This ranked list focuses on the most infamous pirates in history, factoring in their impact, fearsome reputations, legacy, and use of weaponry and naval power. Each profile includes key biographical information, details on ships, and typical arms used during their active years.
20. Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)
Active: 1719–1722
Nationality: Welsh
Flagship: Royal Fortune
Notoriety: Captured over 400 ships. Known for strict discipline and a formal pirate code.
Weapons and Ships:
- Preferred fast, heavily armed ships like the Royal Fortune (40+ guns).
- Carried flintlock pistols, cutlasses, and grenadoes.
- Often upgraded captured vessels for speed and firepower.
19. Anne Bonny
Active: 1718–1720
Nationality: Irish
Partnerships: Calico Jack, Mary Read
Notoriety: Defied gender roles; known for her aggression in combat.
Weapons and Ships:
- Fought aboard Revenge, a small sloop used for raids.
- Wielded pistols and a cutlass.
- Often dressed as a man during battle.
18. Stede Bonnet
Active: 1717–1718
Nationality: Barbadian
Known As: The Gentleman Pirate
Notoriety: Inexperienced, relied on others (notably Blackbeard) to command ships.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded Revenge, a moderately armed sloop.
- Likely used standard sidearms: pistols and naval swords.
- Rarely engaged directly in fighting.
17. Mary Read
Active: 1718–1720
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Respected fighter who joined Bonny aboard Calico Jack’s ship.
Weapons and Ships:
- Aboard Revenge with Bonny and Rackham.
- Proficient with pistols, cutlasses, and daggers.
- Often disguised as male in combat situations.
16. Edward Low (Ned Low)
Active: 1721–1724
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Unrivalled cruelty, known for mutilating prisoners.
Weapons and Ships:
- Operated the Fancy, armed with up to 34 guns.
- Carried a brace of pistols and a curved hanger.
- Prioritised intimidation through brutality.
15. Samuel Bellamy (Black Sam)
Active: 1716–1717
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Captured 50+ ships in a year; known as the “Robin Hood of the Sea.”
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded the Whydah Gally, a former slave ship refitted with 28 guns.
- Used pistols and naval sabres.
- Drowned when the Whydah sank off Cape Cod.
14. Christopher Condent (Billy One-Hand)
Active: 1718–1721
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Raided the Indian Ocean and Atlantic; known for harsh discipline.
Weapons and Ships:
- Used the Flying Dragon, a robust and well-armed pirate ship.
- Standard arsenal included pistols, muskets, and boarding axes.
- Retired to France with wealth and status.
13. Thomas Tew
Active: 1692–1695
Nationality: English-American
Notoriety: Successful pirate of the Red Sea trade; early model for the Pirate Round.
Weapons and Ships:
- His ship Amity was a fast brigantine.
- Fought with heavy pistols and sabres.
- Killed by cannon fire during a Mughal encounter.
12. Charles Vane
Active: 1716–1721
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Fiercely independent and openly hostile to pardons and compromise.
Weapons and Ships:
- His flagship Ranger was heavily gunned and swift.
- Skilled with pistols, grenades, and long guns.
- Captured and hanged after being shipwrecked.
11. Jean Lafitte
Active: 1805–1823
Nationality: French-American
Notoriety: Ran a smuggling empire in the Gulf of Mexico and fought for the US in 1812.
Weapons and Ships:
- Controlled a small fleet of schooners and brigs.
- Equipped with pistols, sabres, and artillery.
- Fortified Barataria Bay as a pirate stronghold.
10. Calico Jack Rackham
Active: 1718–1720
Nationality: English
Notoriety: More known for his flag and female crew than battlefield prowess.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded a sloop named Revenge, agile but lightly armed.
- Preferred a cutlass and pistol, though rarely led in combat.
- Captured while drunk and executed.
9. Hayreddin Barbarossa
Active: 1490s–1546
Nationality: Ottoman
Notoriety: Warlord and admiral who dominated the Mediterranean.
Weapons and Ships:
- Used large Ottoman galleys armed with heavy artillery.
- Carried scimitars and Turkish flintlocks.
- Operated as both a pirate and state-sanctioned naval commander.
8. Henry Every (Avery)
Active: 1694–1696
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Orchestrated one of the richest raids in pirate history.
Weapons and Ships:
- Sailed Fancy, a fast, heavily armed warship.
- Used muskets and sabres.
- His theft of Mughal treasure almost led to war.
7. Cheung Po Tsai
Active: Early 1800s
Nationality: Chinese
Notoriety: Commanded thousands of pirates and controlled southern Chinese seas.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded large fleets of war junks with artillery.
- Used dao swords, bows, and matchlock muskets.
- Operated from cave hideouts near Hong Kong.
6. Thomas Cavendish
Active: 1586–1592
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Plundered Spanish holdings across the Pacific during his circumnavigation.
Weapons and Ships:
- Sailed Desire, a 120-ton galleon.
- Carried cannons, pikes, and matchlock firearms.
- Died on a failed return voyage.
5. Ching Shih (Zheng Yi Sao)
Active: 1801–1810
Nationality: Chinese
Notoriety: Ruthless naval leader of a confederation of pirate fleets.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded over 300 ships, mostly war junks.
- Used dao swords, fire arrows, and artillery.
- Enforced a strict code that punished theft, rape, and disobedience.
4. Sir Francis Drake
Active: 1560s–1596
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Blurred the line between piracy and empire-building.
Weapons and Ships:
- Sailed Golden Hind, a galleon fitted with 18 guns.
- Used pikes, cutlasses, and pistols.
- Celebrated for raiding Spanish ports and circumnavigating the globe.
3. Edward Teach (Blackbeard)
Active: 1716–1718
Nationality: English
Notoriety: Master of intimidation, often fought with slow-burning fuses in his beard.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded Queen Anne’s Revenge, a 40-gun ex-slave ship.
- Armed with six pistols, cutlasses, daggers, and grenades.
- Killed in a brutal hand-to-hand fight off North Carolina.
2. Sir Henry Morgan
Active: 1660s–1670s
Nationality: Welsh
Notoriety: Waged large-scale raids on Spanish cities with English backing.
Weapons and Ships:
- Used various ships, often commandeering Spanish vessels.
- Armed with boarding pikes, muskets, and cannons.
- Later knighted and appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
1. William Kidd (Captain Kidd)
Active: 1695–1699
Nationality: Scottish
Notoriety: Hanged for piracy despite contesting he acted as a privateer.
Weapons and Ships:
- Commanded the Adventure Galley, with oars and sails, and 34 guns.
- Carried pistols, sabres, and grenadoes.
- His trial became a turning point in public perception of piracy.
The Seven Swords takeaway
These men and women forged their reputations through bold attacks, brutal violence, or high-stakes defiance. The ships they commanded and the weapons they wielded were central to their power and fearsome reputations. Their legacies endure in law, literature, and folklore, where piracy continues to straddle the line between villainy and rebellion.
Watch the documentary:
