7 Crazy Unbelievable Attacks Made By Pirates (Video)

Pirates were often unofficially sponsored by governments, leading to various terms like “corsair,” data-article-video=”1″ “buccaneer,” and “privateer.” However, these terms are not synonymous with “pirate,” which refers to any crime involving a body of water and a boat. Here are seven of the most unbelievable pirate attacks in history:

In 1579, English privateer Francis Drake captured the Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, also known as the Cacafuego. The haul was so vast that it took Drake’s crew six days to unload the loot.

François l’Olonnais’s vengeful spree began in 1666 after surviving a shipwreck and a massacre by the Spanish. L’Olonnais carried out a series of brutal raids, with his most infamous act involving cutting open a Spanish prisoner and gnawing on his heart.

Welsh privateer Henry Morgan circumvented his letter of marque in 1668 by attacking Spanish settlements. His invasion of Porto Bello was notable for the strategic use of small canoes and resulted in a significant ransom.

Henry Avery led a coalition of pirate ships in 1695 to capture a convoy of Mughal treasure ships. The spoils from the Ganj-i-Sawai and Fateh Muhammed made Avery and his men incredibly wealthy.

In 1718, Blackbeard’s blockade of Charleston Port crippled the British economy. Despite capturing numerous ships, his only demand was medical supplies for his crew.

Bartholomew Roberts, known as Black Bart, infiltrated a Portuguese treasure fleet between 1719 and 1720. He captured the Sagrada Familia, taking 80,000 gold coins and a diamond-laden cross.

Ching Shih, commanding a fleet of 1,800 ships and 80,000 pirates, dominated the South China Sea in 1808. Her forces decimated the Qing navy, leading the Chinese government to seek foreign assistance to subdue her.

Top image: A pirate attacking.   Source: Ariestia/Adobe Stock

By Robbie Mitchell