The 16th and 17th centuries are often known as the eras of pirates as trade and movement through ships increased.Many famously known pirates were active during this time period. One such Scottish pirate was William Kidd, who was more popularly known by the name Captain Kidd.Previously known as a legitimate privateer, he turned into a pirate. His skills as a seaman worked wonders for French Ships, Dutch ships, and English ships. Captain Kidd became a successful privateer in charge of the vessel Blessed William during the 1690s.But the journey of Captain William Kidd as a pirate began with a series of misfortunes, the major one being the fact the rules had changed, and it was understood that both pirates and privateers were seen as outlaws. However, changes in rules didn’t bring many changes to Kidd’s skills and determination as a pirate. He sailed across the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, and William Kidd attacked and looted many French ships and other abandoned ships. Captain William Kidd stole so much that today, it is still rumored that Captain Kidd had hidden his pirate treasure somewhere on his treasure island, which is yet to be found.But who is King William ‘Captain’ Kidd? Why was this Scottish pirate termed as one of the notorious pirates? Why is this notorious pirate so famous? Read on if you are curious to learn the answers to these questions and more.Let’s learn about this outlaw and unravel the mysteries of his buried treasure. Afterward, also check out Captain Blackbeard facts and Captain Cook facts.What was William Kidd famous for?Kidd William became famous after returning from one of his voyages in Captain Kidd ship sailing with Captain Kidd treasure from Benin, Africa, and Madagascar, East India Company property worth about £200,000. The British Government ordered him to avoid East India.So his ship sailed to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, where he abandoned about £3000 of loot for him to be able to make it back to New York without getting caught by the British. He did attack many merchant ships on his way, but William never killed any prisoners, and he never harmed anyone who was not an enemy. Kidd offered to help the governor of the New York colony defend the port and city from French attacks. The governor did not accept his offer, so Kidd left with his crew. He was famous for being one of the few pirates who used their pirating skills to protect themselves against other pirates. He would use fake beams to burn the ships or injure their sailors using explosion bombs.Kidd later captured an enemy privateer off the coast of New England during the War of the Grand Alliance on commission from the provinces of New York and Massachusetts Bay. He was given £150 for successful privateering in the Caribbean shortly after. A year later, Kidd’s ship was stolen while he was ashore in Antigua, West Indies, by Captain Robert Culliford, a known pirate.When was William Kidd born?Kidd was born in Scotland, probably at Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands, where his father owned an estate in 1651. Captain Kidd, full name William Kidd, is known as a dangerous pirate!Nothing is known about his mother. He went to Boston in 1665 and volunteered for the campaign in New France under Sir Robert Carr. He was only 13. The expedition was unsuccessful, and most of the province returned to English control within two years.Captain Kidd TreasureThe treasure is said to have been buried somewhere in the vicinity of Salem, Massachusetts. The most recent clues to its location were found in a letter written by Captain Kidd that described some of the landmarks along the coast where he hid his treasure.Why is he known as a famous pirate captain? What had Kidd intended? What are the places that Kidd roamed? Let’s check.The bulk of the work involved scouring over maps and reconciling those to recorded landmarks and historical drawings. After this was done, a few places were identified as possible locations and searched, but no treasure was ever found. In 1998, a company called M & R Marine contracted with the state of Massachusetts to find Captain Kidd’s treasure using side-scan sonar equipment. Kidd and his troops assaulted the French island of Marie-Galante, burning the island’s small village and robbing the region for roughly 2,000 pounds sterling.Although the treasure was never found, the search brought some of the ship’s secrets to light. The wooden chest in which William Kidd hid his treasure had a secret compartment whose door was hidden in an unusual way. When closed, the indentations left by its tumblers provided a clue to its mechanism. This unfound treasure acted as an anchor for other treasure hunters and is still being sought today by salvagers and treasure hunters alike!Captain Kidd FlagOn May 31, 1700, Kidd and his ship’s crew boarded a Portuguese vessel that they felt to be too slow and without enough cargo to be worth capturing. The two fleets exchanged cannon fire, and Kidd was forced to run aground at a port called Porto Seguro in present-day Bahia.Kidd himself was not captured at this time as he had sailed away with his crew on another ship that was more heavily armed. After spending two weeks onshore, word came down from the Admiralty that Kidd had deserted the ship and tried to escape with his crew after being challenged by Chaloner Ogle. This time, he was captured, along with about ten others who had been loyal to him.William Kidd was ultimately found not guilty of any crime, though he was fined for not obtaining a privateer’s commission before sailing his raid. He used this opportunity to become a pirate hunter for the English government, though he returned to piracy once again in November 1701 under a new commission from the Dutch government.It is recorded that his flag was hoisted to the top of his mainmast, with a crucifix and a prayer book attached. He then told his men, as for myself, I have done nothing but what I believe to be my duty, and therefore hope God will forgive me. The skull and crossbones emblem has become one of the most widely known symbols of piracy in history. This emblem is often used in fiction to symbolize pirates in general, though other pirate captains also used it during Kidd’s time.Kidd and other ship’s crewmates mutinied on one of their expeditions, deposing the captain, and sailed to the British colony of Nevis.Where is Captain Kidd buried?Kidd initially worked as a privateer for England’s Royal Navy. The Dutch had captured his first ship, and he became a pirate (or privateer in more modern terms) for the Dutch. This was when he was still in Scotland. He eventually would go on to become the captain-General of New York.The earliest reference to him as Captain Kidd comes from 1691, where Norwegian sailor Michael Lok found him guilty of piracy and sentenced him to death by hanging. There is a myth about Kidd’s death among the people that the execution took place at Execution Dock, Virginia. Still, Kidd’s headless body and arm were left floating in the Hudson River for three days until a local fisherman found them. Sailor Moore, Captain Kidd’s gunner, was gravely wounded.In 1701, Kidd fell into many crimes, and Captain Kidd was hanged for murder and piracy. It is said that there were two suns in the sky; one above him and one below him. The legend says this means that Captain Kidd has escaped to his treasure and will never be found. Kidd’s wife was left with three children, and she died soon after her husband. After the war, Captain Kidd was granted amnesty for his crimes. The family would then move to New York, where he was appointed the city’s Chief Magistrate. In New York, he is thought to have committed most of his pirate activities while working as a privateer for England and Scotland.Captain Kidd ShipEvery ship has a history, and this is the story of Captain Kidd’s ship, the Adventure Galley. The privateer William Kidd captained one of the English ships Adventure Galley, often known as Adventure.Adventure Galley was a hybrid ship with square-rigged sails and oars to provide agility in stormy and calm circumstances. Adventure Galley was built in 1692, and within five years, it had sailed to Boston, London, Morocco, and Cadiz. It brought back so much booty that other pirates called her The Golden Ship.By 1715, she was one of the three frigates protecting British interests in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1717, she sailed to England when peace had been made between Britain and Spain. For two years, she sailed on blockades against French and Spanish captured pirates who were using their base on St. Mary’s Island off the coast of Florida. In 1719, she sailed to New York, and she was sold there in 1723, meaning that, even though she had made a valuable contribution to the British navy for nearly thirty years, her days were coming to an end.Captain Kidd Early LifeLike many more known personalities of that time, there is not much known about Kidd’s early life. The reason is that recording an event was not a thing back then.William Kidd was born on June 21, 1645, in Scotland. His father died when Kidd was young, and he would become the eldest of eleven children. He eventually became a soldier, and his first wife died during the Siege of Lowestoft (1665). However, he would remarry one year later and had two more wives: Anne Tickle at the age of nineteen and Margaret Crook at twenty-four. During the course of the inquiry, another person was linked to his crimes: his wife, Sarah Kidd.King William Kidd initially worked as a privateer for England’s Royal Navy. The Dutch had captured his first ship, and he became a pirate (or privateer in more modern terms) for the Dutch. This was when he was still in Scotland. He eventually would go on to become the captain-General of New York.Captain Kidd was a good man. Even though he wasn’t the first husband, he loved his wife and her kids from previous marriages. William Kidd became rich overnight by marrying her, but his thirst for more was never quenched. He still voyaged the seas and earned more booty.William Kidd was a great sailor, but at the same time, he is also known as a ruthless, self-serving, and cruel sea-bandit. Kidd sailed up and down the Atlantic Sea, searching for pirates. Many ships out of New York and Boston saw him on his way, but none took him on to fight. He did capture some merchant ships, but they were eventually released without any ransom being paid to the company. The main reason why some people consider him as an honorable man is because he risked everything to help those people who owed him money or did not pay back his loan.There is no doubt that William Kidd became more famous because of his trial and his unfound treasure than any pirate ever known.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Captain Kidd facts, then why not take a look at Captain John Smith facts or Captain Marvel facts.
The 16th and 17th centuries are often known as the eras of pirates as trade and movement through ships increased.
