Emily Chan
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.
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