In just a 3-year career as a pirate, Bartholomew managed to capture 456 ships worth more than 50 million pounds sterling. Roberts began his career as an aspiring sailor-navigator on a slave trader’s ship at the rather late age of 37. He was forcefully recruited onto the ship “ Princess of London" led by Captain Howell Davis in Annabamo off the coast of West Africa (Ghana).
After 6 weeks of sailing, Captain Howell Davis was killed during the assault on Prince Island and because Bartholomew Roberts He had good navigator skills, the team had to choose him as captain. Later, Bart suggested that his pirates return to the shores of Prince in order to get even for the death of Howell Davis, whose idea was carried out late at night, when the enemies were sleeping. The opponents were killed, and rich booty was captured. Thus began Roberts' great fame.
Feeling confident strength, Bart and his command began to capture merchant ships off the coast of Africa, but not content with this, in 1720 he decided to sail to the shores of the Caribbean Sea. Having learned about the arrival of Roberts and his former glory, many merchant ships began to seek refuge in protected forts in order to to avoid bloodshed with the great pirate. Bart had no choice but to seek his fortune in other waters, sailing north. Here he sells the looted goods of Guinea and captures 21 ships loaded with valuable furs.
In the summer of the same 1720, Bartholomew got an easy prey from 22 ships, the crews of which fled to the shore in horror at the sight of a formidable robber; at that time there were only 60 people on board the pirate. A magnificent French brig was waiting in Roberts Bay, which the captain made his flagship, renaming it "Royal Pirate". Inspired by easy prey, Bart tried to cross the Atlantic Ocean, but not catching a fair wind, returned to the shores of the Caribbean. In September 1720, Roberts attacked the port on the island of St. Kitts, captured and plundered one of the ships, anchored, and set fire to the other two. A month later, in October 1720, Roberts captured and plundered 16 French, English and Dutch ships. In January 1721, he boarded a 32-gun Dutch slave ship and deceived the population of Martinique. The conflict with Martinique had "personal roots" for Black Bart. The governor of Martinique, deciding to join the fight against piracy (and, perhaps, in search of profit), went out with the ship in search of Bart Roberts. Bart considered this a personal insult, accepted the battle and, having captured the frigate, hanged the governor. Flying the Dutch flag, he sailed past the ports and gave signals to the French to visit the island of St. Lucia, where smugglers were selling slaves. As a result, the pirates captured and set fire to 14 French ships that went to sea.
In the Caribbean, Bartholomew captured about 100 ships and raided coastal cities. To instill even greater fear in his opponents, Bart hung the captured governor of one of the cities from the yardarm of his ship.
In the spring of 1721, Bartholomew returned to African waters. Here, off the coast of Sierra Leone, “Black Bart” was engaged in the slave trade, capturing new merchant ships each time. In August, he managed to capture the Liberian city of Onslow, where the headquarters of the Royal African Company was located. Roberts headed southeast, towards Nigeria and Gabon, and then returned to the Ivory Coast, capturing at least six ships along the way. On January 11, 1722, Roberts reached Ouidah (Ouidah in modern Benin) and boarded 11 ships carrying slaves.
He carried out attacks on the coasts of Brazil, Africa and Newfoundland during his pirate career. His production was always so great that the team never doubted his leadership abilities.
(1682–1722) Bartholomew Roberts was one of the most famous pirates of the “golden era”, who over the course of several years managed to rob more than 400 ships in the waters of West Africa, Brazil, the West Indies and North America. Like his “teacher,” Howell Davis maintained discipline on his ship and treated prisoners with respect. Long John Silver, hero of the novel by R.L. Stevenson's Treasure Island, claimed to have once sailed with Roberts.
According to some authors, the real name of the Welsh pirate Roberts was not Bartholomew, but John, but he nevertheless entered the history of sea robbery under the name Bartholomew Roberts. He was born on May 17, 1682 in the village of CasnewidBach (Little Newcastle), between Fishguard and Haverfordwest (Pembrokeshire, Wales) into a poor family. Addicted to maritime activities from a young age, Roberts, by the age of 36, received a position as second mate on the ship Princes, owned by the Royal African Company. The captain of the ship was Abraham Plum. Leaving London in November 1718, he headed for the Gold Coast and arrived at Anamabo in February 1719, where he spent some time buying slaves. Apparently, in May, Plum's ship was boarded by 2 pirate ships - the Royal James and the Royal Rover, commanded by Howell Davis. As the American newspaper Boston Newsletter wrote, “after this incident, Roberts himself became a pirate.” From that time on he became known as Bartholomew, and his comrades nicknamed him Black Bart.
After the death of Captain Davis on the island of Principe in the Gulf of Guinea (July 1719), the Royal Rover crew elected Roberts as their new commander. Taking office, the new leader stated that “since he has dipped his hands in dirty water and must henceforth be a pirate, it is better for him to be a commander than a private.”
Setting off for the Gold Coast, they soon met a Dutch ship, whose crew, having counted 32 cannons and 27 falconets on board the Royal Rover, immediately lowered the flag. Two days later, in the area of Cape Lopez, the English ship Experiment was robbed and burned. On the island of Annobon, the pirates stocked up on drinking water, repaired and re-equipped their ship, and then decided to cross the Atlantic and visit Brazil.
In September 1719, after spending about nine weeks in Brazilian waters, Roberts discovered a Portuguese flotilla of 42 ships, guarded by 2 warships, in the Gulf of Todus Santos, in the roadstead of Bahia (modern Salvador). Disguising his ship as a modest "merchant", he hid two-thirds of the sailors below deck, slipped into the harbor and took possession of the smallest vessel in the flotilla at night. The captured skipper admitted that the main part of the treasure was hidden on the 40-gun galleon Sagrada Familia. Roberts approached this vessel and boarded his thugs. The fight was hot, but short. Having lost only two people killed, the robbers captured the Portuguese ship. Going out to the open sea, Roberts and his men examined the prize and found on it 40 thousand moidors in gold (1 moidor was equal to $3.27), a cargo of sugar, hides and tobacco, as well as a gold cross decorated with diamonds.
After such success, the gentlemen of fortune thought of nothing more than relaxation and merry feasts. To this end, they moved to Devil's Island, which lies at the mouth of the river. Suriname. There, Roberts' assistant, the Irishman Walter Kennedy, seizing the right moment, ran away from him along with the Portuguese prize. Burning with righteous anger, Roberts vowed never to take another Irishman into his crew.
Having the prize sloop Good Fortune with him, Roberts drew up a new charter, which all pirates swore on the Bible to observe. From the coast of Guiana they went to the Caribbean Sea and in January 1720 captured 2 sloops with supplies, and a few days later - a brigantine from Rhode Island. Then, cruising near Barbados, the pirates intercepted a 10-gun ship from Bristol.
In February, the British teamed up with the French pirate brigantine "Sea King", commanded by Captain Montigny La Palis. The Governor of Barbados, having learned about the atrocities of the sea robbers, equipped the 20-gun galley "Sumerset" of Captain Rogers from Bristol, as well as the 10-gun sloop of Captain Graves, against them. They gave battle to the pirates and forced them to flee.
Having taken refuge on the island of Dominica, Roberts's people - and there were 45 of them left - cleaned their sloop "Good Fortune", exchanged their prize goods for provisions with local residents and met 13 English sailors on the shore; the latter told the pirates that they had sailed from New England, but had been captured by a French patrol ship. Roberts took these people on board and went to the island of Grenada, where he decided to bank his ship. Meanwhile, the governor of Martinique, having learned about the appearance of sea robbers, sent 2 armed sloops against them. However, the pirates managed to leave for the open sea before the punitive forces arrived.
In early March they appeared in Virginia waters. According to information from the American weekly Mercury (March 17, 1720), pirates captured the ship of Captain Noth from London here. Roberts took some of the provisions from him, but did not touch the cargo.
At the end of June, Roberts' sloop, carrying about 60 people, appeared off the southeastern coast of Newfoundland. Having robbed a dozen ships in Ferryland Harbour, on June 21 the pirates discovered a flotilla of 22 merchant ships, “over 1,200 men and 40 guns,” at Trepanny (Trepassy). Roberts raised English flags, and on the mainmast - a black flag with the image of a skull and a cleaver, and to the roar of drums, the sounds of trumpets and bagpipes, he began to boldly board one ship after another. Their crews, without showing due courage, fled to the shore. After standing in the harbor for about ten days, Roberts installed 16 cannons on the Bristol galley he captured and went with two ships to the Great Newfoundland Bank. There he robbed at least 10 French fishing vessels. He made one of the prizes, armed with 26 cannons, his flagship and named, like his previous ship, “Good Fortune.”
Continuing their cruising in the North Atlantic, the pirates captured several more prizes. Having met again and teamed up with Captain Montigny La Palis, the British set course for the West Indies.
In September, Good Fortune careened on the island of Carriacou. At the end of the same month, 2 pirate ships flying black flags appeared in the roadstead of Basseterre, the capital of the island of St. Christopher. Despite the fire from the coastal batteries, the pirates robbed and burned two English ships stationed in the harbor.
From St. Christopher the robbers went to the island of St. Barthelemy, whose governor allowed them to rest in his colony for several weeks. From there they moved to the islands of Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia. According to the Governor of the French Windward Islands, "between the 28th and 31st October these pirates captured, burned or sank fifteen French and English ships and one Dutch smuggling vessel with forty-two guns off Dominica."
Disguising themselves as Dutch smugglers, the pirates attempted to land on Martinique, but were attacked by the locals and retreated with losses. Returning to Saint Lucia, they learned that the governor of Martinique had proposed to the governor of Barbados to conduct a joint operation against the bandits. The French equipped a frigate, the British - a privateer ship, and when Captain Whitney's patrol ship "Rose" arrived on the islands, the French governor demanded his help. Although the joint expedition was unsuccessful, Roberts was so angry that he raised a new flag on the mast of his flagship Royal Fortune: on a black field was drawn a pirate with a saber in his hand, standing on two turtles. Under one skull were the letters ABH (A Barbadians Head, i.e. “Barbadian head”), under the other - AMH (A Martiniquians Head, i.e. “Martinician head”). It was a symbol of revenge.
Having captured several more prizes, the Royal Fortune, accompanied by a brigantine, set off for Hispaniola, from where it soon returned to the Lesser Antilles; near Desirade Island, pirates robbed Captain Hull's ship, heading to Jamaica. Having added him to their flotilla, the robbers cruised to Bermuda, from where they again went to the Antilles. Here they “every day captured mainly French ships, on which they found a sufficient amount of all kinds of provisions for themselves.” In early April 1721, Roberts captured a French warship, among whose passengers was the governor of Martinique. The latter was suspended on the end of the yardarm.
At the end of April, Roberts appeared in the Cape Verde Islands. Since the Royal Fortune was leaking, the robbers moved from it to the Sea King, which was renamed the Royal Fortune. In early June, Roberts' ship reached the coast of West Africa. Cruising between Senegal and Sierra Leone, he captured several prizes, including 2 French corsair ships.
On June 12, while in a secluded bay off the coast of Sierra Leone, Roberts learned from his old slave-trading friends that two British ships, the Swallow and the Weymouth, were looking for pirates. The punitive force was led by Chaloner Ogle. Taking this information into account, the pirates cleaned their ships and set out to sea again. In August, heading from Sierra Leone to the Gulf of Guinea, they boarded 2 large ships. One of them was the English frigate Onslow; he had on board valuable cargo worth 9 thousand pounds sterling.
Roberts renamed Onslow Royal Fortune, installed 40 guns on it and made it his next flagship. From the Ivory Coast he went to the coast of Nigeria, then visited the coast of Gabon, where his people had a bloody skirmish with the natives, and finally, having replenished provisions on Annobon, he turned back. During this months-long voyage, pirates robbed at least 6 ships.
On January 6, 1722, near Cape Apollo, pirates boarded the ship King Solomon. On the same day, a Dutch ship from Vlissingen was robbed. Panic began along the entire coast; messengers warning of the danger were sent to all nearby English and Dutch trading posts.
In January 1722, Royal Fortune arrived in Vida, one of the centers of the European slave trade on the coast of Benin. Here, 11 ships belonging to the British, French and Portuguese became the prey of the robbers. Each prize ship paid the pirates 8 pounds of gold dust as ransom.
Meanwhile, Swallow and Weymouth were actively searching for sea robbers. On February 5, while abeam the bay adjacent to Cape Lopez, military sailors suddenly heard a cannon shot and saw that 3 ships were anchored in the bay. Ogle assumed that these were Roberts' ships, and he was not mistaken. The pirates, mistaking the Swallow for a Portuguese slave ship, gave chase in the 32-gun Ranger. Ogle, feigning fear, walked away from the pirates for some time into the open sea, but then suddenly turned around and opened fire from all guns. The battle lasted two hours, after which, having lost 10 people killed and 20 wounded, the pirates surrendered to the mercy of the victors. As the boat sent by Ogle approached the Ranger, an explosion was heard in its stern. Later it turned out that half a dozen robbers in desperation decided to blow themselves up and a certain John Morris shot into the hook chamber, but there was too little gunpowder there, and they all survived - they were only terribly burned.
Among those taken prisoner were 77 British, 20 blacks and 16 French. Having shackled the prisoners, Ogle ordered the captured ship to be repaired and sent it to the island of Principe, and on the evening of February 9 he returned to Cape Lopez. In the bay he noticed 2 sailing ships: Roberts' 40-gun flagship Royal Fortune and the ship Neptune captured by pirates. On the morning of February 10, the Swallow began to round Cape Lopez to block the pirate ship's access to the open sea. The watchmen, noticing the masts of a large ship, went down to the cabin where Roberts was having breakfast in the company of Captain Hill, and warned him about the stranger. Roberts ordered the cannon ports to be opened, the Jolly Roger raised on the mast, weighed anchor and prepared for battle. At the height of the battle, Roberts was mortally wounded by a volley of grapeshot that hit him right in the throat. His friends, following the tradition accepted among them, hastened to send the body of the deceased captain overboard.
Excellent definition
Incomplete definition ↓
Bartholomew Roberts was born in South Wales. His real name was John Roberts. In June 1719, while serving as mate on a slave trading ship, he was captured by another Welshman, Howell Davis. Davis, in turn, became a pirate, being captured by Edward England. Roberts joined Davis, and when Davis was killed in a firefight, he became captain. For secrecy, Roberts changed his name, becoming Bartholomew. Very quickly the nickname Black Bart stuck to him.
Bartholomew Roberts' crew drinks on the banks of the Old Calabar River in West Africa. Rum was the favorite alcoholic drink of pirates. It was drunkenness that largely caused the death of Roberts and the captivity of his crew in 1723
After leaving the West African coast, Roberts sailed to Brazil. Here he intercepted a Portuguese convoy - several transport ships and a warship. Next, Roberts moved his expanded flotilla to New England, where he sold the excess ships and captured cargo. Then he began to hunt in the area of the Newfoundland Bank. Throughout the summer of 1720, he intercepted several ships. He exchanged the captured ships for a French 28-gun ship, which he named Royal Fortune. On this ship he went south along the American coast, capturing ships along the way. In the late summer of 1720, he reached the Caribbean Sea, where he intercepted 15 French and English ships, as well as a Dutch 42-gun warship. Then Roberts tried to cross the Atlantic, but unfavorable winds and navigation errors prevented him from doing so. I had to return to the West Indies. There Roberts led successful raids on the islands of St. Kitts and Martinique.
Active operations continued until the spring of 1721. The governor of Martinique was captured and hanged from the yardarm of his own ship. Roberts managed to capture a 52-gun French frigate. It was the largest ship in the pirate squadron, so it received the honorary name “Royal Prize”. Then Roberts finally reached the African coast and during the summer of 1721 captured several slave trading ships. The Onslow, captured by Roberts from the Royal African Campaign, was the last ship to be named Royal Fortune. Roberts continued to cruise along the coasts of Liberia and Nigeria, capturing slave traders along the way. An English squadron arrived in the region to fight pirates. On February 10, 1722, the ship Swallow, under the command of Captain Ogle, entered into battle with the Royal Fortune.
The pirates were anchored off Cape Lopez. The day before, the pirates managed to capture a large trophy. So they were busy sharing and drinking. At dawn, the drunken pirates saw next to them an English frigate preparing for battle. Roberts gave the order to sail and began the maneuver. Ogle turned his frigate around like a god and fired a volley of grapeshot from a short distance. Roberts was killed instantly. The surviving sailors on deck immediately threw Roberts' corpse overboard, not even risking removing the famous expensive cross, hoping to avoid accusations of involvement in Roberts' crimes. The artillery duel continued for another three hours before the pirates surrendered. The British also captured Roberts' two other ships. 300 tons of gold dust fell into the hands of the government.
The largest pirate trial in history took place. All those captured were hanged at Coast Castle, West Africa.
Roberts's courage became his difference. He led his crew into battle, armed with pistols tucked into his belt and a cutlass. He stopped ships of all countries, but France especially suffered from him. Roberst did not limit himself to naval operations. Thus, he was responsible for the capture of the French colony of Martinique, where he captured and hanged the local governor, and also executed many more captured Frenchmen. Roberts was a tall and handsome man who liked to dress well. Roberts abstained from drinking alcohol, which was almost incredible for a pirate. He was also a talented commander, knew how to subjugate people and lead them to the intended goal, using material incentives, as well as instilling rules of behavior, but most importantly, invariably achieving success. Among the hanged pirates was Rogers' lover, John Walden. His comrades called him “Miss Nanny” behind his back, but Walden’s character was not girlish. So, one day he ordered captured slaves to be burned alive. Roberts' career turned out to be one of the most successful and turbulent in the history of piracy. He was one of the richest pirates of his time, he was active on both sides of the Atlantic, capturing more than 200 ships.
Bartholomew Roberts is depicted on the last day of his life. A second later, an artillery volley of grapeshot at point-blank range will kill this famous pirate. Roberts was of Welsh origin. He became famous for his passion for expensive and beautiful clothes. In total, he sailed for about 30 months between the Caribbean and West Africa, during which time he captured 200 ships, transferring his flag to a larger ship whenever possible. Roberts harbored enmity towards the inhabitants of Barbados and Martinique and even managed to capture the governor of Martinique, hanging him from the yardarm of his own ship. In the last battle, Roberts' ship Royal Fortune clashed with the frigate Swallow, commanded by Captain Ogle. Ogle took the pirates by surprise while they were dividing up the spoils of the previous day. At the frigate's first salvo, buckshot hit him in the neck. The pirates threw Roberts' body overboard to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. The battle continued for several more hours before the pirates' resistance was broken and they capitulated.
Roberts is pictured here as described. He wears a red vest and damask breeches, as well as a hat with a feather. Around his neck is a gold chain with a cross decorated with a diamond. The pirates' faces reflect the mixed composition of the crew. Nearby, one of Roberts' flags flies, depicting a pirate raising a toast to death.
The film "Pirates of the Caribbean" and its legendary character Jack Sparrow are known to everyone. But few people know that this character of John Depp had a real prototype - the famous sea robber Bartholomew Roberts, aka Black Bart. He was the most successful pirate in history, because luck always followed him. Over the course of 4 years, Black Bart robbed 450 ships, receiving from them a seemingly unrealistic sum of 50 million pounds sterling.
Where is Black Bart's money?
A group of underwater archaeologists, while exploring the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Gabon, discovers the wreck of a ship. Among the poorly preserved wreckage, divers find dishes, an hourglass, an anchor and even an ancient cannon. The found artifacts were urgently sent for examination. Laboratory test data becomes a sensation.
It turns out that the finds discovered by scientists lay under water for almost 300 years and, perhaps, they are part of the ship of Black Bart, the most famous pirate of the 18th century.
Bartholomew Roberts ( English Bartholomew/Bart Robert s), a seemingly very intelligent man in a smart camisole and a hat with a red feather. It's hard to believe, but in reality he was the most brutal pirate of the Atlantic.
Roberts began his maritime career as a navigator on a slave ship and, most likely, would not have become a captain if it were not for chance. In 1719, the slave trading ship on which Bartholomew served was captured by pirates commanded by pirate captain Howell Davis.
Not only the live goods, but also the entire crew became the prey of the robbers. Sailors, along with slaves, are sold by pirates at the slave market. Incredibly, Roberts, the only one of the entire crew, manages to avoid this fate. Moreover, the sea robbers not only set him free, but offer him to join them.
So the still unknown 37-year-old Bartholomew Roberts becomes the pirate Black Bart.
Life as a Pirate
Together with other robbers, Bartholomew Roberts plied the Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of Africa, along the way robbing Dutch and English merchant ships. After a month and a half of sailing, he became captain.
Incredibly, it was for him, an ordinary sailor who joined the pirates just a few weeks ago, that the entire crew unanimously voted for him.
Bartholomew was chosen as captain of the ship "Pirate" (Rover). This happened after Davis was killed in the attack on Prince Island ( modern Principia, 200 km west of Equatorial Guinea).
His first act as captain was to convince the crew to return to Prince Island to avenge the death of Captain Davis. Roberts and his crew attacked the island at night, killing many people and looting much valuables.
Black Bart then went to sea and captured several merchant ships.
After 2 months, pirates led by Black Bart reached the shores of Brazil. Passing along the coast, they captured and devastated rich harbors. But the main prey of the sea robbers was a flotilla of 42 ships transporting tens of tons of gold and almost a thousand carats of diamonds from El Salvador to Lisbon. True, it was not easy to take possession of these treasures, because the Portuguese caravan with valuable cargo was carefully guarded by two well-armed frigates, each of which had 70 guns on board. Engaging with them meant obviously losing the battle, so Black Bart decided to use a trick.
Having hidden 2/3 of the crew in the hold, he, under the guise of an ordinary merchant, sailed to the nearest ship and invited its captain, supposedly to conclude a profitable deal. Under pain of death, the Portuguese pointed to the ship with the most valuable cargo. It turned out to be the admiral's 40-gun galleon, which the pirates captured without firing a shot and, having raised all sails, left the bay.
The Portuguese rushed in pursuit of the captured ship, but Black Bart managed to escape. For almost another year and a half, pirates led by Bartholomew Roberts engaged in sea robbery with impunity. Moreover, the geography of their raids and attacks was extensive. Suddenly leaving the Caribbean Sea, the pirates could head north, and from there, taking valuable cargo, head for the shores of West Africa.
Rumors of Black Bart's cruelty and incredible luck quickly spread throughout the Atlantic, so merchant ships tried to avoid his flotilla or surrendered without a fight. Feeling impunity and believing in his own invulnerability, Captain Black Bart began to plunder coastal cities, regardless of who they belonged to. He, unlike many famous pirates, never agreed to cooperate with the authorities, which means he was absolutely free to choose who to attack.
However, the patience of the colonial authorities soon came to an end. The governors of the French island of Martinique and the English Barbados especially wanted to catch the daring pirate, because it was to them that the sea robber inflicted the greatest damage. A fabulous reward was placed on Black Bart's head, but this did not frighten the pirate. On the contrary, he accepted the hunt announced for him as a challenge. Now engaged in piracy in the Caribbean, the sea robber always raised a special flag over the ship. It depicted Black Bart himself standing on the skulls of his enemies. This symbolism indicated how the meeting between the governors and the pirate would end.
One of Bartholomew Roberts' flags
Death
Roberts' career ended on February 10, 1722 on the coast of Gabon. He was killed in action with the British warship Swallow ( English HMS Swallow, Captain - Chaloner Ogle) near Cape Lopez, off the coast of modern Gabon.
On February 5, "Swallow" came across three ships engaged in minor repairs on the sandbanks in the bay near Cape Lopez. These were Royal Fortune, Ranger and Little Ranger. To avoid running aground, the Lastochka made a sharp turn, which the pirates mistook for an attempt by a merchant ship to avoid an unwanted encounter. Ranger, under the command of James Skyrme, rushed in pursuit. Having moved out of sight of the remaining pirate ships, the Swallow suddenly opened fire. In the ensuing battle, the pirates were defeated and their ship was captured.
When Swallow returned to Cape Lopez on February 10, it was discovered that Royal Fortune was still there. The day before, Roberts captured the merchant ship Neptune and the pirates were drinking, so at a critical moment many were not ready for battle.
Team Roberts' drinking party. When "Swallow" appeared, most of the team was drunk
At first, the pirates mistook the Swallow for a returning Ranger, but a deserter sailor who had previously served on the Swallow reported the mistake to Roberts. Roberts interrupted breakfast and began to prepare for battle, dressed as usual in his best suit: he was wearing a scarlet doublet and breeches of painted silk, and on his head was a hat with a red feather. Around his neck was a gold chain with a cross studded with diamonds. There is a sword in his hand, and two pairs of pistols in the slings.
Roberts hoped to leave the bay with only one broadside from the enemy, but due to a steering error the plan failed. With the second salvo from the Swallow, Roberts, who was on deck, was killed by grapeshot. The body of the deceased was immediately wrapped in a sail and thrown overboard; such was the will of Roberts himself, who did not want to fall into the hands of the law even after death. Roberts' remains were never found.
It is known that before executing the surviving robbers, the British allowed them to say goodbye to their captain and carry out his will. Pirates loyal to Black Bart buried him with full honors on the seabed.
However, where all his treasures went remains open.
Some researchers believe that Black Bart hid them on one of the uninhabited islands of the endless Atlantic Ocean. Others believe that pirate gold is still on the Royal Fortune wreck.
Cape Lopez
Bartholomew/Bart Roberts(English) Bartholomew/Bart Roberts) - English pirate, born May 17, real name John Roberts, also known as Black Bart. One of the most famous pirates in the history of piracy. Born in Haverfordwest, South Wales.
Life as a Pirate
Bartholomew became one of the most successful pirates in history, capturing 456 ships and more than £50 million worth of booty during his short four-year career as a pirate. He was almost elusive; historians are inclined to believe that Roberts was much brighter than such pirates as Blackbeard or Anne Bonny.
Roberts began his sea voyages as a mate on a slave trading ship. He joined a pirate ship at the age of 37, as 3rd mate aboard the Princess of London, commanded by pirate captain Howel Davis, near Annabamo, which is located on the Gold Coast of West Africa (the coast of modern Ghana). He was forcibly assigned to the crew as a navigator.
After 6 weeks of sailing under the command of Davis, Bartholomew was chosen captain of the ship Pirate ( Rover). This happened after Davis was killed in an attack on Prince Island (modern Principia, 200 km west of Equatorial Guinea). This was an unexpected decision, despite the fact that he was with the team for only a month and a half, but no one had mastered the skill of a navigator better than him, and, in addition, Roberts, as historians note, was a sincere and stubborn person.
His first act as captain was to convince the crew to return to Prince Island to avenge the death of Captain Davis. Roberts and his crew attacked the island at night, killing many people and looting much valuables. Thus began the career of the most successful pirate in history. Black Bart then went to sea and captured several merchant ships.
Not content with the spoils off the coast of Africa, Roberts set sail for the Caribbean early in the year. By the time of his arrival on the Devil's Islands, all merchant ships chose to take refuge under the protection of the cannons of the coastal forts, since Roberts's pirate fame had long reached these places. Deciding to seek his fortune in other waters, Roberts went north, where he profitably sold the goods captured off the coast of Guinea. Off the coast of Canada, he robbed 21 ships loaded with valuable furs.
- he was always well dressed;
- hated ruthlessness, foul language, drunkenness and bad manners;
- prohibited gambling between team members;
- on Sundays he conducted various services to honor God; he was a deeply religious person;
- had excellent manners;
- he was always clean-shaven;
- never drank alcohol;
- he had perfect handwriting;
- loved music and therefore always had musicians on board;
- he gave clear orders that if he was killed in battle, his body was to be buried at sea.
Flags
One of Bartholomew Roberts' flags
