Pirate Notes for Map and Timeline
A “Black Bart” Bartholomew Roberts, 1719-1722
Roberts, a pirate from Wales, had a strict set of rules for his crews. He plundered
ships off the coasts of West Africa, Newfoundland, and the Carribean from 1719-
1722. Some call him the most successful pirate of the “golden age of piracy.” in
Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, Long John Silver says that the surgeon
who amputated his leg was one of Roberts' men: “It was a master surgeon, him
that ampytated me - out of college and all - Latin by the bucket, and what not; but
he was hanged like a dog, and sun-dried like the rest, at Corso Castle. That was
Roberts' men, that was, and comed of changing names of their ships - Royal
Fortune and so on.”
B Maurycy Beniowski, the King of Madagascar 1771-1786
A Pole, exiled by Russians to Siberia, he escaped and led armed ships to Japan,
Macao and France, where he convinced King Louis to send him to colonize
Madagascar. He declared himself to be the king of Madagascar. He is considered
a pirate because he attacked shipping lanes around Madagascar, and his was a
favorite port in which pirates could resupply. One of the nearby islands
(Mauritius) was named after this Polish adventurer and to this day he is
remembered there.
C Henry Morgan 1663-1688
Morgan was based in Jamaica and given a hero’s burial 1688. He stole Spanish
gold from Maracaibo in Gulf of Venezuela and Panama City Panama after
bringing his pirates in a death march across the isthmus and surprising the
Spanish. He was very popular.
D Eustace the Monk 1205-1212
He served King John of England in his war with Philip II of France. He raided the
French coastline and seized the Channel Islands as a base of operations.
E Aruj and Kheir-ed-Din “The Barbarossa Brothers” 1740-1547
barba = beard and rosa = red in Italian. Born on the island of Lesbos in Greece in
the 1470’s, they attacked ships in the Aegean Sea, then worked out of the port of
Alexandria, then Tunis, and finally Algiers. Aruj then became Sultan, and was
succeeded by his brother, who ruled until 1547. Algiers was still the base for the
Barbary Corsairs until the French took Algiers in 1830.
The Ghosts of Treasure Island Oregon Children’s Theatre
F William Dampier: 1679-1710
Dampier only had one command, which went badly, so he was often a pilot on
other voyages. This pirate was famous for his books and mapping skills. From
1679-81 he served on the crew of Bartholomew Sharp, capturing and destroying
Spanish ships and plundering towns along both the Eastern and Western coasts of
South America. In 1683 Dampier sailed with Captain John Cook from Virginia to
the Guinea Coast of Africa, back to South America, around Cape Horn to Chile,
and the Galapagos Islands. 1685 he sailed with Captain Swan out of Panama to
the East Indies, the Philippines, the coast of China and Australia. He kept a
journal of this voyage. In the early 1700s he commanded the HMS Roebuck to
NW Australia, but treated his crew, especially his first lieutenant badly. The ship
sank on the way home.
G John Derdrake, “Jack of the Baltic” 1710 – 1720
A Danish pirate from Copenhagen who commanded the captured Russian warship
"Sudden Death," this pirate and his half English, half Norwegian/Danish crew
took many English and Russian ships doing business with Peter the Great, with
cargoes consisting of fittings for ships, arms, and warm woolen clothing which he
sold in Sweden, where no questions were asked and cash on delivery was the rule.
H Anne Bonny and Mary Read 1719-1720
Disguised as men, these two female pirates sailed with and fought beside the
famous “Calico Jack” Rackham (who may have invented the skull and crossbones
flag). They lived in Charleston, South Carolina and Nassau.
I Sir Francis Drake 1577-1580
Drake sailed around the world in his ship, The Golden Hind. On the way he
raided the Spanish settlements of Valpariso, Lima and Arica and the “treasure
ship Cacafuego” for gold and silver.
J Captain William Kidd: 1689 – 1701
Commanding a ship called the Adventure Galley, equipped with 34 cannons and a
crew of 80 cutthroats from New York, this reluctant pirate plundered ships of all
kinds along the Malabar coast of India. His greatest catch was the ship the
Quedagh Merchant. He returned to New York but was arrested and shipped to
England where he was hanged.
K Blackbeard Edward Teach 1713-1718
Teach terrorized New Providence, Bahamas; North Carolina, South Carolina; and
Virginia. He is said to have lived for a time in Bath Town, St. Thomas, Jamaica.
X Juan Fernandez Islands, home for 4 years to marooned sailor Alexander Selkirk,
the inspiration for Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe.
The Ghosts of Treasure Island Oregon Children’s Theatre