Five of the most ruthless pirates to ever set sail

[5fish]

Here a wiki list of Pirate from the Baltic to the Caribbean and a little Asian spice... list of Women pirates...

List of pirates - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This is a list of known pirates, buccaneers, corsairs, privateers, river pirates, and others involved in piracy and piracy-related activities. This list includes both captains and prominent crew members. For a list of female pirates, see women in piracy. For pirates of fiction or myth, see list of fictional pirates.

Here a list of women pirates a few Baltic ones... and Asian... oh Caribbean too...

Women in piracy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

While piracy was a predominantly male occupation, some pirates were women.[1]

On some ships, women (as well as young boys) were prohibited by the ship's contract, which all crew members were required to sign.[2] Because of some resistance to allowing women on board, a number of female pirates did not identify themselves as such and disguised themselves as men; examples include Anne Bonny, associated with Captain Calico Jack's ship,[2] and Mary Read. A notable female pirate who commanded as a woman was Ching Shih.

This article contains a list of female pirates who are recognized by historians, listed in the time period they were active

 

[5fish]

Here is a video about pirate ships...

 

[5fish]

Here a lady river pirate on the Hudson...

Sadie Farrell - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sadie “The Goat” Farrell

It remains unclear whether she was an actual historical figure or mythicized folk hero, but with the perpetually classy job title of River Pirate and a nickname inspired by my personal favorite animal, it was hard not to include this headbutting heroine.

Sadie The Goat began her legendary career as a thief and gang leader in the New York City of the 1860s. She earned her fantastic nickname with a signature move of headbutting unsuspecting victims in the stomach before stealing their money. Allegedly, she had an ongoing feud with Gallus Mag, a six-foot-tall female bouncer who ultimately bit off Sadie’s ear before driving her out of New York’s Fourth Ward district. Get an earful of that!

Earless and fancy-free, Sadie The Goat settled into a quiet life of solitude and piracy hijacking sailboats along the Hudson River before accumulating a small following of fellow swashbucklers. Sadie and her crew sailed through the state, pillaging small farm towns and cargo ships along the way. Legend has it that she, older and wiser and more swashbuckle-y, later returned to the city’s Fourth Ward and made peace with her old ear-stealing enemy, who graciously retrieved the organ from a pickling jar and—as everyone would naturally do in such a situation—turned it into a necklace that Sadie would wear for the rest of her life.

Here is a more detailed summary of the Goat life... picture of her....

Sadie “The Goat” Farrell – Queen of the Waterfront – Legends of America

Not as vicious with her claws as the Dead Rabbits' Hellcat Maggie nor as strong as riverfront bouncer Gallus Mag, but Sadie Farrell made more money combined

www.legendsofamerica.com

She was not as vicious with her claws as the Dead Rabbits’ Hellcat Maggie. Nor as big and strong as an Amazon riverfront bouncer named Gallus Mag. But Sadie “The Goat” Farrell made more money than both women combined when she was the “Queen of the New York Waterfront.”

 

[5fish]

Here is an English Pirate who sank off New England coast in 1717. He was considered the richest pirate at the time... Captain Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy’s

Samuel Bellamy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Captain Samuel Bellamy (c. 23 February 1689 – 26 April 1717), later known as "Black Sam" Bellamy, was an English sailor turned pirate during the early 18th century. He is best known as the wealthiest pirate in recorded history, and one of the faces of the Golden Age of Piracy. Though his known career as a pirate captain lasted little more than a year, he and his crew captured at least 53 ships.

Here is more...

Six Skeletons Found in Wreck of 18th-Century Pirate Ship Sunk Off Cape Cod

The "Whydah" sank off the coast of Massachusetts in 1717, killing all but two people on board

www.smithsonianmag.com

Per the Field Museum, Bellamy’s crew was made up of enslaved Africans, Native Americans, and sailors from across Europe and North America. Originally a British slave ship, the vessel was captured by Bellamy in early 1717.

The New England Historical Society notes that the captain treated all crew members equally, allowing them to vote on significant decisions. Bellamy, who nicknamed himself “Robin Hood of the Sea,” viewed his piracy as a form of vigilante justice against wealthy merchants who “rob[ed] the poor under the cover of law.” To retaliate, he once declared in a speech, “[W]e plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage.”

He adds, “We know a third of the crew was of African origin and the fact they had robbed the Whydah, which was a slave ship, presents them in a whole new light. Their benevolent captain, the legendary Samuel ‘Black Sam’ Bellamy, and crew were experimenting in democracy long before the so-called civilized societies had considered such a thing.”

 

[5fish]

Here has info on "Black Sam" lover...

Black Sam Bellamy, The Pirate Who Fought Smart, Harmed Few, Scored Big - New England Historical Society

Black Sam Bellamy, richest pirate ever, perished in a shipwreck off Cape Cod. In 2021, investigators identified 6 pirate skeletons, one of which may be Sam.

newenglandhistoricalsociety.com

Here tells a little about his youth...

How This 18th-Century 'Robin Hood Of The Seas' Amassed A Fortune Of More Than $140 Million

The 18th-century pirate Samuel Bellamy was said to cut a “dashing figure.” Known as "Black Sam" because of his long, dark hair, which he tied back with a satin bow.

allthatsinteresting.com

 

[5fish]

Here is another English pirate... Henry Every... He made his wealth and wealth in the Indian Ocean raiding the trade routes...

Henry Every - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Henry Every, also known as Henry Avery (Born: 20 August 1659; baptised: 23 August 1659 – disappeared June 1696), sometimes erroneously given as Jack Avery or John Avery,[a] was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. He probably used several aliases throughout his career, including Benjamin Bridgeman, and was known as Long Ben to his crewmen and associates.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Every#cite_note-9

Dubbed "The Arch Pirate" and "The King of Pirates" by contemporaries, Every was infamous for being one of very few major pirate captains to escape with his loot without being arrested or killed in battle, and for being the perpetrator of what has been called the most profitable act of piracy in history.[8] Although Avery's career as a pirate lasted only two years, his exploits captured the public's imagination, inspired others to take up piracy, and spawned works of literature.

His Flags...




Here is more...

The Most Successful Pirate You've Never Heard Of | HISTORY

In 1695, Henry Every became the world’s most prosperous pirate—and its most wanted man—after leading a bloody raid on an Indian treasure fleet.

www.history.com

Henry Every may not be as famous as later pirates like Blackbeard or Bartholomew Roberts, but his brief career may have inspired many of them to first take up the cutlass and set sail under the Jolly Roger. During just two years prowling the seas, Every and his band captured roughly a dozen vessels and made off with tens of millions of dollars in booty. His exploits inspired songs, books and plays, including one called “The Successful Pyrate” that was performed on London stages for several years. Most astonishing of all—and unlike Blackbeard and many others—he did it all without getting captured or killed.

His pirate ship was fast...

Fancy (ship) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Fancy was initially a 46-gun privateer named Charles II – after Charles II of Spain – in Spanish service, commanded by a Captain Gibson, and was anchored at A Coruña, Spain. On 7 May 1694, Henry Every and a few other conspirators organised and carried out a successful mutiny and, setting Captain Gibson ashore, left A Coruña for the Cape of Good Hope. At this time, Charles II was renamed Fancy.

Upon arriving at the Cape, Every sailed to the island of Johanna (Anjouan) in the Comoros Islands, where he had Fancy careened, removing barnacles and weed from the section of the hull that was permanently below water, increasing her speed. He also had Fancy razeed, intentionally removing parts of the ship's superstructure in order to increase her speed. Following this work, Fancy became one of the fastest ships active in the Indian Ocean, and Every used this speed to attack and take a French pirate ship, looting the vessel and recruiting approximately 40 of the crew to his own ship, leaving him with a total complement of around 150.

 

[5fish]

Here is Dutch Pirates... @rittmeister you have more pirate names... not much raiding in the North Sea...

Ten Notorious Dutch Pirates

While there have been pirates and privateers of all nationalities, some Dutch mariners were particularly troublesome in the early modern period, targeting, in particular, the Spanish Main but also shipping...

www.worldhistory.org

While there have been pirates and privateers of all nationalities, some Dutch mariners were particularly troublesome in the early modern period, targeting, in particular, the Spanish Main but also shipping in the eastern Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Known as zee-roovers, these pirates and privateers often acted for and were funded by private consortiums, the Dutch West India Company, or even the Dutch government. Here are 10 Dutchmen who plagued the High Seas in the 16th and 17th centuries.

 

[5fish]

A band of Pirates...

Dunkirkers - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

During the Dutch Revolt (1568–1648), the Dunkirkers or Dunkirk Privateers were commerce raiders in the service of the Spanish monarchy and later the Kingdom of France. They were also part of the Dunkirk fleet, which consequently was a part of the Spanish monarchy's Flemish fleet (Armada de Flandes). The Dunkirkers operated from the ports of the Flemish coast: Nieuwpoort, Ostend, and Dunkirk. Throughout the Eighty Years' War, the fleet of the Dutch Republic repeatedly tried to destroy the Dunkirkers. The first Dunkirkers sailed a group of warships outfitted by the Spanish government, but non-government investment in privateering soon led to a more numerous fleet of privately owned and outfitted warships.

The Dunkirkers | Piracy | Stronghold Nation

Dunkirkers were Dutch Commerce Raiders (Mercenaries), in service to Spain. Their fleet of ships, known as “The Dunkirk Fleet”, operated of …

www.stronghold-nation.com

Dunkirkers were Dutch Commerce Raiders (Mercenaries), in service to Spain. Their fleet of ships, known as “The Dunkirk Fleet”, operated off The Flemish Coast. They were very effective during The Eighty Years War. The majority of The Dunkirker Fleet was Spanish built and armed Warships (Galleons). They did use non-Spanish built ships (mostly captured and refitted Dutch ships). They were at their height from 1577 to 1583. Brutal and unyielding – The Dunkirkers captured and sunk hundreds of vessels for Spain. They were well paid and well-equipped. Operating out of Dunkirk, they were issued “Letters of Marque”. Many of Spain's famed “Walloon Guards” (also made up of foreigners), joined The Dunkirkers. They existed (in some form until 1721

 

[5fish]

@alexjack ... Welsh pirates...

Category:Welsh pirates - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Wales was the true home of pirates

THEY came from the landed gentry and families of impoverished farmhands to unite on the ocean waves where they would strike terror into the hearts of all those unfortunate enough to cross their path.

www.walesonline.co.uk

There have been few better exponents of the black arts of piracy than the Welsh. Mr Meirion said three of the characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island were based on the Welsh pirates Harri Morgan, from Llanrhymney, Black Bart (John Roberts) from Pembrokeshire, and Hywel Davies, from Fishguard.

 

[alexjack]

@alexjack ... Welsh pirates...

Category:Welsh pirates - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Wales was the true home of pirates

THEY came from the landed gentry and families of impoverished farmhands to unite on the ocean waves where they would strike terror into the hearts of all those unfortunate enough to cross their path.

www.walesonline.co.uk

There have been few better exponents of the black arts of piracy than the Welsh. Mr Meirion said three of the characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island were based on the Welsh pirates Harri Morgan, from Llanrhymney, Black Bart (John Roberts) from Pembrokeshire, and Hywel Davies, from Fishguard.

Wow! I share a surname with one of them.

 

[rittmeister]

Wow! I share a surname with one of them.

one that doesn't appear to have been all that skilled got ambushed and killed to conclude a rather short 'career'

 

[alexjack]

one that doesn't appear to have been all that skilled View attachment 13890got ambushed and killed to conclude a rather short 'career'

Runs in the family.

 

[diane]

Maybe not in the ruthless category, but a pirate nonetheless: Jack London. He was an oyster pirate! San Francisco Bay had huge oyster beds, seeded from the larger East Coast oysters, as a cheap food source for laborers. It was very lucrative to sneak in at night and raid the beds. London's ship was the Razzle Dazzle, and he wrote a book about his adventures as a pirate: The Cruise of the Dazzler. Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon on the Oakland estuary was a pirate hangout - it is the oldest saloon in California and has a remarkably sloping floor, courtesy of the 1906 earthquake. It was here Jack met the seal hunting fleet captain who became the model for Wolf Larsen in Sea Wolf - spent a lot of time there!

 

[rittmeister]

Maybe not in the ruthless category, but a pirate nonetheless: Jack London. He was an oyster pirate! San Francisco Bay had huge oyster beds, seeded from the larger East Coast oysters, as a cheap food source for laborers. It was very lucrative to sneak in at night and raid the beds. London's ship was the Razzle Dazzle, and he wrote a book about his adventures as a pirate: The Cruise of the Dazzler. Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon on the Oakland estuary was a pirate hangout - it is the oldest saloon in California and has a remarkably sloping floor, courtesy of the 1906 earthquake. It was here Jack met the seal hunting fleet captain who became the model for Wolf Larsen in Sea Wolf - spent a lot of time there!

no canons = no pirate

 

[diane]

Oh, cannons? Got 'em! The French revolutionary/pirate Hippolyte de Bouchard raided the Presidio de Monterey, El Presidio de Santa Barbara and the Mission de San Juan de Capistrano. Captured Monterey for a while and he's why part of southern California was part of Argentina for a week. Having learned his chops in the French navy, he decided he didn't like the way that revolution turned out so he went to Argentina, where there was another revolution going on. He did have a letter of marque from them, so he was a sort of legal pirate!

 

[Wehrkraftzersetzer]

no canons = no pirate

bollocks

pirata (technically female but natural male) is a Latin word NO cannons in the entire Roman History
(o/c not counting the exploding Vesuv barrel)