With the modern pirates of Somalia and Nigeria etc
..... the aim seems to be either to ransom the crew, the ship or both. Theft in of itself is not the direct aim.
But in the golden age of piracy (between the 1650's and the 1730's), the aim was primarily to capture a treasure ship. Usually these were Spanish Galleons heading back to Spain from the new world, or alternatively a Muslim Mughal treasure ship moving between the Arabian peninsular under the Ottomans, and the Persian Gulf and India.
Now in the main (Spanish or otherwise), pirates and privateers often ended up with little to show for their ventures. Running a ship and crew was expensive after all, and there were only so many treasure ships to board and rob. Or they ended up dead, killed in a fight, or hung drawn and quartered, and then their body parts tarred and hung in iron cages ..... so all in all it was often a short, and not terribly money making exercise.
However, while they went about their business, some of them amassed considerable fortunes, even if they rarely got to spend it.
Top of the List has to be Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy (aka the Prince of Pirates), an Englishman, who actually made his money in the area of the New England coast in the 18th century. He boarded over 50 ships and took a fortune estimated at $120 million (present day prices). He is presumed to have died when his main ship. the ex- slaver (he freed the slaves found on board, and many joined his crew) the 'Whydah Gally' went down on a sandbank off the coast of Massachusetts and sank, when his fleet of three ships were sailing to their winter berthing port. He had captured the 'Whydah Gally' when it already had 4.5 tonnes of Gold and Silver on it, as well as some slaves. Local popular legend had it that he survived, and lived under an alias with his lover, a certain Ms Hallet. But there is no actual evidence of this.
Number Two in the pirates big money makers list, was another Englishman, but perhaps better known to most people, Sir Francis Drake. While technically not a 'pirate' he had taken a letter of privateer from Queen Elisabeth I to raid the Spanish Main. His lifetime of robbing the Spaniards, netted him around $115 million in today's money. He so plagued the Spanish, that King Philip II of Spain is alleged to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats for his capture or death (about £6m million ($8m US). But he died of dysentery in the tropics while anchored off the coast of Portobelo, where some Spanish treasure ships had sought shelter, he was aged about 56, a not bad age at the time. There are a large number of legends surrounding Drake. One is that on his deathbed, he is said to have vowed that if England were ever in danger, and then if the drum he had sent back to Devon was sounded, he would return to defend his homeland.
Number Three is yet another Englishman (we were obviously good at this being a sea faring nation), Englishman Thomas Tew (aka the Rhode Island Pirate), with earnings of $102 million in modern values. His biggest capture came in 1693, when he captured a ship full of gold en route to the Ottoman Empire from India.
He is believed to have died of natural causes somewhere in the pacific or Indian ocean .... like the first two on the list, he has legends attached to him. He was said to be the father of Ratsimilaho, a man who created a kingdom on the east coast of Madagascar, and also was allegedly one of the founders of the mysterious (and some believe fictional) pirate colony of Libertatia.
Fourth is another Indian Ocean raider, Henry Every, who took £600,000 in precious metals and jewels, equivalent to around £91.9 million (current values). This all came from his biggest raid on a 25-ship convoy of Grand Mughal vessels, making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, including the treasure-laden dhow Ganj-i-sawai and its escort, Fateh Muhammed. The impact of this raid created tensions between the British and the Mughal Empire in India. Whilst some of his crew were hung, he himself slipped out of history, vanishing from all records in 1696. Reports said he changed names and lived off his fortune, while others (perhaps with a hint of moral judgement in them), said that he soon went broke and died penniless.
Fifth with respectable $40 million (current values), is John Bowen, a creole of mixed race from Bermuda, who took about £170,000 in goods and coinage value at the time during his career, and eventually retired to Bourbon in Reunion for a brief period of time before his death in 1704. He did live to enjoy his money, but not for very long.
Sixth is Bartholomew "Black Bart" Roberts his $32 million in goods and coins (current values), didn't do him or his crew much good. A tough Welshman, he was killed by the Royal Navy and his crew captured, of whom 65 were black (they were sold into slavery). The remainder were taken to Cape Coast Castle, some died on the voyage back. 54 were condemned to death, of whom 52 were hanged and two reprieved. Another twenty were allowed to sign indentures with the Royal African Company which was considered to be exchanging an immediate death, for a lingering one. Seventeen men were sent to the Marshalsea prison in London for trial, where some were acquitted and released.
Seventh is Jean Fleury $31.5 million (current values), taken in his career, Fleury was eventually captured by the Spanish, and was tried in Toledo along with two of his officers, Michel Fere and Mezie de Irizar, and all were hanged as pirates in 1527 by order of Charles V of Spain and Austria.
Eighth is Englishman Thomas White, with $16 million (current values). White died of illness and alcoholism (spending his money I assume). His funeral was a lavish affair and his son was returned to England for his education, so some of his money had been saved.
Ninth is US born, but English privateer John Halsey, with $13 million (current values). He seized two of the warships, along with £50,000 in money and cargo from the Royal Navy, after defeating them in a battle, while he was out numbered and out gunned. Halsey died later of a fever
Tenth is Welshman Harry 'Henry' Morgan. Perhaps the most successful in life of all the pirates. He manipulated the system of privateer, pirate and royal pardons to great effect, as well as enriching himself to the tune of $13 million (current values). He ended up Knighted, and as Governor of Jamaica, with two large sugar plantations on the island. When he died aged 53, he was given a state funeral on the island, and an amnesty was declared so that pirates and privateers could pay their respects without fear of arrest.
Eleventh is perhaps the most famous of all the pirates, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach .... his reputation for fearsome and pitiless violence helped him take $12.5 million (current values), and enhanced his legend through the centuries. He was killed in battle, but only after a tremendous fight. Only Henry Morgan has ever appeared in anything like the number of films, TV shows, books, and general culture artefacts as 'Blackbeard'. He also has a law in his name .... In 2015, the North Carolina Legislature passed "Blackbeard's Law," ...
Others of note:
12. Samuel Burgess $9.5 million (current values).
13. Edward England (an Irish pirate) $8 million (current values).
14. Francois le Clerc (a French privateer) $7.5 million (current values).
15. Howell Davis (yet another Welshman) $4.5 million (current values).
16. Stede Bonnet $4.5 million (current values).
17. Richard Worley (ambitious colonial New Yorker) $3.5 million (current values).
18. Charles Vane $2.3 million (current values).
19. Edward Low $1.8 million (current values).
20. John "Calico Jack" Rackam $1.5 million (current values).
21. James Martel (a French pirate) $1.5 million (current values).
After that, its likely that most pirate leaders made little and died, or just retired in poverty. After all a pirate captain who couldn't deliver booty had a short life span, or was just evicted from their vessel.
A life on the ocean waves indeed, but very few male pirates really made and enjoyed the fortunes that they gained so illicitly. But the Zheng Yi Sao, the most successful female pirate queen was a different story. At the height of her powers, she was the unofficial commander of the Guangdong Pirate Confederation, with a fleet of 400 junks, and between 40,000 to 60,000 pirates in 1805.
 |
| Somali Pirates Are Small Operations - Not Like The "Golden Age Pirates" |
..... the aim seems to be either to ransom the crew, the ship or both. Theft in of itself is not the direct aim.
But in the golden age of piracy (between the 1650's and the 1730's), the aim was primarily to capture a treasure ship. Usually these were Spanish Galleons heading back to Spain from the new world, or alternatively a Muslim Mughal treasure ship moving between the Arabian peninsular under the Ottomans, and the Persian Gulf and India.
Now in the main (Spanish or otherwise), pirates and privateers often ended up with little to show for their ventures. Running a ship and crew was expensive after all, and there were only so many treasure ships to board and rob. Or they ended up dead, killed in a fight, or hung drawn and quartered, and then their body parts tarred and hung in iron cages ..... so all in all it was often a short, and not terribly money making exercise.
However, while they went about their business, some of them amassed considerable fortunes, even if they rarely got to spend it.
 |
| Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy |
Top of the List has to be Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy (aka the Prince of Pirates), an Englishman, who actually made his money in the area of the New England coast in the 18th century. He boarded over 50 ships and took a fortune estimated at $120 million (present day prices). He is presumed to have died when his main ship. the ex- slaver (he freed the slaves found on board, and many joined his crew) the 'Whydah Gally' went down on a sandbank off the coast of Massachusetts and sank, when his fleet of three ships were sailing to their winter berthing port. He had captured the 'Whydah Gally' when it already had 4.5 tonnes of Gold and Silver on it, as well as some slaves. Local popular legend had it that he survived, and lived under an alias with his lover, a certain Ms Hallet. But there is no actual evidence of this.
Number Two in the pirates big money makers list, was another Englishman, but perhaps better known to most people, Sir Francis Drake. While technically not a 'pirate' he had taken a letter of privateer from Queen Elisabeth I to raid the Spanish Main. His lifetime of robbing the Spaniards, netted him around $115 million in today's money. He so plagued the Spanish, that King Philip II of Spain is alleged to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats for his capture or death (about £6m million ($8m US). But he died of dysentery in the tropics while anchored off the coast of Portobelo, where some Spanish treasure ships had sought shelter, he was aged about 56, a not bad age at the time. There are a large number of legends surrounding Drake. One is that on his deathbed, he is said to have vowed that if England were ever in danger, and then if the drum he had sent back to Devon was sounded, he would return to defend his homeland.
Number Three is yet another Englishman (we were obviously good at this being a sea faring nation), Englishman Thomas Tew (aka the Rhode Island Pirate), with earnings of $102 million in modern values. His biggest capture came in 1693, when he captured a ship full of gold en route to the Ottoman Empire from India.
He is believed to have died of natural causes somewhere in the pacific or Indian ocean .... like the first two on the list, he has legends attached to him. He was said to be the father of Ratsimilaho, a man who created a kingdom on the east coast of Madagascar, and also was allegedly one of the founders of the mysterious (and some believe fictional) pirate colony of Libertatia.
Fourth is another Indian Ocean raider, Henry Every, who took £600,000 in precious metals and jewels, equivalent to around £91.9 million (current values). This all came from his biggest raid on a 25-ship convoy of Grand Mughal vessels, making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, including the treasure-laden dhow Ganj-i-sawai and its escort, Fateh Muhammed. The impact of this raid created tensions between the British and the Mughal Empire in India. Whilst some of his crew were hung, he himself slipped out of history, vanishing from all records in 1696. Reports said he changed names and lived off his fortune, while others (perhaps with a hint of moral judgement in them), said that he soon went broke and died penniless.
Fifth with respectable $40 million (current values), is John Bowen, a creole of mixed race from Bermuda, who took about £170,000 in goods and coinage value at the time during his career, and eventually retired to Bourbon in Reunion for a brief period of time before his death in 1704. He did live to enjoy his money, but not for very long.
Sixth is Bartholomew "Black Bart" Roberts his $32 million in goods and coins (current values), didn't do him or his crew much good. A tough Welshman, he was killed by the Royal Navy and his crew captured, of whom 65 were black (they were sold into slavery). The remainder were taken to Cape Coast Castle, some died on the voyage back. 54 were condemned to death, of whom 52 were hanged and two reprieved. Another twenty were allowed to sign indentures with the Royal African Company which was considered to be exchanging an immediate death, for a lingering one. Seventeen men were sent to the Marshalsea prison in London for trial, where some were acquitted and released.
Seventh is Jean Fleury $31.5 million (current values), taken in his career, Fleury was eventually captured by the Spanish, and was tried in Toledo along with two of his officers, Michel Fere and Mezie de Irizar, and all were hanged as pirates in 1527 by order of Charles V of Spain and Austria.
Eighth is Englishman Thomas White, with $16 million (current values). White died of illness and alcoholism (spending his money I assume). His funeral was a lavish affair and his son was returned to England for his education, so some of his money had been saved.
Ninth is US born, but English privateer John Halsey, with $13 million (current values). He seized two of the warships, along with £50,000 in money and cargo from the Royal Navy, after defeating them in a battle, while he was out numbered and out gunned. Halsey died later of a fever
 |
| Sir Henry Morgan - Privateer Supreme. |
Tenth is Welshman Harry 'Henry' Morgan. Perhaps the most successful in life of all the pirates. He manipulated the system of privateer, pirate and royal pardons to great effect, as well as enriching himself to the tune of $13 million (current values). He ended up Knighted, and as Governor of Jamaica, with two large sugar plantations on the island. When he died aged 53, he was given a state funeral on the island, and an amnesty was declared so that pirates and privateers could pay their respects without fear of arrest.
Eleventh is perhaps the most famous of all the pirates, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach .... his reputation for fearsome and pitiless violence helped him take $12.5 million (current values), and enhanced his legend through the centuries. He was killed in battle, but only after a tremendous fight. Only Henry Morgan has ever appeared in anything like the number of films, TV shows, books, and general culture artefacts as 'Blackbeard'. He also has a law in his name .... In 2015, the North Carolina Legislature passed "Blackbeard's Law," ...
Others of note:
12. Samuel Burgess $9.5 million (current values).
13. Edward England (an Irish pirate) $8 million (current values).
14. Francois le Clerc (a French privateer) $7.5 million (current values).
15. Howell Davis (yet another Welshman) $4.5 million (current values).
16. Stede Bonnet $4.5 million (current values).
17. Richard Worley (ambitious colonial New Yorker) $3.5 million (current values).
18. Charles Vane $2.3 million (current values).
19. Edward Low $1.8 million (current values).
20. John "Calico Jack" Rackam $1.5 million (current values).
21. James Martel (a French pirate) $1.5 million (current values).
After that, its likely that most pirate leaders made little and died, or just retired in poverty. After all a pirate captain who couldn't deliver booty had a short life span, or was just evicted from their vessel.
A life on the ocean waves indeed, but very few male pirates really made and enjoyed the fortunes that they gained so illicitly. But the Zheng Yi Sao, the most successful female pirate queen was a different story. At the height of her powers, she was the unofficial commander of the Guangdong Pirate Confederation, with a fleet of 400 junks, and between 40,000 to 60,000 pirates in 1805.
Her pirate fleet regularly entered into conflict with several of the major sea powers, such as the East India Company, the Portuguese Empire, and Qing China. When , she 'retired', she did so by negotiating a 'surrender' with the Chinese Qing authorities, that left her in control of a fleet of 24 junks and a crew of over 1400 (ex) pirates. She died in 1844 at the approximate age of 68, having lived a relatively peaceful and prosperous life
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