Thomas Tew was an English privateer who had a short career in piracy from 1692-1695. Tew was notoriously kind, with victims often surrendering immediately upon learning the identity of their attacker. Tew is famous for two major pirate journey’s, in which he amassed a fortune equal to $112.8 million U.S. dollars, making him the third highest grossing pirate according to Forbes Magazine.
In 1692, the Governor of Bermuda bestowed Tew with a Letter of Marques, which gives the holder permission to attack and capture enemy ships as a privateer. After receiving his ship, the Amity, from donors, Tew and his crew set off to destroy a French factory off the coast of west Africa. Shortly into the voyage, Tew and his crew announced their intentions of a career in piracy, and essentially went rogue. In 1693, Tew reached the Red Sea, where he and his crew ran down and captured a large cargo ship without suffering any casualties. This haul, full of gold, silver, gems, ivory, silk, and spices, is where Tew obtained the majority of his wealth. After this voyage, Tew sailed to The Province of New York, where he befriended the royal governor, Benjamin Fletcher. He also repaid those who donated his ship the Amity 14 times the vessel’s worth.
Thomas Tew obtained another Letter of Marques from Benjamin Fletcher, and in 1694 set sail for the Red Sea once more. At the mouth of the Red Sea, Tew encountered several other pirates, including Henry Every. Together, these pirates sailed in search of more riches. In 1695, the pirate fleet encountered a 25 ship convoy from the Mughal Empire. Tew and his crew engaged one ship, the Fateh Muhammed. It was in this battle that Tew was killed by being disemboweled by cannon fire, which shocked his crew into surrendering. The crew was later freed when Henry Every engaged the Fateh Muhammed.
It is unknown where Thomas Tew’s remains were buried. Though Tew’s career as a pirate was short, he quickly became one of the richest pirates in history. His flag is very much that of a typical pirate, and is thought to be a white arm holding a sword, set into a black background. Unlike typical pirates, he was well liked, as is evident by befriending the royal governor Benjamin Fletcher. He breaks the stigma that all pirates are crass, salty-sea dogs.
In 1692, the Governor of Bermuda bestowed Tew with a Letter of Marques, which gives the holder permission to attack and capture enemy ships as a privateer. After receiving his ship, the Amity, from donors, Tew and his crew set off to destroy a French factory off the coast of west Africa. Shortly into the voyage, Tew and his crew announced their intentions of a career in piracy, and essentially went rogue. In 1693, Tew reached the Red Sea, where he and his crew ran down and captured a large cargo ship without suffering any casualties. This haul, full of gold, silver, gems, ivory, silk, and spices, is where Tew obtained the majority of his wealth. After this voyage, Tew sailed to The Province of New York, where he befriended the royal governor, Benjamin Fletcher. He also repaid those who donated his ship the Amity 14 times the vessel’s worth.
Thomas Tew obtained another Letter of Marques from Benjamin Fletcher, and in 1694 set sail for the Red Sea once more. At the mouth of the Red Sea, Tew encountered several other pirates, including Henry Every. Together, these pirates sailed in search of more riches. In 1695, the pirate fleet encountered a 25 ship convoy from the Mughal Empire. Tew and his crew engaged one ship, the Fateh Muhammed. It was in this battle that Tew was killed by being disemboweled by cannon fire, which shocked his crew into surrendering. The crew was later freed when Henry Every engaged the Fateh Muhammed.
It is unknown where Thomas Tew’s remains were buried. Though Tew’s career as a pirate was short, he quickly became one of the richest pirates in history. His flag is very much that of a typical pirate, and is thought to be a white arm holding a sword, set into a black background. Unlike typical pirates, he was well liked, as is evident by befriending the royal governor Benjamin Fletcher. He breaks the stigma that all pirates are crass, salty-sea dogs.