Bartholomew Roberts Postcard

Bartholomew Roberts, better known as Black Bart, was a highly successful and infamous Welsh pirate who operated during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. Born in 1682 in Pembrokeshire, Wales, Roberts started his maritime career as a slave ship crew member. However, his life took a dramatic turn when the vessel he was on was captured by the pirate Howell Davis in 1719. Roberts, impressed by the pirate life, willingly joined the crew, and after Davis's death, he was elected as the new captain by his fellow pirates. Known for his intelligence, leadership skills, and adherence to a strict pirate code, Roberts became one of the most successful pirates of his time. Under Roberts' command, the crew of the Royal Fortune, his flagship, captured over 400 ships in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. He terrorised shipping lanes from the West Indies to the coast of Brazil, becoming a formidable and feared figure. Roberts was known for his distinctive appearance, often wearing rich crimson clothing and a diamond-studded gold cross, earning him the nickname "Black Bart the Pirate." His career came to an end in 1722 when he was killed in battle off the coast of Africa by British naval forces. Despite his relatively short time as a pirate captain, Bartholomew Roberts left an enduring legacy, not only as one of the most successful pirates of the era but also for his adherence to a pirate code that governed his crew's behaviour and conduct.