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Back in the day, if someone took your ship they were either doing so under the auspices of a country (privateer) or for their own benefit (pirate, buccaneer, corsair, etc.)...either way, whomever it was, you will probably find him (or her) listed here...
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John Rackham

aka: Calico Jack, John Rackam, John Rackum
bornactivedied
1682, Dec 261718-17201720, Nov 18
an English pirate captain operating in the Bahamas and in Cuba during the early 18th century. His nickname, Calico Jack, was derived from the calico clothing that he wore, while Jack is a nickname for "John." Rackham was active towards the end (1718–20) of the "Golden Age of Piracy" which lasted 1650 to 1730. He is most remembered for two things: the desig...
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Links (14)Gallery (1)Notes (2)


Raga

bornactivedied
unknown1820sunknown
Chief of the Malay pirates in the Straits of Makassar, Raga took many European ships and beheaded their crews. His base at Kuala Batu, Sumatra, was destroyed by an American task force.


Cross-listed in ExplorersWriters

Sir Walter Raleigh

bornactivedied
1554 ca1569-16181618, Oct 29
an English landed gentleman, writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England. In 1594, Raleigh heard of a "City of Gold" in South America and sailed to find it, publishing an exaggerated account of his experiences in a book that contributed to the legend of "El Dorado". In 1616, he le...
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Timeline (5)Links (20)Notes (2)


James Rance

bornactivedied
1545 ca1560s-15891589 ca
English pirate. He was a member of the crew of Francis Drake from 1560 to r.1567 and attended all his robberies expeditions to the Caribbean. In 1572 he returned to Drake. He was also on the ship GOLDEN HIND (PELICAN) Vice Admiral Francis Drake on a trip aroun...
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Notes (1)


Captain Raphaelina

bornactivedied
unknown1820sunknown
Much dreaded by the merchant sailors navigating the South Atlantic. In 1822 he controlled a fleet of pirate vessels in the vicinity of Cape Antonio.
Notes (1)


Philip Ras

bornactivedied
unknown1652-1655unknown
Captured several English ships as both a corsair and privateer during the First Anglo-Dutch War.......Dutch privateer who managed to capture several English vessels with his ship Heat during the "First English War" (1652-1654, between the Dutch Republic and Great-Britain). During the first period he was captain of the ship Heat, but during 1654 and 1655 he w...
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Captain Rayner

bornactivedied
unknown1703-1739unknown
Although there is no direct evidence that Rayner ever sailed the Carolina coast, he did sail with Captain William Kidd In a letter dated Philadelphia, February 28, 1701, more
Notes (1)


William Raynor

bornactivedied
1670 ca1700s1710 ca
an English pirate, he worked in the Caribbean. He was a member of the crew of the pirate ship The Charles, led by Captain Daniel Plowman. The Charles sailed from Boston in July 1703 on a pirate expedition against the French and Spanish ships. Not...
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Notes (2)


Cross-listed in Military

Stepan Razin

aka: Stenka
bornactivedied
16301660s-16711671, Jun 16
a Cossack leader who led a major uprising against the nobility and tsarist bureaucracy in southern Russia in 1670-1671. Razin's first considerable exploit was to destroy the great naval convoy consisting of the treasury barges and the barges of the Patriarch and the wealthy merchants of Moscow. Razin then sailed down the Volga with a fleet of 35 vessels, cap...
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Timeline (1)Links (7)


Captain Read

borndied
unknownunknown
Commanded a brigantine which had its headquarters at Madagascar. Rescued the pirate Thomas White. Read died at sea.
Notes (1)


Mary Read

aka: Reade
bornactivedied
1690 ca1708-17211721, Apr
an English pirate. She and Anne Bonny are two of the most famed female pirates of all time; they are the only two women known to have been convicted of piracy during the early 18th century, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy.
Links (15)Gallery (1)Notes (1)


Robert Read

bornactivedied
unknown1720sunknown
Tried for piracy with Gow's crew at Newgate in 1725, and acquitted.
Notes (1)


William Read

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17231723
One of Captain Harris's crew. Was hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1723, at the age of 35.
Notes (1)


Philip Readhead

bornactivedied
unknown1560s1564
One of Captain Heidon's crew of the pirate ship John of Sandwich, wrecked on Alderney Island in 1564. Was arrested and hanged at St. Martin's Point, Guernsey, in the same year.
Notes (2)


John Reed

borndied
unknown1749, Jul 24
quarter-master. Hanged for mutiny at Newgate.
Notes (1)


Jan Erasmus Reining

bornactivedied
unknown1670sunknown
Dutch Freebooter and privateer in the latter half of the Seventeenth century. He was part of the fleet, under the command of Jacob Binckes, that defended the island of Tobago in February 1677 from an attack by the French privateer Jean d'Estree. The battle remained undecided, but d'Estree tried again with a fleet in December of the same year. This time he wa...
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Kemal Reis

bornactivedied
unknown1451-1511unknown


Murat Reis the Elder

aka: Murat Rais
bornactivedied
15341560s-1608/381608/9/38
an Albanian privateer and admiral of the Ottoman Navy. He is regarded as one of the most important Barbary corsairs. Born into an Albanian family in Rhodes or Albania in 1534 he began his career when he joined the crew of Turgut Reis at a very young age. He also fo...
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Links (2)


Cross-listed in Naval

Salih Reis

aka: Sala Reis, Salih Rais, Salek Rais, Cale Arraez
bornactivedied
1488 ca1529-15681568
a Turkish privateer and Ottoman admiral. In 1529, he took part in the Turkish-Spanish battle near the Isle of Formentera, during which the Ottoman forces destroyed the Spanish fleet. In 1538 he commanded the right wing of the Turkish fleet at the naval Battle of Preveza, where the Ottoman forces defeated the Holy League of more
Links (1)


Seffar Reis

aka: Thomas de Gauwdief
borndied
unknownunknown
Corsair on the barbary coast in the seventeenth century.


Cross-listed in NavalGovernance

Turgut Reis

aka: Dragut Rais
bornactivedied
14851500-15651565, Jun 23
an Ottoman Greek Admiral and privateer who also served as Bey of Algiers; Beylerbey of the Mediterranean; and first Bey, later Pasha, of Tripoli. Under his naval command the Ottoman Empire's maritime power was extended across North Africa. When Turgut was serving as pasha, he adorned and built up the city of Tripoli, making it one of the most impressive citi...
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Timeline (1)Links (2)Notes (1)


Salomon Reynders

aka: NO
bornactivedied
unknown1720s1724
18th century Dutch privateer who was born in Bergen (Norway). He died in 1724 at the Cape of Good Hope.


Captain John Rhoade

bornactivedied
unknown1670s-16751675
A Dutch coasting pilot of Boston. In 1674 appointed chief pilot to the Curacao privateer Flying Horse, and sailed along the coast of Maine and as far north as the St. John River. Afterwards attacked and plundered several small English craft occupied in bartering furs with the Indians. Condemned to be hanged at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in June, 1675.
Notes (2)


David Rice [1]

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-1720sunknown
Welsh pirate. Of Bristol. Taken out of the Cornwall galley by Captain Bartholomew Roberts, he served in the Royal Fortune. Tried and found guilty of piracy and condemned to death, but was reprieved and sold to the Royal African Company to serve...
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Notes (2)


Owen Rice

bornactivedied
1696 ca1720s-17231723
Welsh pirate. Of South Wales. Hanged at the age of 27 at Rhode Island in 1723. One of Captain Charles Harris's crew.
Notes (2)


Lieutenant Richards

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718, Nov 22
Second-in-command in Edward Teach's crew. It was Richards who commanded Bonnet’s “Revenge” when that ship was taken over by Blackbeard. He was not with Blackbeard when the captain was killed by Lieutenant Maynar
Notes (2)


John Richardson

bornactivedied
unknown1730s1738, Jan 25
His father was a goldsmith at New York. John, tiring of the trade of cooper, to which he was apprenticed, ran away to sea. For many years he served both in men-of-war and in merchant ships. Although an unmitigated blackguard, he did not commit piracy nor murder until some years later, when, being at Ancona, he met a Captain Benjamin Hartley, who had come the...
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Links (1)Notes (1)


Nicholas Richardson

bornactivedied
1660 ca1703- 17041704, Jun 30
an English officer, pirate, he worked in the Caribbean. He was a member of the crew of the pirate ship The Charles, led by Captain Daniel Plowman. The Charles sailed from Boston in July 1703 on a pirate expedition against the French and Spanish s...
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Notes (2)


John Ridge

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718, Nov 8
Of London, England. Crew member of Revenge/Royal James, commanded by Major Stede Bonnet. Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, November 8, 1718.
Notes (2)


Anthonis Rijcx

bornactivedied
unknown1585-1601unknown
Privateer active in the years 1585 - 1601 from Duinkerken. He had a letter of Marque from the Spaniards and used a fly-boat.


Cross-listed in WritersPhysiciansCartographers

Basil Ringrose

bornactivedied
unknown1653-1686unknown
surgeon and cartographer ……runaway indentured servant who joined Bartholomew Sharp's "Pacific Adventure" and whose journals served as primary account of the voyage…..This English surgeon traveled through Panama with Bartholomew Sharp and his buccaneers ...
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Links (1)Notes (2)


Rippert Rippertsen

borndied
unknownunknown
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. In August 1600 he sailed as part of a fleet of 12 vessels that attacked the Dutch fishing-fleet near the coast of Scotlan After having captured several fishing-boats and sinking several others they sailed on. On August 19 the fleet again attacked several fishing-boats. Three of these were sunk. By mid-Septem...
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James Riskinner

aka: James Reiskimmer
bornactivedied
unknown1630s-1640sunknown
a 17th-century English privateer who operated from Providence Island against Spanish shipping during the late 1630s. A lieutenant on the ship Warwick, then part of a fleet under the command of Nathaniel Butler, he later took part in a privateering expedition under Butler between May–September 1639.
Links (1)


Manuel Pardal Rivero

aka: Manoel, Manuel Rivero Pardal or Pardel
bornactivedied
unknown1668-16711671
Privateer.....Spain, a long time victim of pirating, suffering heavy losses from the pirates and deciding that Sir Henry Morgan's Portobello raid in 1669 was the last straw, sanctioned the governors of its colonies in the procurement of privateers and disbursement...
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Links (2)


Joseph Rivers

bornactivedied
unknown1690s-17171717
Joseph Rivers was a rarity: a pirate with a long resume. Most pirates died young, sometimes at the end of an executioner’s rope. Others snared their loot, then took early retirement. Not Rivers. His career as a pirate spanned almost two decades, and not even his arrest in 1701 slowed him down. Joining more
Links (1)


Peter Roach

bornactivedied
1670 ca1703-17411741 ca
an English pirate, he worked in the Caribbean. He was a member of the crew of the pirate ship The Charles, led by Captain Daniel Plowman. The Charles sailed from Boston in July 1703 on a pirate expedition against the French and Spanish ships. Not...
more
Notes (2)


Alexander Rob

bornactivedied
unknown1720s1724, Jun
One of Captain Gow's crew. Hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping, in June, 1724. He was not one of the original crew of the George galley, but was taken out of a prize and joined the pirates of his own free-will.
Notes (1)


James Robbins [1]

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718
Of London. One of the crew of the Royal James. Hanged in 1718 at Charleston, South Carolina.
Notes (1)


James Robbins [2]

bornactivedied
unknown1710s1719
A member of Edward Teach's crew. Hanged in Williamsburg, Virginia, 1719.
Notes (2)


Captain Bartholomew Roberts

aka: John Roberts, Black Bart, Captain Bartholomew
bornactivedied
1682, May 171719-17221722, Feb 10
a Welsh pirate who raided ships off the Americas and West Africa between 1719 and 1722. He was the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy as measured by vessels captured, taking over 470 prizes in his career. He is also known as Black Bart (Welsh: Barti Ddu), but this name was never used in his lifetime.
Timeline (1)Links (20)Gallery (2)Notes (5)


Owen Roberts

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718, Nov 22
From Wales. Carpenter in Edward Teach's crew. Killed at Ocracoke Inlet, November 22, 1718, in the fight with Lieutenant Maynard’s crew.
Notes (2)


Edward Robinson

bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718, Nov 8
From Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Crew member of Revenge/Royal James, commanded by Major Stede Bonnet. Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, November 8, 1718.
Notes (2)


Phillip Roche

aka: John Eustace
bornactivedied
unknown1721-17231723, Aug 5
the son of a person of the same name in Ireland. His father gave him all the education his narrow circumstances would permit which extended however to reading and writing a tolerable good hand, after which he sent him to sea. Philip was a lad of ingenious parts, and instead of forgetting, as many do, all they have learnt, he on the contrary took all imaginab...
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Links (5)Notes (3)


Isaac Rochussen

bornactivedied
16311650s-1670s1710
a 17th-century Dutch corsair and privateer during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch War. His capture of the Falcon, a merchantman belonging to the East India Company, was one of the most valued ships captured during the late 17th century.
Links (2)


Captain Peter Rodrigo

aka: Roderigo
bornactivedied
unknown1670sunknown
A "Flanderkin." Commanded a Dutch vessel, the Edward and Thomas, that sailed from Boston in 1674, and took several small English vessels along the coast of Maine. Tried for piracy at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and condemned to be hanged, but was afterwards pardoned.
Notes (1)


Captain Thomas Rogers

borndied
unknownunknown
Commanded a ship, the Forlorn. Routed the Spaniards at Venta Cruz in 1671. One of Morgan's captains in his attack on Panama.
Notes (2)


Cross-listed in Governance

Woodes Rogers

bornactivedied
1679 ca1705-17321732, Jul 15
an English sea captain, privateer, and, later, the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas. He is known as the captain of the vessel that rescued marooned Alexander Selkirk, whose plight is generally believed to have inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
Links (5)Notes (3)


Peter Rollson

bornactivedied
unknown1720s1725, Jun
Captain Gow's gunner in the Revenge. Hanged at Execution Dock, Wapping, in June, 1725.
Notes (1)


Jasper Rombouts

borndied
unknownunknown
Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. In August 1600 he sailed as part of a fleet of 12 vessels that attacked the NL fishing-fleet near the coast of Scotlan After having captured several fishing-boats and sinking several others they sailed on. On August 19 the fleet again attacked several fishing-boats. Three of these were sunk. By mid-September...
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Mathieu Romboutsen

bornactivedied
unknown1630sunknown
Dutch corsair in the service of Spain. Was part of a three ship squadron under Jacques Colaert and was captured with him after a five-hour battle with Jan Evertsen......Privateer from Duinkerken in the service of Spain. He was part of a squadron of three privateers sailing in 1636. Romboutsen was the Vice-Admiral of the privateers. The Admiral, Jacob Collaar...
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Adriaen de Rook

borndied
unknownunknown
Frysian privateer in the last quarter of the eighteenth century. He received a Letter of Marque from Willem V on 14 November 1777 against the corsairs of the barbary coast.


Richard Roper

bornactivedied
unknown1699 caunknown


Captain Rose

bornactivedied
unknown1680sunknown
associate of Captain Desmarais and Captain Le Picard


Jean Rose

bornactivedied
unknown1680-1685unknown


Edward Rosewain

aka: Rosewaine
bornactivedied
unknown1810sunknown
Notes (1)


George Ross [1]

aka: Rose
bornactivedied
unknown1710s-17181718, Nov 8
Of Glasgow, Scotland. Crew member of Revenge/Royal James, commanded by Major Stede Bonnet. Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, November 8, 1718.
Notes (2)


Francis Rossoe

bornactivedied
unknown1710s1717, Jun
Convicted of piracy in June, 1717, at Charleston, South Carolina. Executed shortly afterwards.
Notes (2)


Captain George Roundsivel

aka: Rounsivel
bornactivedied
unknown1708-1718unknown
Of the Bahama Islands. He refused to avail himself of King George's pardon to all pirates in 1717, and went off again on the "main chance" till captured.
Notes (1)


William Rous

bornactivedied
unknown1631-16451645
a 17th-century English privateer in the service of the Providence Island Company. He started as a lieutenant in the military forces of Island of Providence and became the commander of Fort Henry. He was later enlisted by William Jackson to accompany him on his expedition to the West Indies.
Links (1)Notes (1)


Captain Row

bornactivedied
unknown1670s-1680sunknown
Buccaneer. In 1679, at the Boca del Toro, was with the buccaneer fleet that attacked and sacked Santa Maria. Row commanded a small vessel of twenty tons, a crew of twenty-five men, and no guns.
Notes (1)


Jen Rozier

bornactivedied
unknown1680sunknown
associate Captain Desmarais and Captain Le Picard


Passchier de Rudder

bornactivedied
unknown1690unknown
Privateer from the city of Nieuwpoort. In 1690 he managed to capture a pink of 160 tuns with a cargoe of coal.


William Rudyerd

bornactivedied
unknown1630s-1640sunknown
Muster master General of the Island of Providence colony from 1630 - 1634. In 1634 he returned to England on account of the death of a servant, following a beating by Rudyer He was cleared of the charges against him, and he returned to the West Indies as a privateer in command of a fleet. He sailed with a commission of the Providence Island Company from 1637...
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Francisco Ruiz

bornactivedied
unknown1830s1835, Sep 12
One of Captain Pedro Gilbert's crew and carpenter in the pirate schooner Panda, which plundered the Salem brig Mexican in 1834. Tried in Boston and condemned to be hanged. Pleading insanity, he was respited for sixty days and then hanged on September 12th,...
more
Notes (2)


Rupert

bornactivedied
unknown1640s-1650sunknown
After an adventurous life as a soldier on the Continent, he sailed from Ireland in 1648 with seven ships. His own ship was the Swallow. He was a man of boundless energy, who was never happy if not engaged in some enterprise, and as legitimate warfare gave him few opportunities he turned pirate. He spent five years at sea, largely in the West Indies, meeting ...
more
Notes (1)


Nicolaes Ruychaver

bornactivedied
unknown1570sunknown
Dutch privateer in the 16th century. Received a Letter of Marque on 10 June 1570 issued by Willem van Oranje during the first few years of the Eighty-year War with Spain. He received another Letter of Marque on 15 November 1570.


Dierick Ruyters

bornactivedied
unknown1618-1630unknown

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