Bartholomew Roberts (17 May 1682 – 10 February 1722), born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate who raided ships off the Americas and West Africa between 1719 and 1722.
On June 15, 1719, in the English trading station of Anamaboe on the Guinea coast of Africa, pirates under the command of Howell Davis captured a Dutch slaving vessel named the Princess. Several merchant seamen were forced to join the pirates as crew, including the Princess' third mate, Bartholomew Roberts. Roberts was a fine sailor and natural leader, and when Davis was killed several months later, the men elected him captain. In a very short time Roberts was to prove himself one of the greatest pirates who ever lived.
Somewhat of a dandy, Roberts dressed in a rich crimson damask waistcoat and breeches, wore a red feather in his hat and a large gold cross around his neck. He carried two braces of pistols on a silk sash and a heavy sword at his side. He drank great quantities of tea and disliked alcohol aboard his vessels.
Upon assuming command, Roberts sailed south along the coast of Africa, picking up several prizes. Then he took the ship to Brazil, where they captured the richest prize out of a fleet of 42 merchants awaiting military escorts.
Then the pirates turned north to Newfoundland, where Roberts captured 22 merchants and 150 fishing ships in harbour without firing a shot. He then headed south once again, capturing half a dozen French prizes off the Newfoundland banks and several English ships off of New England.
Roberts then entered the Caribbean. Basing himself off of St. Lucia, he launched upon a campaign of such brilliance and ferocity that he single-handedly brought trade in the Caribbean to a standstill. Among other exploits, he sailed boldly into St. Kitts and ravaged a number of English merchantmen at anchor there. Later on, he seized, burned or sank fifteen French and English vessels in a three-day period. The local authorities were helpless and the naval forces in the area refused to challenge him. By spring of 1721 there was no shipping left in the Caribbean to capture and Roberts set sail for Africa. The pirates spent several months rampaging up and down the coast, until at last the British warship HMS Swallow found them at anchor.
For a time the pirates mistook the approaching vessel for a merchantman and it wasn't until the warship was quite near that Roberts realized what he was facing. Roberts did not savor an encounter with the more powerful vessel, and he planned to flee as fast as his sails could bear him. But before he left he wanted to give his attacker one parting shot, perhaps hoping that his fire would damage his enemy's sails or otherwise slow the pursuit, so he gave orders to close with the approaching ship. In the event, the Swallow's cannon-fire proved the more deadly: her first broadside tore Robert's throat out and he died almost immediately.
During his four-year career, Roberts pillaged, captured or sank over 400 ships and took untold millions in treasure. He rampaged across the entire Atlantic, from Brazil in the south to Newfoundland in the north, from the Caribbean in the west to Africa in the east. His death brought profound relief to merchants and naval officers on four continents.