One famous pirate from history is Blackbeard, whose real name was Edward Teach. He was a notorious English pirate who operated in the West Indies and along the eastern coast of the American colonies during the early 18th century. Blackbeard is known for his fearsome appearance, with a long black beard and a habit of wearing burning fuses in his hair during battle to intimidate his enemies.

Be a REAL Pirate

The treasure hunting triggered by the wreckage of one fleet was a major stimulus for piracy and the rise of such notorious pirates as Blackbeard and ‘Calico’ Jack Rackham.

He’d cut off your ears if you didn’t listen. Every woman locked her door when his scurvy crew were in town. Meet Black Bart, the man who inspired Pirates Of The Caribbean - and out-swashbuckled all of them

Famous pirates and their jolly Rogers

It was all very well pocketing other people’s valuables and roistering at rum parties, but life on a pirate ship involved a surprising amount of hard work. Pirates...

Black beard

The most notorious pirates wreaked havoc from China to the Caribbean. Here are 10 fearsome pirates from history.

The curious history behind the popular nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence takes us from the Tudor times of Henry VIII to the Pirates of the Caribbean via the splendours of gastronomy—four and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie!