Most people have heard of Edward Teach. He was the famous and notorious pirate known as Blackbeard. But do you know about Blackbeard's partner, who worked with him terrorizing people who traveled on the high seas? Yep! He had a pal!
Blackbeard's Pal was called Black Caesar. This is his story.
His real African name is unknown. But the person written into history under the name "Henri Caesar" aka "Black Caesar" was said to have been an African Chief who was lured onto a ship owned by slave traders with the promise of gold and other treasures. When he realized that he was being transported to the New World to be a slave, it was too late. But would you believe it? The ship he was on ran into a hurricane and the vessel sank. He escaped and turned to a life of piracy. Guess he was determined get gold and treasures by any means necessary.
Guess who he teamed up with? Blackbeard!
The story goes that he was the lieutenant of Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge*. In the end, however, the authorities caught up with him and he was tried and hanged for piracy in Williamsburg, Virginia.
By contrast, Blackbeard was not taken alive. He was killed in a bloody battle of Ocracoke Island in 1718. According to legend, he received five musket-ball wounds and 20 sword lacerations before dying. (Source: Nov 22, This Day in History | The History Channel)
*FUN FACT: Queen Anne's Revenge shipwreck was discovered in 1996. Read more.
Of course, there are other stories about this dark and mysterious historical figure. (That usually happens when information, records, and documents about a person are limited or scant and folks may not like the story they heard or read, so they make up other stories. Then leave it to the hearers or readers to choose which story they want to believe. 😉)
An alternate story about Black Caesar, instead of being an African chief is:
He was a slave in Haiti and when the island received its independence from France, he set off to make his fortune at sea. Instead of making a honest living, he became a pirate. Supposedly he buried $6 million worth of treasure and then disappeared. What became of him? UUhh ... not sure! Not sure what happened to him AND not sure what happened to the $6 million either.
REFERENCES:
Eberl, Karuna. “Chasing Black Caesar, Southern Florida’s Notorious Pirate.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 6 Sept. 2023, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-caesar-pirate-biscayne-bay-florida. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.
Warhistoryonline.com, 2023, www.warhistoryonline.com/instant-articles/the-legend-of-black-caesar.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.
dhwty. “Black Caesar: The African Chief Who Was Captured by Slavers and Became a Pirate.” Ancient Origins Reconstructing the Story of Humanity’s Past, Ancient Origins, 13 Apr. 2019, www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/black-caesar-0011738. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.
The. “Black Caesar: The Tribal War Chief Turned Pirate (Pirate History Explained).” YouTube, 13 May 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1ng6OacqowI. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.
PBS Origins. “Black Caesar: The Dozens of Pirates behind the Legend.” YouTube, 10 Nov. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qebFTx3bXOo. Accessed 30 Sept. 2023.
FINAL NOTE: PIRACY: Old History vs New History:
The 17th and 18th centuries have been referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy. I got no love for pirates. To me there was nothing"golden" about it. They should not be glorified or idolized. Historically, most of them died the way they lived. Violently. To refer to them as the “terrorists of the high seas” is a fitting description. Sadly in the 20th and 21st centuries, pirates are back in the news and the reports are grim. Pirates began striking fear in the hearts of the people traveling on the seas again! Fortunately, the news reports dated 2022 and after indicate that piracy seems to be on the decline. For the past 3 decades they were a frightening force to be reckoned with. Nevertheless, caution is urged.
Thanks for reading.
