Black Sam Bellamy

Even though Samuel Bellamy only lived to the age of 28, he left a lasting impression. According to the New England Historical Society, Bellamy, who was most likely born in Devon at the end of the 17th century, started working aboard ships when he was 13 years old at the start of the War of the Spanish Succession and subsequently rose to the rank of pirate captain.

Bellamy was a pirate who seized 53 ships, including the Whydah Gally, a slave ship laden with valuables including gold and silver. In 1716, the Whydah Gally departed from England carrying 312 slaves from the west coast of Africa to Jamaica. The ship was empty of slaves and loaded with profits when Bellamy boarded it as it made its way back to England, according to the Field Museum in Chicago.

Forbes stated in 2008 that he was probably the highest-earning pirate of all time. According to Forbes, the total value of the loot he seized would have been around $120 million in 2008. Bellamy made the Whydah Gally his flagship in 1717, but the same year, a storm claimed him along with it.

Because he used black wigs that were tied back with a black ribbon, he was known as "Black Sam" Bellamy. By robbing the rich, Bellamy also marketed himself as the "Robin Hood of the Sea." The New England Historical Society claims that he treated his crew men equally, ruled his ship democratically, and spared the lives of prisoners.