“The Major was a Gentleman of good Reputation in the Island of Barbadoes, was Master of a plentiful Fortune, and had Advantage of a liberal Education.”
-A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates (1724).
Stede Bonnet, also known as “The Gentleman Pirate,” was a wealthy landowner from Barbados who became a pirate in 1717. Bonnet’s transition into a life of piracy differs much from other pirates. Most of the time, the reason one would turn to piracy would be either by force, as in Bartholomew Roberts’ case, or because they were former privateers who were out of work after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession. In Bonnet’s case however, he came from a family of great wealth, served as a major in the Barbados militia, and was well educated. In fact, it was his background that earned him his nickname. For unknown reasons, he decided to leave his life of success behind to become a pirate. In his book, Captain Charles Johnson speculated that Bonnet had marital problems and stated that Bonnet’s “disorder of mind” was something that many citizens of Barbados were aware of.
Bonnet purchased a ten-gun sloop which he named The Revenge and hired a crew of 70 men for his journey. Reportedly, he had no knowledge of sailing when setting out and his crew had little respect for him. Bonnet and his crew attacked several ships with some success, until Bonnet tried to attack a powerful Spanish man o’ war, which left him greatly injured and half of his crew dead. He sailed to the pirate republic of New Providence, Bahamas, where he met the famous pirate Blackbeard. Bonnet’s crew begged Blackbeard, a very capable pirate, to take command of Bonnet’s ship and crew, a proposition which Blackbeard accepted. Bonnet stayed aboard Blackbeard’s ship, recovering from his injuries.
In Spring 1718, Bonnet separated from Blackbeard and was quickly defeated while attacking the Protestant Caesar, a well-armed merchant ship. Bonnet once again encountered Blackbeard soon after, and his crew once again begged Blackbeard to take command from Bonnet. Blackbeard put one of his own men in charge of Bonnet’s ship and took Bonnet on board his ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge. Blackbeard later betrayed Bonnet by abandoning him in the town of Bath off the coast of North Carolina, where he had sent Bonnet to negotiate a pardon, and marooning part of Bonnet’s crew on a nearby island. Bonnet rescued the men and swore revenge on Blackbeard, but the two never met again.
Bonnet, with no money or food, returned to piracy under the false name Captain Thomas. He did this because the term for his pardon was to give up piracy, and he wished to maintain it. This point in his career was arguably the most successful, but he was soon captured by Colonel William Rhett, a pirate bounty hunter, at the Cape Fear River inlet. Bonnet and his crew were put on trial for piracy and, although he tried to appeal for Clemency, all men were found guilty and hanged in Charleston in 1718.
Bonnet purchased a ten-gun sloop which he named The Revenge and hired a crew of 70 men for his journey. Reportedly, he had no knowledge of sailing when setting out and his crew had little respect for him. Bonnet and his crew attacked several ships with some success, until Bonnet tried to attack a powerful Spanish man o’ war, which left him greatly injured and half of his crew dead. He sailed to the pirate republic of New Providence, Bahamas, where he met the famous pirate Blackbeard. Bonnet’s crew begged Blackbeard, a very capable pirate, to take command of Bonnet’s ship and crew, a proposition which Blackbeard accepted. Bonnet stayed aboard Blackbeard’s ship, recovering from his injuries.
In Spring 1718, Bonnet separated from Blackbeard and was quickly defeated while attacking the Protestant Caesar, a well-armed merchant ship. Bonnet once again encountered Blackbeard soon after, and his crew once again begged Blackbeard to take command from Bonnet. Blackbeard put one of his own men in charge of Bonnet’s ship and took Bonnet on board his ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge. Blackbeard later betrayed Bonnet by abandoning him in the town of Bath off the coast of North Carolina, where he had sent Bonnet to negotiate a pardon, and marooning part of Bonnet’s crew on a nearby island. Bonnet rescued the men and swore revenge on Blackbeard, but the two never met again.
Bonnet, with no money or food, returned to piracy under the false name Captain Thomas. He did this because the term for his pardon was to give up piracy, and he wished to maintain it. This point in his career was arguably the most successful, but he was soon captured by Colonel William Rhett, a pirate bounty hunter, at the Cape Fear River inlet. Bonnet and his crew were put on trial for piracy and, although he tried to appeal for Clemency, all men were found guilty and hanged in Charleston in 1718.