You won’t find Bartholomew Roberts’ treasure because despite capturing over 400 vessels between 1719 and 1722, he never accumulated a central hoard. Roberts distributed plunder among his crew according to his famous pirate code, while strategic losses—including Walter Kennedy’s desertion with significant wealth—depleted potential reserves. When HMS Swallow killed Roberts in 1722, any remaining treasure aboard the Royal Fortune either sank or scattered among survivors, leaving no recovered fortune to document his unprecedented maritime dominance.
Key Takeaways
- No treasure maps or recovered hoards exist from Roberts’ career despite capturing over 400 vessels between 1719-1722.
- Plunder was systematically distributed among crew members according to pirate code, leaving no centralized fortune accumulation.
- Wealth aboard Royal Fortune either sank with the ship or dispersed among survivors after HMS Swallow’s 1722 attack.
- Walter Kennedy’s desertion caused significant treasure loss when he fled with a portion of Roberts’ accumulated plunder.
- Roberts’ death and crew capture in 1722 resulted in wealth dispersal, with no substantial fortune recovered by authorities.
The Rise of the Most Successful Pirate Captain
Although John Roberts spent thirty-six years in legitimate maritime service, his transformation into the most successful pirate captain in history occurred with remarkable speed following a single fateful encounter off the West African coast.
When Howell Davis’s pirate alliances captured the slaving vessel Princess in 1719, you’d witness Roberts’s navigation expertise quickly elevate him from forced conscript to trusted advisor.
Davis’s death at Príncipe six weeks later precipitated Roberts’s election as captain—a democratic choice reflecting pirates’ meritocratic values rather than hierarchical constraints.
His subsequent capture of over 400 vessels from 1719-1722 established an unprecedented record.
Roberts’s three-year reign of piracy yielded an unmatched tally of over 400 captured ships across the Atlantic’s busiest maritime corridors.
Unlike romanticized treasure maps leading to buried hoards, Roberts’s success derived from audacious tactical execution: attacking twenty-two ships simultaneously, raiding fortified harbors, and operating across Atlantic trade routes with calculated precision.
Roberts’s most valuable prize came from a Portuguese merchant ship carrying a diamond-studded gold cross, which he famously wore into his final battle and ordered his crew to throw overboard with his body upon death.
His pirate code established principles for crew governance, creating disciplined rules that distinguished his operations from the chaotic stereotypes of pirate life.
Royal Fortune and the Fleet of Terror
Roberts’s maritime dominance materialized through a rotating arsenal of warships, each bearing the defiant name *Royal Fortune*—a deliberate mockery of legitimate naval authority.
You’ll find he commanded four or five vessels under this banner, beginning with a captured 52-gun French warship whose governor he hanged. His fleet composition evolved strategically: the flagship *Royal Fortune* intimidated with 200 men and 40 cannons, while consorts like *Ranger* and *Good Fortune* enabled coordinated raids.
This floating terror network captured over 20 ships near Ferryland and seized a Portuguese vessel yielding 40,000 gold coins. The Portuguese attack served as his first act as captain, avenging the death of Howell Davis who had fallen in an ambush.
Yet betrayals plagued him—Walter Kennedy absconded with *Royal Rover* and plunder, while Thomas Anstis deserted with *Good Fortune*. Roberts operated with charisma and navigation skills that initially won him election as captain following Davis’s death in 1719. Such defections foreshadowed Roberts’s vulnerability despite his fearsome reputation.
Plundering Routes Across the Atlantic
Between 1719 and 1722, Roberts engineered a transatlantic plundering circuit unmatched in piratical scope, capturing over 400 vessels across four distinct maritime theaters.
You’ll find his Atlantic routes formed a strategic triangle: Newfoundland’s fishing banks southward through Caribbean islands, eastward to West Africa’s slave ports, then back across the ocean.
His plundering strategies exploited seasonal patterns—spring raids in the Windward Islands, summer operations off Newfoundland, autumn strikes along Brazil’s coast.
He’d careen his fleet at hidden bases like Cape Lopez and Mira River before launching new campaigns.
Roberts demonstrated operational sophistication by targeting high-value slave ships at Ouidah, masquerading within Brazilian convoys, and systematically occupying ports.
His deception tactics included flying different flags to approach unsuspecting merchant vessels and naval targets.
In June 1720, he plundered 26 sloops and 150 fishing boats along the Newfoundland coast in a devastating raid.
This geographical flexibility kept colonial authorities perpetually reactive, unable to predict his next theater of operations.
The Pirate Code That Set Black Bart Apart
While Roberts orchestrated his maritime campaigns across three continents, he simultaneously instituted one of history’s most extensive pirate codes—eleven articles that fundamentally distinguished his crews from the chaotic stereotype of lawless buccaneers.
You’ll find pirate democracy embedded throughout these regulations: every man voted on significant decisions, and provisions were distributed equally during abundance or scarcity by collective vote.
Roberts’ disciplinary measures proved remarkably severe—defrauding shipmates of even one dollar resulted in marooning, while internal theft warranted facial mutilation before abandoning the offender ashore.
His articles banned gambling and women entirely, maintained strict weapon readiness protocols, and enforced eight o’clock curfews.
Desertion or cowardice during battle meant death.
Disputes between crew members were forbidden on board, with quarrels resolved onshore through formal duels using swords or pistols.
After curfew, drinking was permitted only on the open deck, while lights and candles below had to be extinguished.
This systematic governance structure transformed Roberts’ fleet into disciplined organizations operating under codified law rather than anarchic whim.
A.B.H. and A.M.H.: The Meaning Behind the Jolly Roger
The billowing flags above Roberts’ ships communicated far more than generic pirate menace—they broadcast specific vendettas that elevated psychological warfare to calculated messaging.
Black Bart’s personalized Jolly Rogers featured initials A.B.H. (A Barbadian’s Head) and A.M.H. (A Martiniquan’s Head), referencing governors whose vessels he’d plundered. These symbolic meanings transformed standard pirate imagery into targeted death threats visible across open waters.
One flag depicted a skeleton wielding both hourglass and flaming sword—reminding victims their time had expired. Unlike generic skulls and crossbones emerging during the 1720s Golden Age, Roberts’ designs honored specific raids on West African and American vessels. The black background of his flags unified his pirate identity while his unique symbols distinguished him from other captains. During naval battles, these flags served as communication tools that conveyed Roberts’ intentions and reputation before a single shot was fired.
You’ll recognize this approach as revolutionary: while contemporaries used flags for intimidation, Black Bart weaponized them as personal calling cards that documented his conquests and promised retribution.
The Final Battle at Cape Lopez
Roberts’ legendary career ended abruptly on February 10, 1722, when HMS Swallow under Captain Chaloner Ogle launched a surprise engagement off Cape Lopez, Gabon.
During the warship’s second broadside, a penny-sized piece of grapeshot severed Roberts’ throat and spinal column as he stood on deck, killing the 39-year-old pirate instantly before his crew could effectively respond.
His death triggered immediate chaos among the 272-man crew, who honored his final wishes by throwing his body overboard before surrendering to Ogle’s forces, resulting in the largest mass execution of pirates in West African history.
HMS Swallow’s Surprise Attack
On 5 February 1722, Captain Chaloner Ogle‘s HMS Swallow arrived at Cape Lopez to find Bartholomew Roberts’ pirate fleet in a state of dangerous unpreparedness.
You’d witness a striking tactical advantage: Swallow’s 50 guns faced pirates dispersed across three vessels totaling 72 guns, but pirate discipline had collapsed following Neptune’s capture and excessive celebrations on 9 February.
Roberts’ naval tactics faced immediate constraints. Little Ranger sat careening, Royal Fortune listed from maintenance, and crews remained intoxicated from days of revelry.
Ogle’s methodical pursuit after Roberts’ merchant raids and murder of a French governor culminated in this moment of vulnerability.
The pirate commander ordered Little Ranger and Neptune to flee while attempting his own escape toward Brazil.
Adverse winds and helmsman error positioned Royal Fortune fatally off Swallow’s beam, setting the stage for decisive engagement.
Roberts’ Fatal Grapeshot Wound
At 10:30 AM on February 10, 1722, HMS Swallow released its second broadside against Royal Fortune, and a piece of grapeshot no larger than a penny struck Bartholomew Roberts in the throat.
The lead shot severed his spinal column instantly, ending the most successful pirate career of the Golden Age.
Roberts, who’d captured over 450 ships by age 39, collapsed onto a gun while his crew initially mistook his fall for rest amid battle smoke.
The grapeshot impact transformed the “pistol proof” pirate king from defiant commander to corpse within seconds—no dramatic duel, no lengthy trial.
You’ll find his pirate legacy didn’t culminate in treasure hoards but in swift death during naval combat.
His crew honored his final wishes, burying him at sea in diamond-studded finery.
Crew’s Capture and Execution
When HMS Swallow‘s lookouts spotted Roberts’ pirate fleet anchored at Cape Lopez on February 5, 1722, the decisive confrontation that’d conclude the Golden Age’s most prolific piracy career began unfolding along Gabon’s West African coast.
Following Roberts’ death and the Royal Fortune’s surrender, you’d witness Captain Ogle’s crew securing 272 captured pirates in chains below decks. The voyage to Cape Coast Castle proved deadly—many wounded pirates perished en route to imprisonment.
At trial, British authorities demonstrated uncompromising severity: 54 pirates faced execution methods including hanging, their bodies displayed as deterrents. Authorities sentenced 37 others to lesser punishments, while 20 received seven-year terms in colonial mines.
This systematic prosecution effectively dismantled Roberts’ formidable organization, marking piracy’s irreversible decline.
What Happened to Black Bart’s Legendary Plunder
You’ll find no buried treasure maps or recovered hoards from Roberts’s three-year rampage across the Atlantic.
The plunder from over 400 captured vessels was continuously distributed among his crew according to their articles of agreement, leaving no centralized fortune to discover.
When HMS Swallow ended Roberts’s career at Cape Lopez in 1722, the wealth aboard Royal Fortune either sank with the ship or dispersed among survivors who faced execution or penal servitude.
Lost Fortune at Sea
Although Bartholomew Roberts captured over 400 vessels during his notorious career, virtually none of his plunder survived his death in 1722.
You’ll find treasure recovery impossible when examining his legacy—pirate betrayals decimated his wealth repeatedly. Walter Kennedy’s desertion with the Portuguese galleon’s millions in gold moidores represents the most catastrophic loss. Kennedy commanded the prize crew but abandoned Roberts, sailing away with forty thousand coins, jewels, and a diamond-studded cross intended for Portugal’s king.
Combat damage further eroded Roberts’ fortune. HMS Swallow’s pursuit scattered his fleet, killing twenty crewmen aboard the damaged Fortune before his final battle at Cape Lopez.
His strategic decisions—careening at exposed anchorages, crossing the Atlantic multiple times—left accumulated plunder vulnerable to naval hunters and disloyal crews who recognized no honor among thieves.
Crew’s Scattered Riches
The systematic distribution of Roberts’ plunder followed democratic principles that distinguished his crew from traditional naval hierarchies. You’ll find the treasure distribution remarkably egalitarian: captains received only double shares, while quartermasters earned equal portions.
Masters, gunners, and boatswains collected share-and-a-half allocations, with remaining officers claiming share-and-a-quarter amounts. This crew compensation structure extended beyond immediate plunder—provisions and liquor were divided equally among all hands.
Roberts’ insurance system further revolutionized maritime operations. You’d receive $800 from the public fund for losing a limb, with proportionate payments for lesser injuries. This financial protection enabled disabled pirates to maintain autonomy after service.
When Roberts died, his scattered riches disappeared across three continents, with some crew members like Kennedy negotiating pardons by revealing treasure locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Black Bart Bury Any Treasure Before His Death?
No credible evidence supports treasure burial claims. You’ll find Black Bart’s legacy built on documented plundering, not hoarding. Treasure legends emerged from 19th-century folklore, contradicting historical records showing Roberts distributed spoils among crew members per pirate code.
What Was the Total Value of Black Bart’s Captured Treasure?
What’s the true measure of pirate wealth? You’ll find Black Bart’s treasure valuation estimates range between $32-45.3 million, representing over 400 captured ships during his 1719-1722 career—though most historians favor the higher estimate.
Were Any of Black Bart’s Treasure Hoards Ever Discovered?
No verified hoards have ever been discovered despite extensive treasure hunting efforts. You’ll find that pirate lore surrounding Black Bart persists, but archival records confirm his crew immediately distributed captured wealth, leaving no authenticated caches for recovery.
Did Black Bart Have a Secret Treasure Map?
No historical evidence supports Black Bart possessing a secret treasure map. You’ll find pirate maps exist primarily in treasure legends rather than documented reality, as pirates typically spent plunder immediately instead of creating elaborate cartographic records for retrieval.
What Happened to the Treasure Aboard Royal Fortune After Capture?
You’ll find no documented treasure recovery from Royal Fortune after its capture. British authorities confiscated all seized assets at Cape Coast Castle, but official records don’t detail specific gold, jewels, or valuables redistributed—leaving their fate historically uncertain.
References
- https://www.piratesinfo.com/famous-pirates/bartholomew-roberts/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G021ce_Dcqc
- https://www.worldhistory.org/Bartholomew_Roberts/
- https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/maritime-history/pirates-bartholomew-roberts-chaloner-ogle-cup
- https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Roberts-Democracy-Medical-Insurance-Piracy/
- https://waynesavage.com/bartholomew-roberts-6/
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bartholomew-Roberts
- https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/biography/bartholomew-roberts
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Roberts
- http://timelinesandsoundtracks.blogspot.com/2016/03/bartholomew-roberts-timeline.html
