Indonesia's 17,500 islands and their surrounding waters now take the title as the world's most heavily pirated.
The period during which pirates were most successful was from the 1660s to 1730s. Piracy flourished in the Caribbean because of the existence of pirate seaports such as Port Royal in Jamaica, Tortuga in Haiti, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
Pirate Time Period: Origins
Some of the earliest famous pirates were the Barbary pirates, who originated mainly from the northern coast of Africa and plundered ships and coastal areas throughout the Mediterranean and as far west as Britain.
Edward Teach aka Blackbeard
Probably the most famous real-life pirate ever, Blackbeard (real name Edward Teach) preyed on shipping vessels in the West Indies and along the east coast of America. He was Benjamin Hornigold's second-in-command and a key member of the Flying Gang before going out alone.
The loot from Ganj-i-sawai, the greatest ship in the Mughal fleet, totaled somewhere between £200,000 and £600,000, including 500,000 gold and silver pieces. All told, it may have been the richest ship ever taken by pirates (see Career wealth below).
The Cruise Passenger publication says: "There were only six reports of pirates attempting to attack cruise ships over the last 10 years – in fact there has never been a successful pirate attack on a cruise ship. However, this doesn't mean cruise ships aren't prepared for the worst."
Like Bellamy, England was known for his kindness and compassion as a leader, unlike many other pirates of the time. Several vessels, most famously the Royal James and the Fancy. Battle with the Cassandra that caused his crew to mutiny and maroon him for sparing some captives.
Captain Samuel Bellamy ( c. 23 February 1689 – 26 April 1717), later known as "Black Sam" Bellamy, was an English sailor turned pirate during the early 18th century. He is best known as the wealthiest pirate in recorded history, and one of the faces of the Golden Age of Piracy.
Blackbeard was perhaps the most terrifying and feared pirates of all time, although it seems that most of his fame came from theatrical tricks, preferring not to engage in close combat.
The language of their homelands mostly. Most pirates originated from Britain, so most pirates spoke English. The others spoke mostly French or Spanish. I imagine there may have also been Welsh or Scottish speakers as well.
But not all pirates were from there. Anne Bonny, one of the few female pirates, was Irish, William Kidd was Scottish, and Bartholomew Roberts was Welsh. Pirates came from all over, many from North Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe too. So it's unlikely all, if at all many, pirates had West Country accents.
In general, the life of a pirate was often short lived. Many pirates lost their lives during battle, or became ill and passed away. On average, the life expectancy for pirates was no more than two years.
The Pirate Capital: Port Royal, Jamaica
It became known as the Sodom of the New World, as it was filled with prostitutes, alcohol, and thievery. However, Port Royal was laid barren after one enormous tidal wave (said to have been sent by God to cleanse it of its sin) in 1692, wiping out many of its inhabitants.
Libertalia was a utopia for pirates looking to live in safety and harmony once they've retired from their lives of plunder. The location was hidden somewhere on the coast of Madagascar, and only known to pirates.
John Ward was the inspiration for the character of Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Ward's nickname was 'Sparrow' and he was known for his flamboyant style – much like the Hollywood icon. Ward so ingratiated himself with Uthman Dey that he was given a large plot of land in Tunis.
The Pirate King (海賊王 Kaizoku-Ō, also called King of the Pirates in the English versions) is a title applied to the strongest pirate alive. Its latest—perhaps only—universally-acknowledged holder was Gol D. Roger, who inextricably linked it with the mythical treasure known as One Piece.
John King (c. 1706/09 – April 26, 1717) was an 18th-century pirate. He joined the crew of Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy while still a juvenile, and may have been the youngest known pirate on record.
Queen Anne's Revenge was not only among the most famous ships in history, but it was also one of the most feared. It was formerly known as La Concorde — a huge French ship that carried and transported slaves — until it was captured and refitted by the famous Edward Teach, more commonly known as Blackbeard.
Captain Kidd can be said to be the most unfortunate pirate ever to sail the high seas! For it was his bad luck to sail as a privateer/pirate just when the rules changed and the privateer/pirate became an outlaw.
Cabin boys are the ones who attend to the needs of all the pirates on the ship. It's a job that would require them to be active almost 24/7. Cabin boys were usually hostages, while others were stowaways or were only looking for adventure. This is undeniably one of the worst jobs on the ship.
1 – Blackbeard
Easily the most famous buccaneer on the list and possibly the most terrifying pirate of all time, Blackbeard had a reputation of horrific magnitude in his day. In fact, it wasn't just the size of his reputation that was scary, but the content too!
Discovered off the coast of Wellfleet, MA, the Whydah Gally is the world's only authenticated pirate ship.