and piracy-related activities. This
list includes both captains and prominent crew members. For a list
of female pirates, see
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
| Giorgio
Adorno |
d. 1558 |
|
Malta |
Knight of Malta active in the
Mediterranean. Originally from Naples , he was
elected "Captain-General of the Galleys" in 1547, 1549, 1557 and
1558. |
| James Alday |
1516–1576 |
1540s |
England |
An English privateer. Raided Spanish ports with James Logan and William
Cooke. |
| William
Aleyn |
fl. 1448 |
1440s |
England |
English pirate active in the Thames and English
Channel . Associate of William
Kyd. |
| Richard
Allen |
d. 1572 |
|
England |
|
| Jean Ango |
1480–1551 |
|
France |
A French ship-owner who provided ships to Francis I for exploration of the
globe. |
| Aruj |
1474–1518 |
1503–1518 |
Ottoman Empire |
An Ottoman privateer and Bey
(Governor) of Algiers and Beylerbey (Chief Governor) of the West
Mediterranean. |
| Awilda |
5th century |
|
Scandinavia |
She and some of her female friends dressed like sailors and
commandeered a ship. |
| Hayreddin
Barbarossa |
1478–1546 |
1504–1545 |
Ottoman Empire |
An Ottoman privateer and later Admiral who dominated the
Mediterranean for decades. |
| Baldassare
Cossa |
1370–1415 |
|
Procida |
Antipope during the Western Schism, John XXIII was accused
of—among other crimes—piracy, incest and sodomy. |
| Pier Gerlofs
Donia |
1480–1520 |
|
Germany (Frisia) |
a Frisian warrior, pirate, freedom
fighter, folk hero and rebel. |
| Eric of
Pomerania |
1382–1459 |
|
Germany (Pomerania) |
The first king of the Nordic Kalmar
Union, he spent his last years living on the island of Gothland and "sent forth piratical expeditions
against friend and foe alike". |
| Eustace the
Monk |
c. 1170–1217 |
|
France |
He was a mercenary for both England and France. |
| Alv
Erlingsson |
d. 1290 |
|
Norway |
He was a favorite of the Queen, yet committed countless acts of
piracy throughout his life |
| Jean Fleury |
fl. 1523 |
1520s |
France |
French privateer and naval officer under Jean Ango. Seized three Spanish ships carrying
Aztec treasure from Mexico to Spain in
1523. |
| Magnus
Heinason |
1545–1589 |
|
Faroe
Islands |
Faroese naval hero and privateer. Was
executed for piracy, though charges were later dropped. |
| Klein
Henszlein |
d. 1573 |
to 1573 |
Germany |
A 16th century pirate who raided shipping in the North Sea
until his defeat and capture by a fleet from Hamburg |
| Wijerd
Jelckama |
1490–1523 |
|
Germany (Frisia) |
The
nephew of Pier Gerlofs Donia (also known as Grutte Pier), fought
along his side against the Saxon and Hollandic invaders. |
| William Kyd |
fl. 1430–1453 |
1430s–1450s |
England |
English pirate active in Southeast
England during the early to-mid 15th century. |
| Gödeke
Michels |
d. 1402 |
to 1402 |
Germany |
A German pirate and one of the leaders of the Likedeeler, a combination of former
Vitalienbrüder |
| Didrik
Pining |
c.1430–1491 |
|
Denmark-Norway |
A
pirate and privateer operating in the North Sea .
Often partnered with Hans
Pothorst. |
| Hans
Pothorst |
c.1440–1490 |
|
Denmark-Norway |
A
pirate and privateer operating in the North Sea .
Often partnered with Didrik
Pining. |
| Salih Reis |
1488–1568 |
|
Ottoman Empire |
A Turkish privateer and Ottoman admiral. |
| Turgut Reis |
1485–1565 |
|
Ottoman Empire |
A Turkish privateer and Ottoman admiral as well as Bey of
Algiers; Beylerbey of the Mediterranean; and first Bey later Pasha
of Tripoli. |
| Klaus
Störtebeker |
1360–1401 |
|
Germany |
He was a leader of the Victual
Brothers. |
| Kristoffer
Trondson |
c.1500–1565 |
c.1535–1542 |
Norway |
A Norwegian nobleman-turned pirate and privateer. Operated in the
North Sea and the
Baltic Sea . Gave
up piracy in 1542 and eventually became admiral of the Danish
Fleet. |
| Hennig
Wichmann |
1370–1402 |
149?–1402 |
Germany (Frisia) |
One of the leaders of the Likedeeler,
an association of former Victual
Brothers. |
| Cord
Widderich |
d. 1447 |
1404–1447 |
Germany |
A
pirate active during political conflicts between Dithmarschen and North Frisia in the early fifteenth
century. |
| Magister
Wigbold |
1365–1402 |
1392–1402 |
Germany |
Often described as the brains behind the Victual Brothers. |
| Wimund |
b. 1147 |
|
England |
He was a bishop who became a sea-faring war-lord
adventurer. |
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
| Nicholas
Alvel |
early 17th century |
1603 |
England |
Active in the Ionian
Sea . |
| Pedro
Menéndez de Avilés |
1519-1574 |
1565 |
Spanish |
A
Spanish Admiral and pirate hunter, de Aviles is remembered for his
destruction of the French settlement of Fort
Caroline in
1565. |
| Samuel Axe |
early 17th century |
1629-1645 |
England |
An English privateer in Dutch service, Axe served with English
forces in the Dutch Revolt against
Habsburg rule. |
| Sir Andrew
Barton |
1466-1511 |
to 1511 |
Scotland |
Served under a Scottish letter of
marque, but was described a pirate by English and
Portuguese. |
| Abraham
Blauvelt |
d. 1663 |
1640-1663 |
Netherlands |
One of the last Dutch corsairs of the mid-17th
century, Blauvelt mapped much of South
America. |
| Nathaniel
Butler |
b. 1578 |
1639 |
England |
Despite a comparatively unsuccessful career
as a privateer, Butler was later colonial governor of Bermuda . |
| Jan de Bouff |
early 17th century |
1602 |
Netherlands |
de Bouff served as a Dunkirker in
Habsburg service during the Dutch
Revolt. |
| John
Callis |
c. 1558-1587? |
c. 1574-1587 |
England |
Welsh pirate active along the southern coast of Wales. |
| Hendrik
Brower |
1581-1643 |
1600,
1643
|
Netherlands |
Brouwer was a privateer who fought the
Habsburgs during the Dutch revolt, holding the city of Castro, Chile hostage for
a period of two months. |
| Thomas
Cavendish |
1560-1592 |
1587-1592 |
England |
The first man to intentionally circumnavigate the globe,
Cavendish also raided numerous Spanish towns and ships in the New
World. |
| Matsuura
Takanobu |
1529-1599 |
|
Japan |
One
of the most powerful feudal lords of Kyūshū and
one of the first lords to allow trading with Europeans |
| Zheng
Zhilong |
1604-1662 |
1623-1645 |
China |
A convert to Christianity, Zhilon collaborated with Dutch
forces, helping to create a monopoly on trade with Japan. |
| Zheng Jing |
1643-1682 |
1662-1682 |
China |
Chinese pirate and warlord. The eldest son of Koxinga and grandson of Zheng Zhilong, he succeeded his father as
ruler of Tainan and
briefly occupied Fukien. |
| Wang Zhi |
16th century |
1551-1555 |
China |
One of the chief figures amongst the wokou
of the 16th century. |
| Francois le
Clerc |
16th century |
1650s-1660s |
France |
Known
for his sacking of Santiago de
Cuba in
1554 |
| Jacob
Collaart |
17th century |
1625-1635 |
Netherlands |
A Flemish admiral who served as
privateer and one of the Dunkirkers in Spanish Habsburg service
during the Dutch Revolt, responsible for the destruction of at
least 150 fishing boats. |
| Claes
Compaan |
1587-1660 |
1621-1627 |
Netherlands |
Former Dutch corsair and privateer, he later became a pirate
and was successful in capturing hundreds of ships in Europe, the Barbary
coast and West Africa. |
| Baltazar de
Cordes |
d.1601? |
1598-1601 |
Netherlands |
A Dutch corsair who fought against the Spanish during the early
17th Century. |
| Simon the
Dancer |
fl. 1606-1609 |
1600s |
Netherlands |
One
of the leading Barbary corsairs, was
based in Algiers and Tunis during the
early 17th century. |
| Simon
Danziker |
d. 1611 |
1600s-1610s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair and privateer who later became a Barbary corsair. He and John Ward dominated the Western Mediterranean
during the early 17th century. |
| De Veenboer |
d. 1620 |
1600s-1610s |
Netherlands |
Former Dutch corsair and privateer. Later became a Barbary corsair under Simon the Dancer and eventually commanded
the Algiers corsair fleet. |
| Uluj Ali |
1519-1587 |
1536-1550 |
Turkey |
An Italian-born Muslim corsair, who later
became an Ottoman admiral and Chief Admiral (Kaptan-ı Derya) of the
Ottoman Fleet in the 16th century. |
| Sir Francis
Drake |
1540-1596 |
1563-1596 |
England |
Known as "el Draque" (the Dragon), he was considered a hero in
England, but little more than a pirate in Spain. |
| Peter Easton |
1570-1619 |
1602 |
England |
A privateer, then pirate, who was able to retire in Villefranche, Savoy with
an estimated worth of two million pounds. |
| Daniel
Elfrith |
1607-1640 |
|
England |
English privateer and slave trader in the
West Indies . |
| Jan Evertsen |
|
1630s |
Netherlands |
Dutch admiral and corsair. |
| Juan
Garcia |
fl. 1622 |
1620s |
Spain |
One of the Spanish privateers who accompanied Jan Jacobsen on his last voyage in 1622. |
| Sir Michael
Geare |
c. 1565-? |
c. 1584-1603 |
England |
Elizabethan Sea Dog active in the West Indies up until the turn
of the 17th century. |
| Sir John
Hawkins |
1532-1595 |
1554, 1564, 1567 |
England |
A some-time pirate, his work in ship design was important
during the threat of invasion from the Spanish Armada. |
| Piet
Hein |
1577-1629 |
1628 |
Netherlands |
After serving as a Spanish galley slave for four years, Hein
later captured 11,509,524 guilders of cargo from the Spanish
treasure fleet. |
| Pieter Adriaanszoon
Ita |
fl. 1628-1630 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair and privateer. Commanded one of the earliest and
largest expeditions against the Portugal and Spain in the Caribbean
during 1628. |
| Jan Jacobsen |
d. 1622 |
1610s-1620s |
Netherlands |
Flemish-born privateer in English service during the Eighty Years' War. |
| Willem
Jacobszoon |
fl. 1624-1625 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair who accompanied Pieter
Schouten on one of the first major expeditions to the West
Indies. |
| Jan Janz |
c. 1570-c. 1641 |
1590s-1640s |
Netherlands |
Dutch privateer taken captive by Barbary corsairs and later became one
himself. |
| Willem
Jansen |
fl. 1600 |
1600s |
Netherlands |
Dutch
corsair based in Duinkerken and one time
officer under Jacques
Colaert. |
| Cornelius
Jol |
1597-1641 |
1630s-1640s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair successful against the Spanish in the West
Indies. One of the first to use a wooden peg
leg. |
| Sir James
Lancaster |
1554-1618 |
1591-1603 |
England |
Elizabethan Sea Dog active in India during the late 16th
century. Later a chief director for the East India Company. |
| Guillaume Le
Testu |
1509-1573 |
1560s-1570s |
France |
French privateer, explorer and cartographer. First navigator to
chart Australia in 1531. |
| Hendrick
Jacobszoon Lucifer |
1583-1627 |
1627 |
Netherlands |
Hendrick captured 1.2 million guilders from a Honduran
treasure fleet, but was mortally wounded in the process. |
| Sir Henry
Mainwaring |
1587-1653 |
1610-1616 |
England |
English privateer and pirate hunter. His pirate fleet nearly
broke the truce between England and Spain following the Anglo-Spanish War. |
| Olivier van
Noort |
1558-1627 |
1598-1601 |
Netherlands |
Despite his venture being of limited success, it was the
inspiration that led to the formation of the Dutch East India Company. |
| John Nutt |
|
1620-1623 |
England |
An
English pirate active in Newfoundland . |
| Grace
O'Malley |
1530-1603 |
1560s-1600s |
Ireland |
An important figure in Irish legend who is still present in
popular culture today. |
| John
Oxenham |
1536-1580 |
1570s-1600s |
England |
Elizabethan Sea Dog and associate of Sir Frances Drake during the early years of the
Anglo-Spanish War. First English privateer to enter the Pacific
though Panama. |
| William
Parker |
1587-1617 |
1590s-1570s |
England |
Elizabethan Sea Dog active in the West Indies. Successfully
attacked Porto Bello in 1602 without
firing a shot. |
| Pedro de la
Plesa |
fl. 1622 |
1620s |
Spanish |
He and Juan Garcia who
joined Jan Jacobsen on his final voyage
in 1622. |
| Murat Reis the
Elder |
1506-1608 |
1534-1608 |
Rhodes |
A Turkish privateer and Ottoman admiral who took part in all of
the early naval campaigns of Turgut
Reis. |
| Assan Reis |
fl. 1626 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Former Dutch privateer turned Barbary
corsair. He attacked the Dutch ship St. Jan Babtista
under Jacob Jacobsen of Ilpendam on March 7, 1626. |
| James
Riskinner |
17th century |
1630s |
England |
A lieutenant on the ship Warwick, then part of a fleet
under the command of Nathaniel Butler, he later took part in a
privateering expedition between May-September 1639. |
| Isaac
Rochussen |
1631-1710 |
1660s-1670s |
Netherlands |
A Dutch corsair active against the English during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch War. His capture of
The Falcon, an East India
merchantman, was one of the most valuable prizes captured during
the late-17th century. |
| Mahieu
Romboutsen |
fl. 1636 |
1630s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair in the service of Spain. Was part of a three ship
squadron under Jacques Colaert and
was captured with him after a five hour battle with Jan Evertsen. |
| William Rous |
fl. 1636-1645 |
1630s-1640s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair and privateer based on Providence Island. He was involved in
privateering expeditions for the Providence Island Company and
later commander of Fort Henry. |
| Jan van Ryen |
d. 1627 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair active in the West Indies. Reportedly killed
with a number of colonists attempting to establish one of the first
colonies on the Wiapoco in Dutch
Guiana . |
| Pieter
Schouten |
fl. 1624-1625 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair who led one of the Dutch expeditions to the West
Indies. |
| breggemans
schreuders |
fl. 1620 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
A dutch corsair who accompanied Filips van Zuylen in his expeditions to
the east indies. |
| Jacques de
Sores |
16th century |
1555 |
France |
A
French pirate whose sole documented act was his attack and burning
of Havana in
1555. |
| Dirck
Simonszoon van Uitgeest |
fl. 1628-1629 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch
corsair who commanded a WIC expedition to Brazil bringing
back over 12 Portuguese and Spanish prizes. |
| Sir Thomas
Verney |
1584-1615 |
1600s-1610s |
England |
English nobleman who left behind his inheritance to become a
Barbary corsair. |
| Johannes van
Walbeeck |
fl. 1634 |
1620s-1630s |
Netherlands |
Dutch admiral and corsair. Captured Curacao in 1634 and
later served as governor. |
| John
Ward |
1552-1622 |
1603-1610s |
England |
A
notorious English pirate around the turn of the 17th century who
later became a Barbary Corsair operating out
of Tunis during the
early 1600s. |
| Cornelis
Wittebol |
fl. 1622 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair in Spanish service. In February 1622,
attacked a fishing fleet from the Veere and
Maasmond sinking several ships and bringing
back the survivors to ransom in Duinkerken . |
| Jacob
Willekens |
1571-1633 |
1590s-1630s |
Netherlands |
Dutch admiral who led Dutch corsairs on the first major
privateering expedition to the West Indies. |
| Hendrik
Worst |
fl. 1624 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair who accompanied Pieter
Schouten in his expedition to the West Indies. |
| Filips van
Zuylen |
fl. 1624 |
1620s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair active against the Portuguese in West Africa. Failed to capture Loanda in early 1624. |
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
| Vincenzo
Allesandri |
d. 1657 |
|
Italy |
Originally a Knight of Malta, Allesandri was captured and
enslaved. |
| Michiel
Andrieszoon |
17th century |
1680s |
Netherlands |
Dutch merchant-pirate. Associated with Thomas Paine and Laurens de Graff. |
| John Ansell |
d. 1689 |
|
England |
Sailed with Henry
Morgan and participated in his raids against Maracaibo and
Gibraltar , Venezuela . |
| Captain
Archembeau |
d. 1681 |
1670s-1680s |
France |
French buccaneer active in the Caribbean. |
| Jean Bart |
1651-1702 |
1672-1697 |
France |
Born the son of a fisherman, Bart retired an Admiral in French service. |
| Philippe
Bequel |
17th century |
1650-1669 |
France |
Was one of the first foreign privateers awarded a letter of
marque by the governor of Jamaica |
| Jacob Janssen
van den Bergh |
fl. 1660 |
1650s-1660s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair and slave trader for the Dutch West India Company. |
| Lancelot
Blackburne |
1653-1743 |
1680-1684 |
England |
Blackburne was an English clergyman, who became Archbishop of
York, and – in popular belief – a pirate. |
| Eduardo
Blomar |
d. 1679 |
1670s |
Spain |
Spanish renegade active in the Spanish
Main during the 1670s. Tried in absentia and convicted of
piracy with Bartolomé Charpes
and Juan Guartem in Panama in
1679. |
| Pierre Bot |
17th century |
1680s |
France |
French buccaneer active in the Caribbean. |
| Manuel
Butiens |
fl. 1645 |
1640s |
Netherlands |
Dutch renegade and Dunkirker in the
service of Spain. |
| Bartolomé
Charpes |
d. 1679 |
1680s |
Spain |
Spanish renegade who was tried in absentia and convicted of
piracy with Edwardo Blomar and
Juan Guartem in Panama by Governor Don
Dionicio Alceda in 1679. |
| Edward
Collier |
17th century |
1668-1671 |
England |
Served as Sir Henry Morgan's second-in-command throughout much
of his expeditions against Spain during the mid-17th century. |
| John
Cooke |
d. 1683 |
1680s |
England |
English buccaneer who led an expedition against the Spanish in
the early 1680s. |
| John
Coxon |
d. 1689 |
1677-1682 |
England |
One of the most famous of the Brethren of the Coast, a loose
consortium of pirates and privateers who were active on the
Spanish Main. |
| William
Dampier |
1651-1715 |
1670-1688 |
England |
Was the first person to circumnavigate the world three
times. |
| Edward Davis |
17th century |
1680-1688 |
England |
Led the last major buccaneer raid against Panama. |
| John Davis |
17th century |
|
England |
Davis was one of the earliest and most active buccaneers on
Jamaica. |
| Jacquotte
Delahaye |
17th century |
1660s |
France |
Delahaye was a French Buccaneer, and together with Anne
Dieu-Le-Veut was one of very few female buccaneers. |
| Anne
Dieu-Le-Veut |
b. 1650 |
1650-1704 |
France |
Was originally one of the women – "Filles de Roi" – sent by the
French government to Tortuga to become wives to the local male
colonists. |
| Charlotte de
Berry |
17th century |
1660s |
England |
A female pirate, she later commanded her own ship. |
| Cornelius
Essex |
d. 1680 |
1670s |
England |
An English buccaneer who took part in Captain Bartholomew
Sharp's privateering expedition, the "Pacific Adventure", during
the late 1670s. |
| Laurens de
Graaf |
1653-1704 |
1672-1697 |
Netherlands |
Characterised as "a great and mischievous pirate" by Henry
Morgan, de Graaf was a Dutch pirate, mercenary, and naval officer
in the service of the French colony of Saint-Domingue. |
| Michel de
Grammont |
1645-1686 |
1670-1686 |
France |
A French buccaneer, de Grammont primarily attacked Spanish
holdings in Venezuela. |
| Jean du
Casse |
1646-1715 |
168?-1697 |
France |
Born to Huguenot parents, du Casse was
allowed to join the French navy on the value of his prizes taken
while a buccaneer. |
| Alexandre
Exquemelin |
1645-1707 |
1669-1674
1697
|
France |
A French writer, most known as the author of one of the most
important sourcebooks of seventeenth century piracy, De
Americaensche Zee-Roovers. |
| Jean Foccard |
17th century |
1680s |
France |
Associate of Laurens de Graaf
and Michel de Grammont.
He later
joined them in their attack on Tampico in
1682. |
| "Red Legs"
Greaves |
17th Century |
|
Scotland/Ireland |
Greaves's nickname was based on a commonly used term for
reddened legs often seen among the Scottish and Irish who took to
wearing kilts in almost any weather. |
| Juan Guartem |
17th Century |
1670s |
Spain |
A Spanish renegade pirate who raided Spanish settlements in New
Spain during the late 17th century with his most notable raid being
against Chepo in 1679. |
| Peter
Harris |
d. 1680 |
1670s |
England |
English buccaneer and member of Captain Bartholomew Sharp's "Pacific Expedition".
Killed at
Panama in
1680. |
| Jean Hamlin |
17th century |
1680s |
Anglo-French |
French buccaneer active in the Caribbean. Later hunted down by
Captain John Coxon. |
| Richard
Hawkins |
1562-1622 |
1593-1594 |
England |
A buccaneer and explorer who was later knighted. |
| George Hout |
fl. 1687 |
1680s |
England |
English buccaneer who joined Francois Grogniet and Pierre le Picard in their raid on Guayaquil in
1687. |
| William
Jackson |
17th century |
1639-1645 |
England |
It
was the fleet under his command that captured Jamaica for
England. |
| Bartholomeus de
Jager |
fl. 1655 |
1650s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair active against the Portuguese. He attacked a
small merchant fleet at Fernando
Noronha capturing one merchant ship and driving off the
other. |
| Daniel
Johnson |
1629-1675 |
1657-1675 |
England |
Became known as "Johnson the Terror" amongst the Spanish. |
| William
Knight |
17th century |
1684-1686 |
England |
Along with Edward Davis, he took
part in the final large buccaneer attack on Spanish holdings. |
| Pierre Le
Grand |
17th century |
|
France |
Known only for a single attack against a Spanish galleon, his
existence is disputed. |
| Captain
Lessone |
17th century |
|
France |
French buccaneer who sailed with John Coxon during the early 1680s. |
| Thomas
Magott |
17th century |
1680s |
England |
English buccaneer who sailed with Bartholomew Sharp and others on the
"Pacific Adventure". |
| Edward
Mansvelt |
d. 1666 |
1650s-1660s |
Curacao |
Dutch buccaneer in English service. Known as the Admiral of the
"Brethren of the Coast",
Mansvelt was a mentor to Sir Henry
Morgan who succeeded him following his death. |
| Marquis
de Maintenon |
1648-1691 |
1672-1676 |
France |
A French nobleman who became a buccaneer in the Caribbean,
selling his castle and title to Madame de Maintenon |
| David
Marteen |
17th century |
1663-1665 |
Netherlands |
Known
primarily as the sole non-English Captain who participated in the
raids against Spanish strongholds in present-day Mexico and
Nicaragua . |
| Daniel
Montbars |
1645-1701? |
1660s-1670s |
France |
A former French naval officer and gentleman adventurer, he
engaged in a violent and destructive war against Spain in the
Caribbean and the Spanish Main. His
hatred of the Spanish earned him the name "Montbars the
Exterminator". |
| Sir Henry
Morgan |
1635-1688 |
1663-1674 |
Wales |
A
privateer (and pirate) who later retired to become Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica . |
| John
Morris |
17th century |
1663-1672 |
England |
A skilled pilot, he served with
both Christopher Myngs and
Henry Morgan before becoming a pirate
hunter. |
| Sir Christopher
Myngs |
1625-1666 |
1650s-1660s |
England |
Described as "unhinged and out of tune" by the governor of
Jamaica, Myngs nevertheless became a Vice-Admiral of the Blue in the
Royal Navy. |
| François
l'Ollonais |
1635-1668 |
1660-1668 |
France |
Nicknamed "Flail of the Spaniards", l'Ollonais had a reputation
for brutality, offering no quarter to Spanish prisoners. |
| Pierre Le
Picard |
fl. 1666-1690 |
1660s-1690s |
France |
An officer under l'Ollonais, he and
Moise Vauquelin left to pursue a
career on their own. He later served in King William's War. |
| Chevalier du
Plessis |
d. 1668 |
1660s |
France |
French privateer active in the West Indies. He was succeeded by
Moise Vauquelin following his
death. |
| Baron Jean de
Pointis |
1635-1707 |
1690s |
France |
His greatest venture was the 1697 Raid of Cartagena. |
| Thomas Pound |
d. 1703 |
1689 |
England |
Briefly commanded a small ship near Massachusetts before
being captured. |
| Bartolomeo
Português |
b. 1630 |
1666-1669 |
Portugal |
One of the earliest pirates to use a pirate code. |
| Lawrence
Prince |
fl. 1659-1672 |
1650s-1670s |
Netherlands |
Dutch buccaneer in English service. An officer under Sir
Henry Morgan, he and John Morris led the vanguard at Panama in
1671. |
| Roche
Braziliano |
17th century |
1654-1671 |
Netherlands |
Roasted two Spanish farmers alive when they refused to hand
over their pigs. |
| Philip Ras |
fl. 1652-1655 |
1650s |
Netherlands |
Captured several English ships as both a corsair and privateer
during the First Anglo-Dutch
War. |
| Thomas
Paine |
17th century |
1680s |
England |
A
colonial American privateer who raided several settlements in the
West Indies with
Jan Willems, most notably against
Rio de la Hacha in
1680. He also drove the French from Block Island . |
| Manuel Rivero
Pardel |
d. 1671 |
1668-1671 |
Portugal |
Portuguese privateer in the service of
Spain .
One of
the few successful privateers active against the buccaneers of the Caribbean during the
late 17th century. |
| Stenka Razin |
1630-1671 |
|
Russia |
A
Cossack pirate who operated on the Volga and later expanded into the Caspian Sea . |
| Richard
Sawkins |
d. 1680 |
1679-1680 |
England |
Participated, along with John
Coxon and Bartholomew Sharp,
in the surprise attack on Santa
Maria |
| Lewis Scot |
fl. 1663 |
1660s |
England |
Known
for his attack on the city of Campeche , on the
Yucatan Peninsula . |
| Bartholomew
Sharp |
1650-1690 |
1679-1682 |
England |
Plundered 25 Spanish ships and numerous small towns. |
| Gustav
Skytte |
1637-1663 |
1657-1663 |
Sweden |
Attacked ships in the Baltic
Sea , along with
other accomplices of noble descent. |
| Bernard Claesen
Speirdyke |
fl. 1663-1670 |
1660s-1670s |
Netherlands |
Dutch buccaneer active in the Caribbean, he was captured by
Captain Manuel Rivero Pardel
near Cuba and later executed. |
| Charles Swan |
17th century |
|
England |
A reluctant pirate, he begged for a pirate even as he looted
his way around South America. |
| Jacques
Tavernier |
1625-1673 |
1664-1673 |
France |
French buccaneer who took part in expeditions with Laurens de Graaf, Michel de Grammont, Pierre Le Grand, François l'Ollonais and Sir
Henry Morgan before his execution in
1673. His existence is disputed as the only pre-twentieth century
reference to him appears in Appleton's
Cyclopedia of American Biography. |
| Nicholas van
Hoorn |
1635-1683 |
1663-1683 |
Netherlands |
Merchant, privateer and later pirate, van Hoorn was hugely
successful before dying of wound infection. |
| Cornelis
Janszoon van de Velde |
fl. 1655 |
1650s |
Netherlands |
Dutch corsair active near the Antillen, he was briefly
associated with Bartholomeus de
Jager. |
| Moise
Vauquelin |
fl. 1650-1672 |
1650s-1670s |
France |
An officer under l'Ollonais, he also
had a partnership with Pierre le
Picard. In his later years, he wrote a book detailing the
coastline of Honduras and the Yucatan along with fellow buccaneer
Philippe Bequel. |
| Lionel Wafer |
1640-1705 |
1679-1688 |
Wales |
An
explorer whose work helped inspire the Darien
Scheme . |
| Yankey
Willems |
fl. 1681-1687 |
1680s |
Netherlands |
Dutch buccaneer active in the Caribbean. |
| William
Wright |
17th century |
1675-1682 |
England |
Despite being English, Wright was active as a privateer under a
French commission. He later became a buccaneer. |
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
| Thomas
Anstis |
d. 1723 |
1718-1723 |
England |
Was mainly active in the Caribbean, and served under first
Howell Davis and later Bartholomew Roberts. |
| Bartholomew
Roberts |
1682-1722 |
1719-1722 |
Wales |
The most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy,
estimated to have captured more than 470 vessels. |
| George
Booth |
d. 1700 |
1696-1700 |
England |
One
of the earliest pirates active in the Indian
Ocean and
Red Sea . |
| John
Bowen |
d. 1704 |
1700-1704 |
Bermuda |
Was
active in the Indian Ocean , his
contemporaries included George
Booth and Nathaniel
North. |
| Samuel
Bellamy |
1689-1717 |
1716-1717 |
England |
Despite having a career of less than year, Bellamy was very
successful, capturing more than 50 ships before his death. |
| Blackbeard |
1680-1718 |
1712-1718 |
England |
With his fearsome appearance, Blackbeard is often credited with
the creation of the stereotypical image of a pirate. |
| Black
Caesar |
d. 1718 |
1700s-1718 |
Africa |
A
captured slave turned pirate, Black Caesar was a well-known pirate
active off the Florida Keys during the
early 18th century. He later acted as a lieutenant to
Blackbeard and was one of five Africans serving on his
flagship. |
| Stede Bonnet |
1688-1718 |
1717-1718 |
Barbados |
Nicknamed "The Gentleman Pirate", Bonnet was born into a
wealthy family before turning to piracy. |
| Anne Bonny |
1698-1782 |
to 1725 |
Ireland |
Despite never commanding a ship herself, Anne Bonny is
remembered as one of few female historical pirates. |
| Nicholas
Brown |
d. 1726 |
to 1726 |
England |
Active off the cost of Jamaica , Brown was
eventually killed – and his head pickled – by childhood friend
John Drudge. |
| Dirk Chivers |
early 18th century |
1694-1699 |
Netherlands |
Active in the Red Sea and
Indian Ocean , Chivers
later retired from piracy and returned to the
Netherlands. |
| Thomas
Cocklyn |
early 18th century |
1717 to death |
England |
Primarily known for his association with Howell Davis and Oliver La Buze, Cocklyn's activities after
1719 are unknown. |
| Christopher
Condent |
d. 1770 |
1718-1720 |
England |
After entering into piracy in 1718, Condent later took a prize
of £150,000 and retired to France, becoming a wealthy
merchant. |
| William
Condon |
d. 1721 |
to 1721 |
England |
Captaining the Fiery Dragon, Condon was killed when
she caught fire and sank. |
| Robert
Culliford |
early 18th century |
1690-1698 |
England |
The former first mate of William
Kidd, Culliford led a first mutiny against Kidd, stealing his
ship Blessed William. |
| Alexander
Dalzeel |
1662-1715 |
1685-1715 |
Scotland |
Served under Henry Every. Was
captured four times before finally being hanged. |
| Howell Davis |
1690-1719 |
1718-1719 |
Wales |
Having a career that lasted only
11 months, Davis was ambushed during an attempt to kidnap the
governor of Príncipe . |
| Edward
England |
1690-1720 |
1717-1720 |
Ireland |
Differing from many other pirates of his day, England did not
kill captives unless necessary. |
| John
Evans |
d. 1723 |
1722-1723 |
Wales |
After an unsuccessful career as a legitimate sailor, Evans
turned to piracy – initially raiding houses from a small
canoe. |
| Henry Every |
b. 1653 |
1695-1696 |
England |
Famous as one of the few pirates of the era who was able to
retire with his takings without being either arrested or killed in
battle. |
| John
Fenn |
d. 1723 |
to 1723 |
England |
Sailed with Bartholomew
Roberts and, later, Thomas
Anstis. |
| William Fly |
d. 1726 |
to 1726 |
England |
Raided off the New
England coast
before being captured and hanged at Boston , Massachusetts . |
| Ingela
Gathenhielm |
1692-1729 |
1718-1721 |
Sweden |
Widow
of Lars Gathenhielm, active on the Baltic
Sea . |
| Lars
Gathenhielm |
1689-1718 |
1710-1718 |
Sweden |
Active on the Baltic
Sea |
| Charles
Harris |
d. 1723 |
to 1723 |
England |
Joining the Barbary corsairs,
Harris converted to Islam before being
captured and later hanged. |
| John Halsey |
d. 1708 |
1705-1708 |
Colonial America |
Active in the Atlantic and Indian oceans, Halsey is remembered
by Defoe as "brave in his Person, courteous to all his Prisoners,
lived beloved, and died regretted by his own People." |
| Miguel
Henríquez |
b. 1680 |
early 18th century |
Spain / Puerto Rico |
Although born a shoemaker, Henríquez was later awarded a
letter of marque by Spain for his
actions against the British. |
| Benjamin
Hornigold |
d. 1719 |
1717-1719 |
England |
Known for being less aggressive than other pirates, Hornigold
once captured a ship for the sole purpose of seizing the crew's
hats. |
| Thomas
Howard |
early 18th century |
1698-1703 |
England |
Howard served under both George Booth and John Bowen and later commanded the
Prosperous. |
| "Calico Jack" John
Rackham |
1682-1720 |
to 1720 |
England |
Earned his nickname for the colourful calico clothes that he
wore. |
| Henry
Jennings |
d. 1745 |
1715 |
England |
Although later governor of the pirate haven
of New Providence , Jennings
only carried out two pirate acts – gaining an estimated 410,000
pesos. |
| John Julian |
d. 1733 |
1716-1717 |
Miskito origins |
Recorded as the first black pirate to operate in the New World. |
| James
Kelly |
d. 1701 |
to 1699 |
England |
Active in the Indian Ocean, Kelly was a long-time associate of
William Kidd. |
| William "Captain"
Kidd |
1645-1701 |
1695-1699 |
Scotland |
Although modern historians dispute the legitimacy of his trial
and execution, the rumor of Captain
Kidd's buried treasure has served only to build a legend around
the man as a great pirate. His property was claimed by the crown
and given to the Royal Hospital, Greenwich, by Queen Anne. |
| Olivier
Levasseur |
1680-1730 |
1716-1730 |
France |
Nicknamed "la Buse" (the Buzzard) for the speed with which he
attacked his targets, Levasseur left behind a cryptic message that
has yet to be deciphered fully today. |
| Edward "Ned"
Low |
1690-1724 |
1721-1724 |
England |
A pirate known for his vicious tortures, his methods were
described as having "done credit to the ingenuity of the Spanish
Inquisition in its darkest days". |
| George
Lowther |
d. 1723 |
to 1723 |
England |
Active in the Caribbean and the
Atlantic , one of
Lowther's lieutenants included Edward Low. |
| Christopher
Moody |
d. 1718 |
1713-1718 |
England |
Active off North and South Carolina, Moody offered no quarter
to captured crews, signified by his flying of a red standard. |
| Nathaniel
North |
b. 1672 |
1689-1704
1707-1709
|
Bermuda |
Active in the Indian
Ocean and
Red Sea , North
served with other famous contemporaries, including John Bowen and
George Booth. |
| William
Phillips |
d. 1724 |
|
England |
Phillips had his leg amputated by a John Phillips after being
shot. |
| James
Plantain |
early 18th century |
|
Denmark |
Plantain ruled the island of Madagascar between
1725 and 1728, primarily through fear, and was known as the "King
of Ranter Bay". |
| John
Quelch |
1666-1704 |
1703-1704 |
England |
Quelch was the first person tried for piracy outside England
under Admiralty Law and therefore without a jury. |
| Mary Read |
1690-1721 |
to 1720 |
England |
Along with Anne Bonny, one of few
female historical pirates. When captured, Bonny escaped hanging by
claiming she was pregnant, but died soon after of a fever while
still in prison. |
| Woodes
Rogers |
1679-1732 |
1709-1710 |
England |
Played a major role in the suppression of
pirates in the Caribbean . |
| Francis
Spriggs |
d. 1725 |
to 1725 |
England |
Along with George Lowther and
Edward Low, Spriggs was primarily active
in the Bay of Honduras during the
early 1720s. |
| John
Taylor |
early 18th century |
|
England |
At
Reunion Island , Taylor is
reputed to have captured the most valuable prize in pirate
history. |
| Thomas Tew |
d. 1695 |
1692-1695 |
England |
Despite only going on two pirate voyages, Tew pioneered a route
later known as the Pirate Round. |
| Charles Vane |
1680-1720 |
1716-1720 |
England |
Disliked due to his cruelty, Vane showed little respect for the
pirate code, cheating his crew out of
their shares in the takings. |
| Richard
Worley |
d. 1719 |
to 1719 |
England |
Credited as one of the first pirates to fly the skull and crossbones pirate flag. |
| Emanuel Wynn |
early 18th century |
|
France |
Was the first pirate to fly the Jolly
Roger. His design, however, also incorporate an hourglass below
the skull. |
|
|
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
| Tuanku Abbas |
early 19th century |
to 1844 |
Malaysia |
The brother of a rajah of Achin, known for his sponsoring and leading of pirate
raids. |
| Mansel
Alcantra |
fl. 1829 |
1820s |
Spain |
In 1829, he captured the Topaz off St. Helena and had the entire crew murdered. |
| Joseph
Baker |
d. 1800 |
1800 |
Canada |
The single piratical action of his career consisted of an
unsuccessful attempt to commandeer the sloop
Eliza. |
| Eric Cobham
and Maria Lindsey |
1700-1760 |
1720s-1740s |
England |
Cobham and his wife, Maria, were primarily
active in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence during the |
| Hippolyte de
Bouchard |
1780-1843 |
1817-1819 |
Argentina |
A
French and Argentine sailor who fought for Argentina, Chile and
Peru . |
| Henri Caesar |
early 18th century |
1805-1830 |
Haiti |
Haitian pirate active in the Caribbean during the early 18th
century. |
| Roberto
Cofresí |
1791-1825 |
to 1825 |
Puerto Rico |
Puerto Rico's most famous pirate, regarded by many as the
Puerto Rican equivalent of Robin
Hood. |
| Diabolito |
d. 1823 |
|
Cuba |
Cuban-born pirate active in the Caribbean during the
early 19th century. He was one of the first pirates to be
hunted down by Commodore David Porter
and the Mosquito Fleet
during the early 1820s. |
| Hezekiah
Frith |
Early 19th century |
1790s-1800s |
Bermuda |
British ship owner and smuggler known as Bermuda's "gentleman
privateer". Alleged to have used his business as a cover to
withhold cargo sized in privateering expeditions and amass a small
fortune. |
| Vincent
Gambi |
d. 1820 |
|
Italy |
A
pirate based out of New Orleans , he was an
associate of Jean Lafitte. |
| José
Gaspar |
1756-1821 |
1783-1821 |
Spain |
Though a popular figure in Florida folklore,
there is no pre-twentieth century evidence of his
existence. |
| Charles
Gibbs |
1798-1831 |
1816-1831 |
United States |
One of the last pirates active in the Caribbean, and one of the
last people executed for piracy by the United States. |
| "Don" Pedro
Gilbert |
1800-1834 |
1832-1834 |
Colombia |
Took part in the last recorded incident of piracy in Atlantic
waters. |
| Edward
Jordan |
1771-1809 |
1794-1809 |
Canada |
The
Irish-Canadian pirate of Nova
Scotia . |
| Nathaniel
Gordon |
1834-1862 |
1860 |
United States |
The first and only American slave trader to be tried,
convicted, and executed "for being engaged in the Slave Trade" in
accordance with the Piracy Law of 1820. |
| Catherine Hagerty and
Charlotte Badger |
early 19th century |
1806 |
England |
Australian convicts. Among
a group of convicts taken on board a shorthanded ship as crew. The
convicts commandeered the ship and sailed for New Zealand. Hagerty
was put ashore and died, Badger was never seen again. |
| Jorgen
Jorgensen |
1780-1841 |
1807-1808 |
Denmark |
Danish adventurer and writer, he was captured by the British as
a privateer during the Napoleonic
Wars. |
| Jean Lafitte |
c. 1780-1826? |
1803-1815 and 1817-1820s |
France |
French pirate (or privateer) active in the
Gulf of Mexico during
the early 1800s. A wanted fugitive by the United States , he later
participated in the Battle of New
Orleans on the side of the Americans. |
| Sam Hall
Lord |
1778-1844 |
1800s-1840s |
Barbados |
Sam
Lord was one of the most famous buccaneers on the island of
Barbados . |
| Samuel Mason |
1739-1803 |
to 1803 |
United States |
Initially Associate Judge at West County, Virginia, Mason later
became a highway robber and waterways pirate. |
| Cheng I (鄭一) |
d. 1807 |
China |
A pirate on the Chinese coast in the 18h and 19th
centuries. |
| Kazimierz
Lux |
1780-1846 |
1803-1819 |
Poland |
The Polish Pirates of the Caribbean. |
| Ching Shih (Simp.: 郑氏,
Trad.:鄭氏) |
d. 1844 |
1807-1810 |
China |
A
prominent female pirate in late Qing
China. |
| Benito de
Soto |
1805-1830 |
1827-1830 |
Spain |
The most notorious of the last generation to attack shipping on
the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Shap-'ng
Tsai |
d. 1849 |
1845-1849 |
China |
Commanded around 70 junks in the South China Sea
before retiring and accepting a pardon from the Chinese
government. |
| Cheung Po Tsai (Simp.:
张保仔, Trad.:張保仔) |
early 19th century |
to 1810 |
China |
Active along the Guangdong coast and
is said to have commanded a fleet of 600 junks. |
| Dominique
You |
1775-1830 |
1802-1814 |
Haiti |
Acquired a reputation for daring as a pirate. Retired to become a
politician in New Orleans . |
| Bill
Johnston |
1782-1870 |
1810-1860 |
United States |
Nicknamed "Pirate of the Thousand Islands ". |
| Albert W.
Hicks |
1820s-1860 |
1840s-1860 |
United States |
Pirate who pilling Gold Camps in the
California Gold Rush and he was
hung on Liberty Island in
1860. |
| Bully Hayes |
1829-1877 |
1850-1877 |
United States |
The Pirate of the South Sea, who
incharge of slavey in the South Pacific, and
pilling clipper ships, and any other ship. |
| Benito
Bonito |
1780-1821 |
1810-1820 |
Spain |
Pirate who hid his treasures of
Lima that some say he hid in the cliff of Australia, and some
say he hid in Coco Island. |
|
| Name |
Life |
Years Active |
Country of origin |
Comments |
|
Boysie Singh |
1908-1957 |
1947-1956 |
Trinidad |
Active in the waters between Venezuela and
Trinidad .
Singh commonly attacked fishing boats, killing the crew and
stealing the boat engine, before sinking the boat and selling the
engine. |
| Paul Watson |
born 1950 |
1978- |
Canada |
Watson has had his confrontational tactics – particularly an
incident involving butyric acid as well
as sinking of ships – branded as piratical by some
organisations.
|
| "Roaring" Dan
Seavey |
1867-1949 |
1900-1930 |
United
States |
Active in the American Great Lakes .
|
| Felix von
Luckner |
1881-1966 |
1916-1917 |
Germany |
German navy officer nobleman privateer who the epithet Der
Seeteufel (the Sea-Devil) -- and his crew that of Die Piraten des
Kaisers (the Emperor's Pirates) -- for his exploits in command of
the sailing commerce raider SMS Seeadler (Sea Eagle) in
1916-1917, during World War I. |
| Peter de
Neumann |
1917-1972 |
21 June 1941 |
United
Kingdom |
Second Officer aboard the RN prize vessel Criton
(captured from the Vichy French). Widely known as "The Man From
Timbuctoo". |
| Asad 'Booyah' Abdulahi |
1966- |
1998- |
Somalia |
Somali pirate boss, active in capturing
ships in the Gulf of Aden and
Indian Ocean for
ransoms. |
| Abdul Hassan |
1969- |
2005- |
Somalia |
Somali pirate nicknamed "the one who never sleeps". Leader of
the 350-men strong group "Central Regional Coast Guard", active in
capturing ships for ransoms.
|