In 1695, you’d witness Henry Every orchestrate history’s most lucrative pirate raid when his fleet intercepted Mughal treasure ships returning from Mecca in the Red Sea. Every’s coordinated attack on the Ganj-i-Sawai yielded £600,000—over $120 million today—in gold, silver, and jewels, allowing each crewman to retire with £1,000. This unprecedented plunder sparked a four-continent manhunt and diplomatic crisis between England and the Mughal Empire. Every vanished under an alias, leaving his ultimate fate shrouded in mystery that maritime historians continue examining through multiple documented theories and surviving records.
Key Takeaways
- Every commanded a six-ship pirate fleet that intercepted the Mughal treasure convoy returning from Mecca in September 1695.
- The pirates captured the Ganj-i-Sawai and Fateh Muhammed, seizing treasure worth £325,000–£600,000 (over $100 million today).
- Each crew member received over £1,000 in loot, enabling sailors to retire wealthy from this single raid.
- The plunder included silver, gold, jewels, and a ruby-encrusted saddle intended for the Great Mogul.
- Every strategically positioned his fleet at Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, exploiting predictable pilgrimage routes for maximum interception success.
From Mutineer to Pirate Captain
How does a Royal Navy midshipman transform into history’s most successful pirate captain? You’ll find the answer in Every’s calculated exploitation of systemic failures.
After his 1690 naval discharge following Beachy Head’s defeat, he mastered maritime navigation through slave trading and privateering ventures. His appointment as first mate aboard the forty-six-gun Charles II positioned him strategically when Spain failed to deliver the promised letter of marque and wages remained unpaid.
Every’s understanding of crew discipline proved decisive. While anchored at Corunna, he organized a mutiny that elected him captain through democratic consent rather than violent seizure. This legitimacy allowed him to maintain order as the renamed Fancy began operations off Cape Verde, capturing three English merchantmen and recruiting additional crew members—establishing the foundation for unprecedented piratical success. The mutiny itself occurred on 7 May 1694, seizing control while Admiral O’Byrne remained ashore in what witnesses later described as a relatively casual takeover. Every then set sail for the Indian Ocean with his crew, where he would orchestrate the most profitable maritime raid in piracy history.
Building a Fleet in the Red Sea
You’ll observe that Every’s transformation into history’s most successful pirate required methodical fleet construction at Perim Island, a strategic chokepoint commanding the Red Sea’s mouth. By early 1695, he’d recruited experienced captains including Thomas Tew, William Want, Thomas Wake, and William May, forging a five-ship flotilla that would expand to include additional vessels for the convoy assault.
This coordinated force, with the 46-gun Fancy as flagship, positioned itself to intercept the Mughal Mocha fleet returning from Mecca in September 1695. Every’s leadership skills enabled him to gain overall command of the six pirate ships assembled for the operation. The pirate flotilla would ultimately attack and loot the Grand Mogul’s fleet, seizing over 600,000 pounds worth of treasure in what became one of the most profitable raids in piracy history.
Strategic Base at Perim
By early September, pirate alliances transformed Perim into a coordinated strike base. Thomas Tew’s *Amity* joined five other English captains, creating a fleet capable of overwhelming convoy escorts.
Port intelligence provided precise itineraries of treasure-laden pilgrim ships from Mecca.
On September 8th, this strategic patience paid dividends when lookouts spotted two vessels—the opening moves in history’s most lucrative maritime heist. Every’s flagship, the privateer-turned-pirate vessel Fancy, led the assembled fleet into position for the intercept. The combined force of 440 men stood ready to strike the returning Mughal convoy.
Recruiting Experienced Pirate Captains
The strategic advantage of Perim required more than geography—Every needed experienced commanders to execute coordinated attacks against heavily defended Mughal convoys.
You’ll find he recruited captains with proven Red Sea experience: Thomas Tew of the Amity, who’d already captured a Mughal dhow, alongside William Want, Thomas Wake, and William May.
These weren’t subordinates bound by traditional pirate code—they operated as autonomous captains under Every’s strategic coordination.
His persuasive powers unified five vessels into a formidable fleet, each maintaining crew discipline while accepting his tactical leadership.
Tew’s prior success validated Every’s strategy, attracting additional raiders to Perim Island.
This alliance transformed scattered opportunists into a coordinated strike force capable of challenging well-armored India-Middle East vessels, demonstrating that effective piracy required both individual autonomy and collective purpose.
Every had earned his leadership through his organized mutiny aboard the Charles II, seizing control from his captain and renaming the vessel Fancy before entering the Red Sea.
The combined fleet would soon intercept the Mughal treasure fleet in 1695, setting the stage for the most lucrative pirate heist in history.
Coordinating the Multi-Ship Attack
After establishing his base at Perim Island in mid-1695, Every transformed his single-ship operation into a coordinated naval force capable of challenging Mughal maritime power.
You’ll find he commanded five to six vessels, leveraging maritime technology advantages through his 46-gun flagship Fancy. The naval hierarchy positioned experienced captains—Thomas Tew, William Want, Thomas Wake, and William May—under Every’s strategic command, with Portsmouth Adventure as the sole vessel matching Fancy’s speed capabilities.
This coordinated approach proved essential when targeting the heavily-defended Mughal convoy.
Rather than random encounters, Every positioned his fleet systematically at the Red Sea’s mouth, intercepting the annual Mecca pilgrimage route. His tactical coordination enabled the fleet to isolate and overwhelm individual vessels from the 25-ship convoy, beginning with the unarmed Fateh Mahmamadi‘s capture on 8 September 1695. The pirates targeted ships carrying silks, gold, and jewels between India and the Middle East, making the Red Sea route particularly lucrative for their operations. The combined fleet of over 440 men positioned Every as admiral of this formidable pirate force.
Targeting Mughal Treasure Ships
Recognizing the strategic chokepoint at Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Henry Every assembled a formidable pirate coalition in mid-1695 to intercept the richest convoy in Asia. You’ll find this alliance of six ships and 440 men represented unprecedented coordination under the pirate code, with Every unanimously elected admiral.
Six ships, 440 pirates, one elected admiral—Every’s coalition commanded history’s most audacious maritime ambush at Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.
His maritime navigation expertise positioned the flotilla precisely where the Mughal treasure fleet—twenty-five ships laden with £600,000 in precious metals and jewels—would exit the Red Sea from Mecca.
The Grand Mughal Fleet’s vulnerability stemmed from predictable routing and religious scheduling. When the convoy appeared on September 6–7, 1695, Every’s forces had already captured the 3,200-ton Fateh Muhammed.
The Ganj-i-Sawai, worth over $120 million in modern terms, remained the ultimate prize—representing liberty through wealth for Every’s crew.
The Capture of Ganj-i-Sawai
Every’s fleet strategically positioned itself at Perim Island in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, lying in wait for the returning Mughal treasure convoy.
On 7 September 1695, the pirates engaged the Ganj-i-Sawai in a fierce battle that began when Fancy’s opening broadside crippled the massive ship’s mainmast, eliminating its maneuverability and defensive capabilities.
What followed was a brutal two-to-three-hour hand-to-hand combat as pirates scaled the vessel’s steep sides, ultimately overwhelming Captain Muhammad Ibrahim’s forces despite the ship carrying over 400 armed guards and 600 passengers, including enslaved women pressed into defensive action.
Fleet Assembles at Perim
Why did the pirate fleet choose Perim for their ambush? You’ll find the strategic answer in geography itself. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait‘s narrow passage forced all Mughal vessels through this chokepoint when returning from Mecca to Surat.
By August 1695, Henry Every’s 46-gun Fancy anchored near Perim, joined by five confederate vessels: Thomas Tew’s 8-gun Amity, Richard Want’s Dolphin, Joseph Faro’s Portsmouth Adventure, Thomas Wake’s Susannah, and William Maze’s Pearl.
This pirate mentorship created a formidable blockade against the 25-ship Grand Mughal Fleet.
Every’s prior seizures of English merchantmen, Danish privateers, and African captives had swelled his crew to nearly 100 men—experienced hunters of hidden treasures. The assembled force represented calculated coordination, positioning themselves where imperial wealth couldn’t avoid their guns.
The Brutal September Battle
When the Mughal treasure fleet appeared on the horizon in early September 1695, Every’s opening broadside from the *Fancy* struck with devastating precision—the shot tore through the *Ganj-i-Sawai*’s mainmast, sending it crashing across the deck. This tactical advantage neutralized the vessel’s superior firepower of 62-80 cannons.
Compounding the disaster, one of the Mughal ship’s own guns exploded, killing its crew and spreading panic. Despite carrying 400-1,100 defenders and passengers, the *Ganj-i-Sawai*’s ancient navigation methods and maritime technology proved insufficient against coordinated pirate assault.
Every’s crew scaled the steep sides, initiating brutal hand-to-hand combat lasting two to three hours. Even enslaved women were armed in desperation. The pirates ultimately seized control, extracting treasure worth hundreds of thousands of pounds through systematic torture of captives.
Plundering the Treasure Ship
The convergence of six pirate vessels at the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb in September 1695 represented meticulous strategic planning rather than opportunistic raiding. You’ll find Every’s 46-gun Fancy positioned at this 26-kilometer chokepoint, intercepting Emperor Aurangzeb’s 25-ship Mughal convoy.
After securing £40,000 from the Fateh Muhammed, Every’s crew engaged the 1,500-ton Ganj-i-Sawai—mounting 62-80 guns and carrying 1,000 souls. A devastating broadside severed the treasure ship’s mainmast while Mughal cannon malfunctioned catastrophically.
Pirates grappled and boarded, seizing £600,000 in valuables through systematic torture. This £115 million heist (2023 valuation) obliterated maritime law and naval diplomacy, triggering unprecedented international manhunts.
Every’s escape demonstrated how individual action could challenge imperial authority across sovereign waters.
Unprecedented Plunder and Wealth
Among history’s most audacious maritime robberies, Henry Every’s 1695 assault on the Mughal fleet stands unrivaled in its sheer magnitude of wealth extraction. You’ll find the total haul ranged between £325,000 and £600,000—exceeding $100 million in modern currency.
Henry Every’s 1695 Mughal fleet raid captured £325,000-£600,000—over $100 million today—making it history’s most lucrative single pirate attack.
This staggering bounty comprised 500,000 pieces of silver and gold, precious jewels, and a ruby-encrusted saddle destined for the Great Mogul himself.
Each crew member received over £1,000, surpassing a lifetime’s legitimate sailor earnings from an era when medieval navigation still influenced maritime practices.
Every, distinguished by his captain’s pirate attire, claimed double shares.
The Gang-i-Sawai and Fateh Muhammed were methodically stripped of treasures, transforming common seamen into wealthy men capable of immediate retirement—an unprecedented outcome from a single raid.
Global Manhunt and Political Fallout
Every’s unprecedented heist triggered an immediate and ferocious international response that fundamentally altered how nations pursued maritime criminals. You’d witness the first worldwide manhunt in recorded history, spanning four continents as the East India Company offered £500—later £1,000—for his capture. Aurangzeb arrested Company officials, threatening to cancel lucrative trade contracts unless Britain compensated for the stolen treasure.
This crisis revolutionized maritime diplomacy, forcing rival powers to cooperate through intelligence sharing and naval technology deployment across oceans. The Crown sent letters to every colony, ordering searches of suspicious vessels.
Five associates were executed at Execution Dock in 1696, but Every evaded capture. His raid ended pirate safe harbors forever, establishing international law that enabled arrests worldwide.
Escape to the Bahamas
After receiving advance warning from Governor Nicholas Trott in June 1696, Every executed a meticulously planned escape from New Providence that would cement his status as history’s most elusive pirate. Operating under the alias “Captain Henry Bridgeman,” he’d bribed Trott with three times the governor’s annual salary while concealing treasure beneath false floorboards in his cabin.
His 113-man crew posed as unlicensed traders, carefully avoiding pirate attire that might betray their true identities. When naval communication reached Nassau warning of “great quantities of Gold and Silver of foreign Coines,” the crew vanished without trace.
The sparse Bahamas population and limited commercial establishments had created both sanctuary and restlessness. Twenty-four would eventually face capture, but Every’s whereabouts remained unknown—freedom secured through strategic deception and well-timed departure.
The Mystery of Every’s Final Days
What became of history’s most successful pirate remains one of maritime history’s most enduring enigmas. After Every’s hasty escape before Governor Trott’s warrant execution, he vanished completely.
The *Fancy’s* crew dispersed immediately—only twenty-four members captured, primarily through jewelers reporting treasure sales. Weather navigation expertise that secured his Red Sea fortune couldn’t protect him from obscurity.
Crew morale dissolved as pirates scattered across continents, generating unverified sightings from Scotland to Dublin. Two theories dominate scholarly debate: Either Every retired peacefully in native Devon under assumed identity, dying between 1699-1714, or merchants swindled his fortune, leaving him penniless.
Defoe claimed he died in Bideford, too impoverished for a coffin. Unlike executed contemporaries, Every escaped with plunder intact—his ultimate fate remaining unconfirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happened to the Treasure Henry Every Stole From the Mughal Ships?
Imagine glittering gold vanishing into history’s shadows. You’ll find the treasure divided among crews, then lost to time. Pirate legends suggest Every escaped with his share, while maritime myths claim he died penniless—the riches never recovered.
Did Any of Henry Every’s Crew Members Get Caught or Executed?
Yes, twenty-four crew members were captured and five were hanged at Execution Dock in 1696. You’ll find pirate codes and crew loyalty crumbled when John Dann turned King’s witness, betraying his shipmates to escape execution himself.
You’ll find that 95% of sailors couldn’t read in the 1660s, yet Every mastered literacy and mathematics early. His maritime education developed through Royal Navy service, where he refined nautical skills as master’s mate, achieving exceptional navigation proficiency through practical seamanship experience.
What Was the Exact Value of the Loot From Ganj-I-Sawai in Today’s Money?
You’ll find estimates range from $120-300 million today, though pirate mythology often inflates figures. Naval strategies’ documentation reveals contemporary disputes valued treasure at £325,000-600,000, making precise conversion impossible given conflicting historical records and gemstone valuations.
Are There Any Theories About Where Henry Every Died or Settled?
Pirate lore explodes with wild speculation! You’ll find historical myths claiming Every either vanished into Devon’s obscurity, living peacefully under a false identity, or died utterly penniless after merchants swindled his legendary fortune—his true fate remains maddeningly unknown.
References
- https://www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-pirates/henry-every/
- http://www.cindyvallar.com/every.html
- https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/649921/henry-every-pirate-heist
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Every
- https://www.darkhistories.com/the-pirate-life-of-henry-every/
- https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Henry-Avery-Every-King-Of-Pirates/
- https://www.worldhistory.org/Henry_Every/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziMppIuGI78
- https://goldenageofpiracy.org/pirates/pirate-rounders/henry-every
- https://historyofpiracy.weebly.com/henry-every.html
