacific Ocean their "inland lake" and were furious when foreign robbers penetrated these still unknown waters.

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

Cavendish quickly spent his fortune. A few years after his amazing success, he assembled a second expedition, intending to repeat his last triumph exactly. However, this time the pirate was pursued by failures. In 1592 he died in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Presumably Cavendish's ship sank near Ascension Island.

Francois Olone

Although the most famous pirates and their ships, as a rule, were associated with England, other countries also had their own nuggets. For example, the Frenchman Francois Olone (1630-1671) left a significant mark on history. In his youth, he became famous in the main Caribbean pirate port of Tortuga. In 1662, a young robber received a letter of marque and began to hunt Spanish ships. One day Olone's ship was wrecked. The pirate was thrown onto the Mexican coast, where he, along with his team, was attacked by the Spaniards who came to the rescue. All the French died, and only Olona, ​​who pretended to be dead, managed to survive.

François' most ambitious undertaking was his capture of the Spanish city of Maracaibo in present-day Venezuela. The daredevils who attacked the colony fit in only five ships. On the way, the pirates plundered a Spanish ship and obtained a valuable cargo of jewelry and cocoa. Arriving on the mainland, Olone led the assault on the fort, which was garrisoned by 800 people. The pirates captured the fortress and got 80,000 silver piastres. In honor of the fall of Maracaibo, the captain was nicknamed "the scourge of the Spaniards."

The last campaign for the famous French robber was his expedition to Nicaragua. After three months of looking for profit, the pirates seized a ship loaded with cheap paper. Due to failure, part of the team returned to Tortuga. Olone continued the raid, but unfortunately for the captain near Cartagena, his ship ran aground. A French detachment of 40 people that reached the shore was attacked by a crowd of Indians. Local cannibals tore and ate Olone 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 in the transportation of slaves from Africa to America. Free laborers on the plantations were highly valued, thanks to which Pargo quickly got rich. He was a sworn enemy of Blackbeard and, in general, of 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, jewelry, precious stones and expensive fabrics. For several decades, many adventurers have tried to find this treasure, including the most famous pirates. In the story of Pargo's legacy, still a large number of white spots. Despite a long search, no one found the treasure of the Spanish pirate.