Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach, was a famous English pirate who operated in the Caribbean and Atlantic during a surprisingly short career of just 15 months.
Known for his long, ribbon-trimmed black beard, lit locks under his hat and numerous pistols, his name, reputation and appearance were meticulously calculated to inspire appalling terror in his victims! With this appearance, and moving under the cover of smoke, he gave the impression of being a supernatural being.
He was portrayed as a man without morals or scruples, whether towards his innocent victims or his own crews. In addition to his reputation as a fearsome pirate, Blackbeard was also a master of manipulation and psychology. He was known for using tricks and subterfuge to intimidate his opponents and show them that he was not afraid of death!
Teach was born in Bristol, England, in 1680. Before taking up piracy, Edward Teach was a sailor in the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), and spent his early years at sea raiding French and Spanish ships in Jamaican waters. His early experience as a sailor and privateer enabled him to develop skills in navigation and naval combat, which were essential to his future career as a pirate.
In September 1717, Teach joined British pirate Benjamin Hornigold, who was operating from the Bahamas. Hornigold was already an established and respected pirate, and it's likely that he was attracted by the opportunities and riches offered by piracy.
Teach joined British pirate Benjamin Hornigold as a member of his crew. Later, as captain in the Bahamas. Their base, like that of many other pirates, was the island of New Providence. The two men, each commanding a ship, attacked vessels in the Caribbean and off the coast of North America. Teach quickly made a name for himself with his daring catches and innovative piratical methods...
In November 1717, Teach seized the Concorde, a French ship bound for Martinique loaded with gold, coins and precious stones from trading posts in Africa. He renamed her Queen Anne's Revenge, a fearsome 40-gun vessel. The Pirate Captain attracted many men to join his crew, and by early 1718 was commanding an estimated 300-400 men.
Edward Teach continued to prosper at sea, notably capturing the Revenge, the ship belonging to Stede Bonnet, another British pirate. With this new acquisition and two other captures, Blackbeard now commanded a fleet of four ships, enabling him to raise his ambitions to even greater catches.
Discipline was rigorous aboard his ship, and his Jolly Roger flag bore witness to his cruelty. The skeleton holding an hourglass in one hand and a spear pointing to a bleeding heart was a clear warning to all on boarded ships: their time was running out, and resisting meant certain death.
However, in May 1718, while sailing in the shallows of Beaufort Inlet en route to North Carolina, Queen Anne's Revenge and another ship ran aground on a sandbar. Although the beached Queen Anne's Revenge was eventually sunk, Teach survived and was granted a pardon by Governor Charles Eden. He sold the cargo he had captured and settled on Ocracoke Island, where he married the 16-year-old daughter of a plantation owner.
Nevertheless, its period of relative calm didn't last long. In November 1718, Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood, determined to crack down on piracy, commissioned Lieutenant Robert Maynard to capture Pirate Edward Teach, dead or alive! A fierce battle broke out between the two men off Ocracoke Island. Teach was wounded several times, but continued to fight with unparalleled bravery. Finally, it took five pistol shots and 20 sword blows for him to fall, the final decapitating blow coming from a Scottish sailor standing behind him.
Teach's head was hung on the bow of Maynard's ship, a macabre display designed to deter other pirates. Although there is no concrete evidence that Teach buried any immense treasure, his reputation as a cruel and ruthless pirate has made him a legend of piracy. He remains in the collective imagination as the archetype of the mad, wicked pirate who terrorized the high seas.
