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Blackbeard:
Born Edward Teach, England 1680. Blackbeard operated as a pirate
from 1714 to 1718 off the North American East Coast. Even though Blackbeard
was of an impressive stature, he was said to have stuck smoldering fuses
under his hat and in his beard to give himself an even more maniacal and
menacing appearance. He was killed in a bloody boarding action by the
British Royal Navy on November 22, 1718 off the coast of North Carolina.
Blackbeard was arguably one of the most infamous and most feared pirates
of all times, not necessarily the most successful.
More about his ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge
Henry Morgan:
One of the most successful privateers for the English crown in the 17th century.
Henry Morgan (1635 - 1688) is probably most famous for the sack of Panama in 1670,
which was considered Spain's political and economic capital in the Americas. A prime example of the difference
between privateering and pirating, at the age of 45 'Sir Henry Morgan' became the acting
governor of Jamaica.
Jean Lafitte:
Born in Southwest France, Jean Lafitte (c.1780-c.1826) became a popular
Louisiana privateer
preying on Spanish shipping in the Gulf of Mexico from his base at the
mouth of the Mississippi (Barataria Bay, near New Orleans). His name
was legend even in his day. He was given full pardon for past regressions
by the US President for help provided to the US army before and during
the Battle of New Orleans (1815) at the end of the War of 1812.
Piet Hein:
Born in Delfshaven Netherlands, Piet Hein (1577-1629) became a Vice-Admiral in the service of
the Dutch West India Company in 1623.
One of the three main activities of the GWC
was privateering in the West-Indies. In 1628 Piet Hein, promoted
to Admiral by now, commanded a large privateering fleet of 31 ships and 4,000
men on his third voyage to the West Indies. On the 8th of September 1628
they spotted a large Spanish Silver fleet of 12 ships sailing from Mexico.
Eleven ships were subsequently captured in the bay of Matanzas,
10 miles east of Havana. The Dutch privateers lost only 150 men.
The
loot of the captured Silver fleet was estimated to be worth 12 million
guilders. Stockholders of the West India Company made anywhere from
50% to 75% profit on their investment that year. Considered a national hero in
the Netherlands, a popular song was written about how his name was small
but his deeds were great:
Piet Heyn, Piet Heyn, (original spelling - Heyn, now Hein)
Piet Heyn zijn naam is klein, (his name is small)
Zijn daden benne groot, (his deeds are great)
Zijn daden benne groot,
Hij heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot. (he has won the Silver Fleet)
Hij heeft gewonnen, gewonnen de Zilvervloot,
Hij heeft gewonnen de Zilvervloot.
William Kidd:
Scottish-born William Kidd had operated as a pirate
in the caribbean years before he requested and received an English letter
of marque and set off on his privateering
quest in 1696. He sailed on the Adventure
Galley on April 6th and left for New York, where he had briefly settled
after his Caribbean adventure, to recruit more crew. He then sailed for
the Indian Ocean and after several conflicts with the Dutch, Portuguese
and English
East India Company he captured several ships, among them the Rupparell
and Quedah Merchant, the latter being a very rich prize
of 200,000 rupees. The Adventure
Galley by now was in serious disrepair and sank off Madagascar in
1698. Kidd returned to the Americas on the Quedah Merchant which
he renamed Adventure Prize and was captured by the British near
Boston, sent back to England on the frigate Advice and hung as
a pirate on May 23th, 1701. Hung twice, to be correct, since the rope
broke the first time around.
More about his ship, the Adventure Galley
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