Bartholomew Roberts

Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)

Bartholomew Roberts (later called Black Bart, or Barti Ddu in Welsh)

Born: 17 May, 1682 in Pembrokeshire, Wales,

Died: 10 February 1722

Well, this famous pirate, me hearty, he be christened John Roberts. A name he later changed to Bartholomew Roberts. He first went to sea (around 13) when he joined the Royal Navy. Then by 1719 he’d become third mate on the Princess, a slave ship captained by Abraham Plumb for the Royal Africa Company. But, while at port in Ghana (West Africa) this ship was captured by pirates who forced some of the crew (including Roberts) to join their ship.

But luckily for Roberts his new captain, Howell Davis (also from Pembrokeshire) soon discovered he excelled at navigating. This, plus the fact they could both talk Welsh, and so talk in secret, meant he soon became an important part of the crew.

Davis’ pirates sailed the Royal James and the Royal Rover, but shortly after Roberts joined their crew the Royal James was abandoned due to woodworm damage. So, with all his crew on one ship, Davis raised the British Man-of-War flags and sailed into Principe’s harbour (Portugal). A few days later he invited the Portuguese governor to have lunch onboard his ship. He planned to hold him hostage and have the island pay for his return. However, the Portuguese discovered the Royal Rover’s sailors were really pirates, so, when Davis went to collect the governor, his ship was ambushed and Davis was shot dead.

The Royal Rover crew then, finding themselves without a leader, elected Roberts their new captain despite him only having been a pirate for six weeks. (He was most likely chosen for his skill at navigating and his outspoken, direct nature.)

As captain, the first thing Roberts did was revenge Davis’ death, by sailing straight back into port at night, attacking the Portuguese and taking anything of value. This gained him respect from his crew, a popularity that grew as, over the next few weeks, he led them to successfully rob several ships. Robert’s flag at this time showed himself and Death holding an hourglass. (A design possibly chosen because many at the time thought him to be bullet-proof.)

cont...

Bartholomew Roberts (later called Black Bart, or Barti Ddu in Welsh)

Born: 17 May, 1682 in Pembrokeshire, Wales,

Died: 10 February 1722

Well, this famous pirate, me hearty, he be christened John Roberts. A name he later changed to Bartholomew Roberts. He first went to sea (around 13) when he joined the Royal Navy. Then by 1719 he’d become third mate on the Princess, a slave ship captained by Abraham Plumb for the Royal Africa Company. But, while at port in Ghana (West Africa) this ship was captured by pirates who forced some of the crew (including Roberts) to join their ship.

Davis’ pirates sailed the Royal James and the Royal Rover, but shortly after Roberts joined their crew the Royal James was abandoned due to woodworm damage. So, with all his crew on one ship, Davis raised the British Man-of-War flags and sailed into Principe’s harbour (Portugal). A few days later he invited the Portuguese governor to have lunch onboard his ship. He planned to hold him hostage and have the island pay for his return. However, the Portuguese discovered the Royal Rover’s sailors were really pirates, so, when Davis went to collect the governor, his ship was ambushed and Davis was shot dead.

The Royal Rover crew then, finding themselves without a leader, elected Roberts their new captain despite him only having been a pirate for six weeks. (He was most likely chosen for his skill at navigating and his outspoken, direct nature.)

cont...

His success increased as the crew sailed to Brazil, where they robbed many ships. But this is also when one of his crew, Walter Kennedy, who he'd left in charge (so he could go and capture another sloop) chose to sail away with the Royal Rover and all the loot it contained. An action that caused Roberts to rename the recently captured sloop the Fortune and write up a new pirate code which all his crew had to promise to follow.

Later, in 1720, the French pirate Montigny la Palisse joined them with his sloop, the Sea King. But the inhabitants of Barbados attacked them all as they got close to the island, badly damaging all the pirate ships, forcing Roberts and la Palisse to flee. Roberts headed to Dominica hoping to repair his ship and avoid the ships out to catch him. Then, still angry at the people of Barbados and Martinique for attacking him, Roberts changed his flag to a picture of himself standing on two skulls, one a Barbadian and one a Martiniquian.

Over the rest of the year, Roberts captured many ships, over twenty from when he sailed into Ferryland. An event made even more memorable by Roberts’ disgust and response to finding all ships abandoned by crews, who'd fled when they'd heard he was approaching. One of these captured ships was chosen to replace the Fortune, so was renamed Good Fortune and fitted with 16 guns. Later with these extra ships, the pirate crew sailed south towards the West Indies, where they renamed their ship the Royal Fortune.

Later that year, Roberts captured the Governor of Martinique and his 52-gun ship, which he promptly took over and then renamed the new Royal Fortune.

And so his lifestyle continued until Roberts and his crew while celebrating recent wins, in port at Cape Lopez (Africa), where caught out by the HMS Swallow. Despite an early warning and time to plan the best way to avoid the naval ship, things didn’t go according to plan. Roberts was shot and killed while standing on deck. But before the ship was boarded, his crew were still able to fulfil his final wishes of being buried at sea.

His success increased as the crew sailed to Brazil, where they robbed many ships. But this is also when one of his crew, Walter Kennedy, who he'd left in charge (so he could go and capture another sloop) chose to sail away with the Royal Rover and all the loot it contained. An action that caused Roberts to rename the recently captured sloop the Fortune and write up a new pirate code which all his crew had to promise to follow.

Later, in 1720, the French pirate Montigny la Palisse joined them with his sloop, the Sea King. But the inhabitants of Barbados attacked them all as they got close to the island, badly damaging all the pirate ships, forcing Roberts and la Palisse to flee. Roberts headed to Dominica hoping to repair his ship and avoid the ships out to catch him. Then, still angry at the people of Barbados and Martinique for attacking him, Roberts changed his flag to a picture of himself standing on two skulls, one a Barbadian and one a Martiniquian.

Over the rest of the year, Roberts captured many ships, over twenty from when he sailed into Ferryland. An event made even more memorable by Roberts’ disgust and response to finding all ships abandoned by crews, who'd fled when they'd heard he was approaching. One of these captured ships was chosen to replace the Fortune, so was renamed Good Fortune and fitted with 16 guns. Later with these extra ships, the pirate crew sailed south towards the West Indies, where they renamed their ship the Royal Fortune.

Later that year, Roberts captured the Governor of Martinique and his 52-gun ship, which he promptly took over and then renamed the new Royal Fortune.

And so his lifestyle continued until Roberts and his crew while celebrating recent wins, in port at Cape Lopez (Africa), where caught out by the HMS Swallow. Despite an early warning and time to plan the best way to avoid the naval ship, things didn’t go according to plan. Roberts was shot and killed while standing on deck. But before the ship was boarded, his crew were still able to fulfil his final wishes of being buried at sea.

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