Bartholomew Roberts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bartholomew Roberts (1682 - 1722), aka
Black Bart, was one of the most notorious pirates of his day. Born at Casnewydd-Bach [Little Newcastle] near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire,
Wales, he is believed to have led the most successful
pirate career in history, having captured several hundred vessels, as many as twenty-two at one time, over a period of just two years. At age 37, he shipped as second mate aboard the slave ship
Princess which was taken by pirate captain Howel Davis at Anomabu on the
Gold Coast [present-day
Ghana] in February, 1720. Within six weeks of his capture, Roberts, a tall, black man, was elected captain of the pirate ship
Rover, following the demise of captain Davis at the island of
Príncipe.
His career as pirate captain abruptly ended in February, 1722 off Cape Lopez, Gabon when he was killed aboard his flagship the Royal Fortune by a cannon fire of grapeshot which struck him in the neck while battling captain Chaloner Ogle's company of HMS Swallow, a man of war sent to West Africa to capture and arrest pirates. Before his body could be taken by Ogle, Roberts' wishes of being buried at sea were carried out by his company by throwing his body overboard.
References
- Defoe, Daniel (1724). A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates (1999 ed.). New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0622-8.
