Piracy has existed since man first went to sea. Preying upon the commerce of the ancient world, Pirates were know to have plied their trade as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. The romanticism that follows the freedom of the life as well as the promise of wealth drew both the noble as well as the common man to crew the ships (although more than one man was captured and forced to serve). The life seemed inviting in actuality it was often brutal. The days at sea were demanding and the food often times was rotten or maggot infested. The Captains of the ships were truly lord and master (although they were elected to the post) and they ruled with an iron fist.When we speak of pirates, we draw visions of the ships of the Spanish main and the swashbuckling images of the movies. Piracy was actually an off shoot of the wars in Europe. The governments of warring nations, would issue letters of marque which gave sanction to harass, capture and plunder the merchant vessels of a hostile nation. This served to cut into the trade of a nation, thereby damaging the ability to raise and supply armies and navies. There was a fine line between privateering and piracy, and often was defined depending upon which side you were on.

Blackbeard - Of all the pirates of legend, Blackbeard is perhaps the foremost in personifying the true vision of a pirate. Born Edward Teach in Bristol England he grew up in the poverty of his time. He was hardened by streets of Bristol and soon escaped to New Providence where he apprenticed to Capt. Hornigold. He took his name from the beard he had grown which was a matted greasy mess the covered his entire face and hung down to his chest. He was dirty as well as hairy and was cover with the filth and and blood of his campaigns. His appearance was designed to cast fear into the hearts of all who saw him. In battle, just before boarding another ship, he would place slow burning fuses in his beard which he had braided. It is said that many a prize that might have resisted stronger, gave way to the pistol and cutlass of the devil himself. To further the effect, Blackbeard usually didn't kill his prisoners or burn their ships, and would be decent to all who cooperated with him. For those that resisted, the fates were less kind, as example if a ring was refused, it was often taken...finger and all.

Blackbeard was also known for falling in love with the women he met in the bars of any port the ship came to. He would bring his new bride aboard, and with the help of the Bos'n who would read the marriage vows, he would marry another lady. In total, he "married" fourteen times in this manner. Blackbeard operated along the southeast coast of the United States and in the later portion of his career home ported in Bath, North Carolina. His end began when the residence of the area became tired of the alliance he had made with the governor of NC and appealed to Gov. Spotswood of Virginia for relief. The Governor, dispatched two British Warships to take Blackbeard and bring him to justice. After a fierce battle, Blackbeard fell to the attacking sailors. His head was hung from the bowsprit of the British ship as a warning to anyone who would dare question the authority of the Royal Navy.

Another name which leaps to mind when tales of the Barbary Coast are told is that of Captain William Kidd. While the tales of this infamous cut-throat have been built to portray him as a bold and dashing, ruthless commander who terrorized the sea seas, the truth is that as a pirate he was rather mediocre.

After a short career in the British Navy, and amassing a small fortune including some expensive waterfront property in lower Manhattan, NY he received a privateering licence from King William III in 1695. For the return of 10% of all items taken, the King granted Kidd the authority to capture French merchants, to arrest pirates anywhere in the world and to keep captured booty without going through the courts. Shortly after receiving his licence, he set sail for his one and only trip into piracy. William Kidd traveled the down the African coast and and after six month with out a prize, the Adventure Galley turned pirate. They continued into the Indian Ocean and found a few small vessels upon which to prey, and then came to find the only real treasure of the trip. On January 12, 1698, they captured the Quedah Merchant which was leased to officials of the Indian Government. This caused precure to be applied to the European countries by the Indian Emperor who threatened to expel all European if something was not done. William Kidd was turned over to British authorities by a trusted colleague when he returned to Boston and in a trial that might be considered less than fair he was convicted of piracy of the high seas. On May 23, 1701 Captain William Kidd was hanged at Wapping, and later his body was hung in chains along the Thames as a warning to all who might be seduced into piracy.

Some other sites that may provide information about Pirates and Piracy are:

You will have to look elsewhere as he is truly too evil to be listed here with this mild sort, after all he is the only man that the sea cook feared!!

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some Source Material from: Pirates and Piracy by David Reinhardt, Konecky & Konecky, 1997