▼

Monday, 10 February 2014

The Death of Black Bart

Bartholomew Roberts (nee John Roberts, AKA Black Bart, Casnewydd Bach, Pembrokeshire, Wales, 17th May 1682 - Died at sea, 10th February 1722)
Bartholomew Roberts with his ship and captured merchant ships in the background from A History of the Pyrates, Captain Charles Johnson 1724
Bartholomew Roberts with his ship and captured merchant ships in the background from A History of the Pyrates, Captain Charles Johnson 1724

Today we leave behind monarchs and artists and take to the seas in search of a most notorious pirate, who is about to be brought to book. Batholomew Roberts was the most feared pirate on the seas and though his career was over in less than four years, he had taken almost 500 prizes before his death.

 On 5th February 1722 lookouts on HMS Swallow, commanded by Captain Chaloner Ogle, reported that they had sighted three pirate vessels including Robert's flagship, the Royal Fortune, at Cape Lopez. When a second ship, the Ranger took off in pursuit of the Swallow, the pirates came off worse when it found itself outgunned and fired upon. Buoyed by this victory, Captain Ogle made a return foray to Cape Lopez on 10th February and found the Royal Fortune still at anchor, many of the crew rolling drunk.

 Roberts commanded his crew to dodge past the naval ship and escape to open sea but he was let down by his helmsman, who left his ship wide open to a broadside. As Roberts strode the deck a grapeshot from the Swallow struck him in the throat. Fearing that Ogle would claim the body, the crew weighted down their captain's body and honoured his request to be buried at sea, heaving him into the waters below.

 As Roberts' body sank beneath the waves the Royal Fortune crew were overwhelmed by the Swallow, ending the Golden Age of Piracy forever.

14 comments:

  1. Unknown10 February 2014 at 10:15

    Hard to believe that his crew had the discipline to weigh down the body and bury him at sea even in all that confusion!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Debra Brown10 February 2014 at 12:00

    Author Evelyn Tidman wrote a book about him--Gentleman of Fortune--and says he had some decent qualities. Women on board were protected from rape, and he freed slaves from ships he captured, dropping them off on an island where they'd have a chance of survival.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catherine Curzon10 February 2014 at 16:39

      That's a really good book!

      Delete
    2. Susan Nicola Sheehan12 February 2014 at 20:13

      Wow! That gives him some very humanitarian qualities! And what a loyal crew!

      Delete
    3. angus smith10 February 2016 at 21:26

      Must look at the the Tidman book , it sounds like a good read , moving him from Monster , to man with a conscience.
      To have his crew behave so upon his death indicates he was a fine skipper as well.

      Delete
  3. Unknown10 February 2014 at 19:01

    Wow...so much research Madame! How do you do it? Wonderful stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Barbara Monajem11 February 2014 at 01:20

    What a loyal crew Roberts had!

    And I must say I love the name Ogle. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Robert Ogle8 October 2015 at 01:19

    History rocks and makes me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alison9 February 2016 at 08:45

    I wonder if Captain Chaloner Ogle has any connection to Edward Ogle, who married Lucy Elden's sister Ann in 1787? See 'A Sad Tale' in January's postings regarding Lucy and her husband John Burford.

    ReplyDelete