The most successful 'pirates' in history

During the Golden Age of Piracy, from roughly 1650 to 1730, pirates attacked merchant ships across the world's waters and plundered their valuable cargoes. Many of these attacks targeted vessels with little defensive capability, but some pirates, through greater skill and daring, achieved exceptional successes. Among them, one pirate claimed to have captured more than 400 ships.

According to Ambassador Arjan's report, quoted by Faradid; In many pirate groups, the captain was elected by the votes of the sailors. He would then lead the crew to approach the merchant ship, raise the pirate flag, and seize the ship and its cargo.

However, most captains only managed to make such attacks a few times. Professional piracy was very dangerous and few could survive for long.

Black Bart; A pirate who looted more than 400 ships

Bartholomew Roberts, known as Black Bart, was probably one of the most successful pirates of the Golden Age. According to historical accounts, he captured more than 400 ships during his career.

Roberts was originally a sailor when he was captured by pirates. However, some time later his life path changed and after the death of Howell Davis, the captain of the group that captured him, he became a captain.

From 1719 to 1722, Roberts terrorized the ports and shipping lanes of the Atlantic Ocean and attacked numerous ships.

One of his most famous loots was a Portuguese ship carrying gold that was sailing from the Americas to Portugal. This ship was part of a fleet consisting of 42 ships. Roberts and his men first capture a ship and from the information obtained, find out which ship has the most valuable cargo. They then went to the ship carrying the most treasure and escaped with a large amount of gold and other booty.

Which pirate had the largest fleet in history?

If we consider the number of ships and the extent of the naval establishment as the criterion, the name of Zheng Yi Sao, the Chinese female pirate, stands out. Between 1801 and 1810, he ran a huge network of pirates, which at the height of its power, according to popular estimates, had more than 1,200 ships and about 80,000 crew.

This organization was managed with a regular structure and had a precise accounting system and disciplinary rules; Features that made it a highly organized organization.

Zheng Yisao expanded his vast network in the South China Sea and at times confronted Chinese and Portuguese naval forces. He eventually surrendered and disbanded his pirate organization, but unlike many of his peers, he was able to escape the death penalty, enjoy his life, and retire with a significant portion of his fortune.

100 million dollar loot; One of the biggest sea robberies in history

Among the raids of the pirates, the attack of Henry Avery, known as Henry Avery or the unnamed Avery, has a special place. On September 7, 1695, Avery and the crew of his ship, the Fancy, along with several other ships, attacked an Indian fleet in the Straits of Bab al-Mandeb, between present-day Yemen and Djibouti.

Among the ships of this fleet, there were two large and rich ships: Fateh Mohammad and Ganj Sawai. The pirates captured and looted both ships, taking valuable gold, silver, and jewels that are worth more than $100 million today in some estimates.

This attack is considered one of the most profitable piracy operations in history. Its consequences went beyond financial loss and seriously damaged relations between England and India. Also, a massive effort was launched to arrest Avery; A pursuit that is sometimes referred to as one of the first large-scale international pursuit operations.

However, Henry Avery managed to escape capture and less than a year later, his trace was lost in history. Unlike many pirates who met a violent fate, he seems to have been able to disappear with a portion of his loot.

Three different metrics to measure pirate success

A comparison of these figures shows that success in piracy cannot be measured by only one criterion. Black Bart Roberts is famous for the huge number of captured ships; Zheng Yi Sao had one of the largest organized maritime networks; And Henry Avery made one of the most famous sea robberies in history by capturing two ships full of wealth.

Of course, the numbers related to the number of ships and the value of booty in historical sources are not always certain and sometimes they are based on the reports of contemporaries, estimates or later narratives. Despite this, all three figures are outstanding examples of power, organization and risk-taking in the history of piracy.