In life, Blackbeard was a tall man who was sadistic and terrorized ships that sailed the Atlantic. He was born in Bristol, England. Some accounts give his last name as Teach; others that he was christened Drummond, but changed his surname to Teach.
Blackbeard started out his naval career as a cabin boy. Queen Anne began her war with France in 1701 which lasted until 1713. During the war, England licensed ships as privateers who were allowed to capture French ships, imprison their crews and divide the cargo. After the war ended, the queen offered amnesty to any captain who would stop the plundering and retire. Captain Benjamin Hornigold gave Blackbeard his ship and retired to England.
Blackbeard decided he would become one of the blood-thirstiest pirates on the seas. He renamed the ship Queen Anne's Revenge and armed her heavily. Ocracoke Inlet in the Outer Banks became one of his favorite places for his infamous crimes.
It was rumored that Charles Eden, North Carolina's colonial governor pardoned Blackbeard for his crimes because of deals they made to share in the plunders. Blackbeard obtained a house in the colonial capital of Bath and threw lavish parties.
He soon tired of the easy life and longed for the excitement of the pirate's life. Blackbeard devised a plan to have Ocracoke become a sanctuary for pirate ships. He would receive 10 % of what they looted. Merchants and ships' owners learned of his plan and petitioned Virginia's Governor Spotswood for help. In 1718, a Royal Navy ship, the Ranger, was sent to capture Blackbeard alive or dead. Robert Maynard was her captain.
Blackbeard ordered his ship, the Adventure, to fire upon the Ranger. It was a major hit and the ship shuddered. Maynard ordered his men below. Grappling hooks from the Adventure where thrown onto the Ranger once Blackbeard saw no one aboard. As this happened, Maynard ordered his men to attack. Blackbeard attacked Maynard, but the captain and one of his men were swifter and the pirate was killed. His head was chopped off and hung from the Ranger's bowsprit. His body was dumped in the ocean. Blackbeard's men swam to shore. All except for one who turned state's evidence were hanged for treason.
