The Flag of Blackbeard

Blackbeard is quite possibly the most infamous and well-known pirate in history.  While his name is legendary, what do we really know about him?  Edward Teach is the name that Blackbeard used however, many scholars doubt that was even his real name.  It was common for pirates to use assumed names while engaged in piracy so as not to tarnish their family’s name.  It is believed that Blackbeard was born in England around the year 1680.  Unfortunately, much of Blackbeard’s early life remains a mystery.  We do know that he arrived in the Caribbean during the last years of the 17th century and worked on several ships during that time. Some speculate that his career in piracy began in 1716 when he joined the crew of Captain Benjamin Hornigold, one of the “founders” of the Republic of Pirates in the Bahamas.  Teach worked his way up to become Hornigold’s second-in- command and eventually replaced him as Captain.  After capturing the French ship Le Concorde, Blackbeard renamed it the Queen Ann