Equiv. US$169.8 million in 2023;[1]#1 Forbes top-earning pirates[2]
Captain Samuel Bellamy (c. 23 February 1689 – 26 April 1717), later known as "Black Sam" Bellamy, was an English sailor turned pirate during the early 18th century. He is best known as the wealthiest pirate in recorded history, and one of the faces of the Golden Age of Piracy. Though his known career as a pirate captain lasted little more than a year, he and his crew captured at least 53 ships.[3]
Called "Black Sam" in Cape Cod folklore because he eschewed the fashionable powdered wig in favor of tying back his long black hair with a simple band, Bellamy became known for his mercy and generosity toward those he captured on his raids. This reputation earned him another nickname, the "Prince of Pirates". He likened himself to Robin Hood, with his crew calling themselves "Robin Hood's Men".[4][5]
Bellamy was born in Devon, England, in 1689, and began sailing for the British Royal Navy as a teenager. After traveling to Cape Cod around 1715, he then went south to the Florida coast in an effort to locate a sunken treasure fleet. From there he made his way to the Bahamas, sailing under Benjamin Hornigold and his second-in-command, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach. After Hornigold and Teach were voted out of command, Bellamy took a captured vessel as his own, before capturing a state-of-the-art slave trade ship, the Whydah Gally, in the early spring of 1717. Two months later, the vessel was caught in a nor'easter storm off the coast of Massachusetts and sank, taking Bellamy and most of his crew down with it. The remains of the Whydah Gally were discovered in 1984, making it the first fully authenticated Golden Age pirate ship discovered in North America.[citation needed]
^1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 29 February 2024.
^Woolsey, Matt (19 September 2008). "Top-Earning Pirates". Forbes.com. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
^"Top-Earning Pirates". Forbes. 19 September 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
^Johnson, Charles (1724). The history of the pyrates: containing the lives of Captain Mission. Captain Bowen. Captain Kidd ... and their several crews. London: T. Woodward. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
^Cite error: The named reference NatGeo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Captain SamuelBellamy (c. 23 February 1689 – 26 April 1717), later known as "Black Sam" Bellamy, was an English sailor turned pirate during the early...
other notable pirate captains of the age like Benjamin Hornigold and SamuelBellamy, Vane was known for his cruelty, often beating, torturing and killing...
Padley as Charles Vane Kevin Howarth as Woodes Rogers Evan Milton as SamuelBellamySamuel Collings as Paulsgrave Williams Miles Yekinni as Black Caesar Jack...
Hornigold opposed the decision and was replaced as captain of Marianne by SamuelBellamy, whose friend Paulsgrave Williams was elected quartermaster. Hornigold...
confused with the more well-known Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy, as they operated in the same areas at the same time. Bellamy raided with a fleet of three ships...
attack English ships, though he would encourage his allies, such as SamuelBellamy, to do so. Hornigold's patriotism was infuriating for his crew members...
alongside SamuelBellamy. In 1715, Williams, about 40 years old, was living in Boston with his wife and children. There he met Sam Bellamy, who intended...
were soon to be enshrined in infamy: Henry Jennings, Charles Vane, SamuelBellamy of Whydah Gally fame, Benjamin Hornigold, and Edward England. The attack...
pirate active in the Caribbean. He was best known for sailing with SamuelBellamy before working for the Spanish. Elected captain of Benjamin Hornigold’s...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
looting, the Hornigold party split, Levasseur partnering briefly with SamuelBellamy before deciding to try his luck on the Brazilian Coast aboard a stolen...
of English ex-privateers: Jennings, Charles Vane (on the Bersheba), SamuelBellamy, Benjamin Hornigold,[citation needed] and Edward England. When Jennings...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
Roberts The Pirate Cove! – George Booth National Geographic, "Capt. SamuelBellamy, Rogue Romeo" A Biography of Stede Bonnet Anne Bonny at TheWayofthePirates...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
such as the famous Edward Teach, known as "Blackbeard", along with Sam Bellamy and Stede Bonnet. Jennings was mentor to Charles Vane, "Calico" Jack Rackham...
SamuelBellamy Beach (ca. 1780 – July 31, 1866) was an American author. He graduated from Yale College in 1805. He came to college from Whitestown, New...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
whom would soon be enshrined in infamy: Henry Jennings, Charles Vane, SamuelBellamy, and Edward England. The attack was successful, but contrary to their...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
features: Christopher Condent John Bowen John Halsey Nathaniel North SamuelBellamySamuel Burgess Thomas Howard Thomas Tew William Fly William Kidd David...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
Roberto Cofresí Roche Braziliano Rusla Sadie Farrell SamuelBellamySamuel Hall Lord Samuel Mason Samuel Pallache Sayyida al Hurra Sister Ping Shap-ng-tsai...
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