Samuel Bellamy was a Pirate better known as “Black Sam” or “Black Bellamy.” Although he only lived to be 28, Captain Samuel Bellamy has been recorded as the wealthiest pirate to have ever lived.
Through the years, his story has been diluted with both facts and fiction to make it a little more sensational. Here is a true picture he painted as a pirate before he was killed.
Birth and Early Life of Captain Samuel Bellamy
The famous pirate was born on February 23, 1698, in Hittisleigh, Devon, Kingdom of England. He was the sixth and last child of his parents; Stephen and Elizabeth Bellamy. His birth was greeted with a great tragedy as only a few days later, he lost his mother on February 23, 1689.
Growing up around waters, he became a sailor at a young age. Still following the same path, he joined the Royal Navy as a teenager.
At the age of 26, he moved to Cape Cod. Although the reasons why he went there have been disputed, it provided a vantage point for him to start his career as a pirate as the cape extends into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Rise of the Prince of Pirates
Before he became known as a pirate, Samuel Bellamy met a young girl at Cape Cod known as Goody Hallett — the “Witch of Wellfleet.” Their relationship was not approved by her parents because while she was only 16, he was already in his late 20s. Another version of the story claimed that the reason why the relationship was not approved was because he was poor.
Probably using this as a motivation, Bellamy moved to the sea where he became a legendary pirate. This was not before he impregnated his young lover, who was then ostracized from her family.
Initially, he started out as a treasure hunter but after that did not yield anything that could change his life for the better, he joined piracy and joined the crew of a pirate named Captain Benjamin Hornigold.
Less than a year later, the Marianne crew deposed Hornigold, and in his place, they elected Samuel Bellamy as the new captain. Before long, the crew captured a second ship, the Sultana, and more followed.
See Also: Mr. Beast Net Worth, How Rich is the YouTuber?
Samuel Bellamy rose to become the richest pirate ever
Described as a kind fellow who was democratic, well-styled, and smart, Bellamy captured as many as over 50 ships, earning the title of the Prince of Pirates. One of the ships he was known to have captured was the infamous slave ship, Whydah.
Another ship he captured was the passenger ship, Bonetta. Why this capture was significant because it was there that he met a young boy named John King, who would later join him as a pirate and go on to become the youngest pirate ever, before going on to die in 1717 before the age of 12.
In all, Captain Bellamy is on record to have amassed a fortune that is estimated to be more than $140 million or £120 million in today’s money.
The capture that recorded him to be one of the greatest pirates, which was also his biggest loot was the capture of the Whydah, which is also known as the Whydah Gally. The captain and his men chased the ship for three days before they finally captured it and made it their flagship.
Captured between Cuba and Hispaniola, the ship had gold and silver on board, valued at more than £20,000, which in today’s money, is around $5 million or £4.1 million.
In a manner that made Bellamy respected, he did not leave the defeated captain of the Whydah’s, Captain Lawrence Prince, empty handed. He left him with the Sultana and a great amount of gold.
How Samuel Bellamy Lost His Life at His Prime
The capture of Whydah marked a new feat for the ace pirate, but he did not get to enjoy it as much as he would want.
According to some reports, he set out in April 1717 to go back home and meet his lover, who some sources had claimed, was at that time his wife. Whatever the case, it was claimed by some sources that he wanted to surprise her, but that was not to be. The ship ran into a storm on April 26 off the coast of Massachusetts and it sank.
Black Sam and all others on the ship, except two crewmembers, lost their lives on the ship, drawing the curtains on the life of the man who was considered to be the richest pirate ever, even though he was a pirate for only 2 years before he died.
