The news is fresh and out of the chest, the wreck found, off the North Carolinan’s shores, is indeed the ship of the famous pirate Blackbeard. It took the expert more than 15 years to be certain.
Blackbeard, The most famous pirate
Edward Teach or Edward Thatch, nicknamed Blackbeard was a formidable pirate born in 1680. He died in 1718, during a battle against British ships. He owes his nickname to his thick black beard. He first worked for the pirate Benjamin Hornigold, before emancipating himself and penetrating in the Caribbean but also on the east coast of the British colonies in America. Until his death, he brought chaos everywhere he set sails to. For his attacks to be even more efficients, he allied with other famous pirates. After his death, he became a legend, even today he is considered as one of the greatest pirate of all time. On November 28, 1717, Barbe Noire seized the concord, a slave frigate belonging to the French shipowner René Montaudouin. He renames it “the revenge of Queen Anne.” In 1718, the ship ran aground on a sand bank off Beaufort, North Carolina. The crew and the pirate come out unharmed.
An historical wreck
As soon as the wreck was discovered, the archaeologists were convinced that it was the pirate’s ship, but they had to prove it. First of all, only the blackbeard’s ship could have this impressive size, sailing at this place at this exact timea! On the other hand, the amazing quantity of weapons confirmed that it could only be a war ship.
Some parts of the loot, found in the wreck, played a decisive role in the identification of the ship:
- – Apothecary weights stamped with tiny lily flowers: They were to belong to the French surgeon attached to the ship, and that Blackbeard forced to be part of his crew.
- – An engraved bell of the year 1705.
