Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)
Bartholomew Roberts took more ships than any other pirate of the age — around four hundred — in a career of two and a half years. Born John Roberts in Pembrokeshire in 1682, he went to sea young and was serving as third mate on a slave ship off the Gold Coast in 1719 when it was captured by pirates under Howell Davis, a fellow Welshman. He was pressed into the crew unwillingly. Six weeks later Davis was killed in an ambush, and the crew elected Roberts captain — an unusual choice for a man so recently forced aboard, and he is reported to have said that since he had dipped his hands in muddy water he would be a commander rather than a common man, and that a merry life and a short one would be his motto. He raided the Brazilian coast, taking a Portuguese treasure ship out of a fleet of forty-two, then the Caribbean and Newfoundland, where he destroyed the fishing fleet at Trepassey with a single sloop. He operated with a code of articles governing shares, compensation for injury, lights out at eight, and no women or boys aboard. He was unusual among pirates in being teetotal, drinking tea, dressing in crimson damask with a feathered hat and a gold chain, and holding divine service. He returned to West Africa and was found there by HMS Swallow, which lured his ships out by feigning flight. He was killed by grapeshot on 10 February 1722, and his crew threw his body overboard in armour as he had asked. Fifty-two of them were hanged.
- Lived: 1682 CE – 1722 CE
- Nationality: Welsh
- Roles: pirate
