This Pirate Dominated The Seas And Took Ownership Of 53 Ships, Becoming Known As History’s Wealthiest Pirate With A Fortune Worth About $140 Million Today
Although Samuel Bellamy’s career as a pirate was short-lived, he quickly rose to prominence and has been named history’s wealthiest pirate.
The captain dominated the oceans for two years, and during his rule, he took ownership of 53 ships. He was later known as “Black Sam.” So, how did Black Sam become so influential?
Samuel Bellamy was born in 1689 in a small English village. As a teenager, he became a sailor and set out to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, intent on seeking a way to make his fortune.
During his time in the Cape Cod area, he was believed to have had an affair with a woman named Maria Hallett. After he left in search of treasure, she was said to have produced his child. By his mid-twenties, he had turned to piracy.
He went on an expedition to locate the valuables of a shipwrecked Spanish vessel, but the treasure hunt proved unsuccessful. However, this incident was what kickstarted his career as a pirate.
He ended up joining the crew of Captain Benjamin Hornigold and sailed with him on the Marianne for several years.
Eventually, Bellamy led a mutiny, kicking Hornigold off his own ship, along with any other crew members who remained loyal to him, including Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, another notable pirate from legend who was Hornigold’s second-in-command.
Apparently, Hornigold always avoided attacking British ships, which Bellamy did not agree with.
From 1715 to 1717, Bellamy was a pirate and a popular one at that. In just a matter of months, he successfully captured more than 50 vessels. He was also thought to have inspired the fashions we associate with pirates today. He loved expensive clothing, especially black coats, and rejected the style of wearing powdered wigs.
James Steidl – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
His character was known for being democratic and well-mannered. He was unusually kind to his crew and hostages, earning him the nicknames “Robinhood of the Seas” and “Prince of Pirates.”
According to Forbes, Bellamy amassed a fortune that would be worth around $140 million today. His most profitable seizure, the Whydah Gally, would also be his last. For three days, the pirate gave chase to the Whydah and managed to conquer it. The ship had been carrying $5 million worth of gold and silver on board.
Unfortunately, the triumph of the victory was brief. Two months later, on April 26, 1717, the Whydah was caught in a storm and sank, taking Bellamy, the treasure, and all but a handful of his crew with it. At the time of his death, Bellamy was only 28 years of age.
In 1984, the shipwreck of the Whydah Gally was discovered off the coast of Cape Cod by an American archaeological explorer named Barry Clifford.
Within the wreck, several bodies and the ship’s bell were uncovered. So far, the shipwreck has been the only pirate ship ever to be found. Its discovery has helped to increase our understanding of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650–1730).
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