The most famous pirates in history
The top 3 according to 2 votes from people: Bartholomew Roberts · Francis Drake · Blackbeard. (Updated Mar 11, 2023.)
From the Caribbean of the Golden Age of Piracy to the South China Sea: the pirates and privateers whose names became legend. Who was the most fearsome?
Top 17
-
1
Bartholomew Roberts
"Black Bart", who captured hundreds of ships, more than any other pirate of his age.
-
2
Francis Drake
English privateer who sailed around the world and fought the Spanish Armada.
-
3
Blackbeard
Edward Teach, who lit fuses in his beard to terrify his victims; killed in 1718.
-
4
Henry Morgan
Welsh privateer who sacked Panama in 1671 and ended up governing Jamaica.
-
5
William Kidd
Hanged in 1701; the legend of his buried treasure lives on.
-
6
Ching Shih
Commanded a fleet of hundreds of ships in the South China Sea in the early 19th century.
-
7
Anne Bonny
One of the few women pirates of the Caribbean, on Calico Jack's ship.
-
8
Mary Read
She sailed disguised as a man alongside Anne Bonny.
-
9
Calico Jack
John Rackham, famous for his flag with a skull and crossed swords.
-
10
Samuel Bellamy
"Black Sam", the richest pirate on record; his ship, the Whydah, was found in 1984.
-
11
Henry Every
His 1695 raid on a Mughal treasure ship was one of the biggest hauls in history.
-
12
Hayreddin Barbarossa
Ottoman admiral and corsair who ruled the Mediterranean in the 16th century.
-
13
Grace O'Malley
The Irish pirate queen who met Elizabeth I in 1593.
-
14
Stede Bonnet
The "gentleman pirate", a wealthy landowner who bought his own ship.
-
15
Edward Low
Notorious for his extreme cruelty in the 1720s.
-
16
François l'Olonnais
French buccaneer infamous for his brutality in the 1660s.
-
17
Jean Lafitte
Pirate and smuggler of New Orleans who helped the Americans in 1815.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (1)
Black Bart captured over 400 ships, more than Blackbeard.