Pirates and Privateers narrates the incredible careers of the most interesting and infamous pirates in history, including legends like Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Anne Bonney. The romantic image of the pirate has been seen as something of a Hollywood icon ever since Errol Flynn first climbed the rigging for the film Captain Blood, in 1935. The hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, starring the megastar Johnny Depp, proved undoubtedly that swashbuckling sells. But what do we know about the real Captain Jack Sparrows of yesteryear? Who were they? Where did they come from? And what heinous and daring acts did they perform on the path towards riches and infamy? Pirates and Privateers delves into the real lives of these men and women, whose seafaring adventures have become legendary. It explores the criminal careers of some of the most fascinating scoundrels and scallywags in history, including Blackbeard, the Barbarossa Brothers, Captain Kidd, Anne Bonney and Mary Read. The Oxford People series offers deep dives into the most influential people, subjects, and cultures from history. From horror-fiction legends like H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, to historical heavyweights like Houdini and JFK, to the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts-Oxford People encompasses it all. Other titles in this series include: Angels, Che, Creating Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allen Poe, Extreme Science, Gettysburg, Ghosts, Gunfighters, Houdini, HP Lovecraft, John F. Kennedy, Myths and Legends, Roosevelt and Churchill, Royal Weddings, Skies of WWII, Tesla, Tesla vs. Edison, Vampires, Vikings, Werewolves, Women of Invention, Zombies.

Author Biography

Charlotte Montague is a writer who specializes in history. Her father was a naval officer, and as a child, she traveled the world with her family. After gaining an MA degree in History from Sussex University, she began writing on a variety of subjects including ethnic cultures, travel and music. Since then, she has continued to write on costumes, flags, knots, body adornment, sea shanties and many other topics. More recently, she developed an interest in the history of crime at sea, not only in Europe but further afield. Her current research has taken her to many parts of the globe, including Africa and the Far East, particularly the islands of the South Pacific. She travels for most of the year, but returns frequently to her home, a remote eighteenth-century cottage close to a famous smuggler's cove on the Cornish coast.