The Sinking Of Queen Anne’s Revenge
Wikimedia CommonsA depiction of Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Stories of Blackbeard have echoed through the ages. The pirate wore matches under his hat to intimidate his enemies, threw back mixtures of rum and gunpowder, and plundered every vessel that crossed his path. Infamously, he prowled the seas with his ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Blackbeard — whose real name was Edward Teach — first commandeered the ship in 1717. It was a hijacked vessel that was given to Blackbeard as a gift by another pirate named Benjamin Hornigold.
He named the ship Queen Anne’s Revenge — possibly because he had some fond memories from his service during Queen Anne’s War — and quickly stocked it with 300 men and 40 guns before setting sail.
But the ship didn’t last long under Blackbeard’s command. By late 1718, the pirate had scuttled Queen Anne’s Revenge in Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina.
Wikimedia CommonsAn engraving of Blackbeard from 1736, which depicts matches burning under his hat.
Though the grounding of Queen Anne’s Revenge may have initially seemed like an accident, some have theorized that Blackbeard did it on purpose to cut down on his crew — and increase his share of the treasure.
Regardless, the ship was quickly consumed by the sea. Its location remained a mystery until 1996 when a search team from a private research firm came across cannons and anchors on the seafloor. Today, it’s one of the world’s most famous shipwrecks. Many historical objects have been recovered from the vessel, including weapons and restraining devices.
But one thing experts are still looking for is Blackbeard’s treasure. From the ship, all they’ve been able to recover so far is an ounce of gold dust.
As for Blackbeard himself? The pirate met a gruesome end shortly after he grounded the Queen Anne’s Revenge. The British Royal Navy took revenge of their own and beheaded him in November 1718.
