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Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach - Privateer
(1680 - 1718) |
Probably the most notorious of all the privateers
from what has become known as 'The Golden Age
of Pirates'. As with so many privateers and
pirates, his life was short lived, however it
had a lasting effect on history and has ensured
that the name Edward Teach will live on for
many years to come.
This page details facts about Edward Teach's
life and the events that shaped his history.
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Edward Teach the Privateer -
Fun Facts for Kids ! |
Edward Teach Fact
1: |
Edward Teach was born in Bristol around
1680. |
Edward Teach Fact
2: |
He spent some time sailing on privateers. |
Edward Teach Fact
3: |
Despite uncommon boldness and personal
courage, he was never promoted to command a ship. |
Edward Teach Fact
4: |
It’s believed that he became a pirate
towards the end of 1716. |
Edward Teach Fact
5: |
Edward Teach became known as Blackbeard
as he'd grown a large black beard which covered a large
part of his face. He was known to twist the beard into small
tails and tie them with ribbons. |
Edward Teach Fact
6: |
He would light slow match fuses and hang
them from under his hat. The resulting smoke and sparks
made him look menacing. |
Edward Teach Fact
7: |
He wore three braces (pairs) of pistols
in a sash across his body. |
Edward Teach Fact
9: |
He worked with Hornigold
until early 1718 when Hornigold accepted the general
pardon for pirates that had been offered by King George
l (dated 5th September 1717 to last until 5th September
1718).
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Edward Teach Fact
10: |
In November 1717,
Edward Teach captured the French ship 'La Concorde'
and renamed it 'Queen Anne’s Revenge'. To strengthen
its fire power, he added 40 cannons.
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Edward Teach Fact
11: |
He came across a
10 gun sloop commanded by Major Stede Bonnet. On discovering
Bonnet was an sailor that lacked experience, Edward
Teach, with consent from his crew, placed Captain Richards
in command of Bonnet’s sloop. He then took Bonnet aboard
his own ship stating that he could live easy at his
pleasure, and would not be obliged to perform any duties.
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Picture
of King George I of England
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Edward Teach Fact 12: |
After plundering five ships in the bay
of Honduras, he let three of them go. He burned the remaining
two, one because he spited the owner, the other because
it was from Boston, and some men had recently been hung
there for piracy. |
Edward Teach Fact 13: |
Edward Teach blockaded Charles Town,
Carolina, taking many ships and prisoners. He sent a few
pirates, and a prisoner, to the government of the province
to demand a chest of medicine. The government gave in to
his demands, and having plundered the ships, he released
them and the prisoners. |
Edward Teach Fact 14: |
His Company consisted of the Queen Anne’s
Revenge and three sloops, when he decided to abandon it,
keeping the best of the money and plunder. Faking an accident,
he ran the Queen Anne's Revenge aground and ordered one
of the others to give assistance. In doing so, the other
ship also ran aground. He transferred to another of the
ships with around forty hands and sailed to an island where
he marooned seventeen of them. |
Edward Teach Fact 15: |
He sailed to North Carolina where he
accepted the King’s general pardon from the Governor Charles
Eden. |
Edward Teach Fact 16: |
During this time he bigamously married,
what was believed to be his fourteenth wife. It was also
believed that twelve of his wives were still alive. |
Edward Teach Fact 17: |
Governor Charles Eden gave him one of
the ships he had taken as a pirate. This was the beginning
of a partnership which would see Edward Teach returning
to piracy and sharing his spoils with the Governor. |
Edward Teach Fact 18: |
In June 1718 he headed to Bermuda and
met two or three English ships. He only took the provisions
he required from them before letting them go. |
Edward Teach Fact 19: |
Near Bermuda, he encountered two French
ships, one was empty the other loaded with Sugar and Cocoa.
He set the crew of the loaded ship onto the empty ship then
took the loaded ship back to North Carolina, where he divided
the spoils with a share going to the Governor and another
to the Governor’s Secretary. |
Edward Teach Fact 20: |
He set the French ship alight in a river
to destroy any evidence of this deed. |
Edward Teach Fact 21: |
He spent three or four months in the
river. At times he would trade with other ships and sometimes
he would pillage them. He acted similarly with the local
planters. It was said that he also took liberties with their
wives. |
Edward Teach Fact 22: |
Knowing Edward Teach was in league with
Governor Eden, complaints against him were made to the Governor
of Virginia. This resulted in a Proclamation offering rewards
for capturing or killing pirates. |
Edward Teach Fact 23: |
The Proclamation, dated 14th November
1718, specified a reward of one hundred pounds for Edward
Teach. |
Edward Teach Fact 24: |
A Lieutenant Robert Maynard, of the Royal
Navy, was secretly dispatched by the Virginian Governor,
with two sloops to deal with the pirate. Maynard finally
encountered him on 22nd November 1718, and after boarding
Maynard’s ship, Edward Teach was shot by Maynard but continued
to fight. |
Edward Teach Fact 25: |
He finally fell after being shot five
times and receiving 20 other wounds. |
Edward Teach Fact 26: |
His head was severed from his body and
mounted on the bowsprit of Maynard's ship. The remainder
of his body was thrown overboard. |
Edward 'Edward Teach
' Teach the Pirate (1680 - 1718) Fun Facts Info
for Kids ! |
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