Famous Pirates

Part II

Bartholomew Roberts1682-1722

• Born in Wales• Very capable navigator• Sailing under capitan Howell Davis• Disrupts the West African slave trade• Walter Kennedy’s mutiny• Articles/pirate code • Dies in battle• Combines several quintessential

characteristics• The reluctant pirate• The pirate favored by fortune• The pirate who chooses the occupation

because it’s better than his previous conditions

Born in poverty Known for his cruelty Was once married, and became sentimentalwhen drunk Attacked ships of all nations, indiscriminately Common tactic: false flag His exploits: one of the reasons for the Intensified hunting and hanging of pirates He did follow a code of conduct, his articles

surprisingly fair, although emphasizing punishment Not much is known about his death

Edward “Ned” Low1690-1724

Engraving by J. Nicholls, fragment

Illegitimate daughter of a lawyer Father changed occupations in the New World, accumulated fortune, but disowned herwhen she married a sailor Temperamental Mistress of Jack Rackham (“Calico Jack”) and childbirth Meeting Mary Read Trial and postponement No record of execution or release

Anne Bonny1702-1782 (?)

Two versions of illustrations for A General History of Pyrates

Illegitimate child Disguised as a boy from an early age Life in the military Marriage to a Flemish soldienr Rejoined the Dutch army for a short while Forced into piracy; pardon; privateering; mutiny Aboard Calico Jack’s ship Trial, postponement, and death

Mary Readd. 1721

Born in Scotland Privateer accused of piracy Sensational trial; questioning before the English Parliament Comparatively speaking, not especiallyspectacular career as a privateer/pirate One of the first victims of an overzealousenacting of law Origins of the buried treasure trope

William Kidd1645-1701

 portrait by Sir James Thornhill

Born Jean-David Nau The pirate name is essentially “the Frenchman from Sables-d’Olonne” Indentured servant Buccaneer Sacks of Maracaibo and Gibraltar : “Bane ofthe Spanish” Known for his extreme cruelty His death matches in gore many of his deeds

François L'Olonnais1635-1688

Illustration to Esquemeling’s The History of the Bucaneers

of America.

Late-era pirate, during a time when allcolonial powers enforced strict rules againstpiracy Smuggler Involved in the defense of New Orleans,helping Gen. Andrew Jackson in 1815 Spying for the Spanish during the MexicanWar of Independence Pirate colony on Galveston Island Speculation about his death

Jean LaFitte1776-1823

Anon. portrait, XIX century, inverted

fragment