Skip to main content

13 Most Gruesome Pirate Killings in History

By Every Day Story12 items
Share

About this list

Pirates are often viewed as ruthless villains, but the truth is more complex. While they did commit brutal acts, most pirates tried to avoid conflict. If every encounter ended in bloodshed, sailors would fiercely resist, making it harder for pirates to escape. Despite this, some pirates still carried out horrific deeds, including torture to extract information, killing captives to prevent escape, or punishing traitorous crew members. Pirates devised ingenious and gruesome methods to eliminate enemies, making for a chilling history.

Crowd-ranked
Anything
updating live12 items
  • 1
    A French Pirate Pulled Out A Victim’s Heart And Ate It

    François l'Olonnais was a French pirate. He became well-known in the Caribbean for his ruthlessness. He used extreme measures to get what he wanted, including torturing captives for information.

    He set sail for Honduras in 1668. There, he captured Spanish soldiers and questioned them to find the best path through Central America. When his methods failed, he cut open a man's chest.He pulled out the heart.He ate some of it right there in front of him.

    Anything
  • 2
    Captain Morgan Popped Out Captives' Eyes Using A Metal Bar

    Welsh pirate Captain Henry Morgan did not fear aggression when he needed information. He did this when he sacked Portobelo in 1668. That port moved many precious goods, including a large amount of gold.

    After taking the city, Morgan and his crew could not find all the treasure. They started torturing officials. The main method used waswoodling.This involved tying a leather cord around a person’s forehead. Then, they tightened it with a metal bar. Those who did not give information fast enough died when the pressure made theireyeballs popCaptain Morgan popped out captives' eyes using a metal bar.

    Anything
  • 3
    A Dutch Pirate Roasted Farmers Alive

    Roche Braziliano.Roche Braziliano was a Dutch pirate from 1630 to 1675. He worked mostly near Jamaica in the Caribbean. There, he fought constantly with Spanish farmers and sailors. People called him a barbarian because of the aggressive attacks he regularly made.

    He saved the farmer.worst punishment.He cut off the limbs of two farmers who would not reveal where their pigs were. He roasted them alive on a spit over a fire.

    Anything
  • 4
    Keelhauling Was A Common Practice

    Keelhauling was a terrible way to die for a pirate. Other groups also used this method.Several naviesalso chose to punish people using keelhauling.

    The person was tied to a rope looped around the whole boat. The crew dragged the person under the ship and pulled the keel several times. This tore off limbs and even the head as the hard wood and barnacles shredded them. Those who did not die from the impact surely drowned.

    Anything
  • 5
    Ching Shih Would Nail Her Enemies' Feet To The Decks Of Their Own Ships

    Ching Shih is one of the most famous pirates.Ching Shih would nail her enemies' feet to the decks of their own ships.who ever lived. She started as an escort. She rose through ranks in major Chinese pirate groups. She took command of hundreds of ships after her husband died in the early 1800s.

    Ching Shih's favorite way to deal with rival crews and enemies was tonail their feet to the decks.Ching Shih would nail enemies' feet to their own ships and then beat them until they died. Joining her Red Flag Fleet offered escape from this awful situation. This action signaled defiance to opponents and secured replacement pirates for her crews.

    Anything
  • 6
    Montbars The Exterminator Nailed His Victims' Intestines To Posts

    Daniel Montbars, also known as Montbars the Exterminator, was a 17th-century pirate. He became a major foe of the Spanish Empire and developed intense hatred for all Spaniards.

    Montbars did not like killing without cause. He punished any enemies who fought him mercilessly, brutally beating any survivors.His favorite method was...Montbars cut open a captive's stomach, pulled out the intestines, and nailed them to a post while beating the person.

    Anything
  • 7
    Some Pirates Really Did Make People Walk The Plank

    Media often shows 'walking the plank' as the standard pirate punishment. However, this method was used only sometimes.Pirates used walking the plank very occasionally.This method was often seen as too showy for regular use.

    The real way to make someone walk the plank was much worse than films show. Pirates tied captives with rope, prevented them from swimming, and weighed them down with cannonballs to make them sink.

    Anything
  • 8
    Black Bart Burned People Alive On Their Own Ships

    Bartholomew Roberts, or Black Bart, earned a reputation for horrific methods. His extreme aggression and lack of morals helped him; he is arguably the most successful pirate ever. He captured up to 400 ships between the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

    Black Bart often dealt with plundered ships by setting them on fire and leaving. He usually did not bother removing passengers or crew before starting the fire. Black Bart burned 80 slaves alive in one instance when he did not want to waste time freeing them.Black Bart burned 80 slaves alive.Black Bart did this because he did not want to waste time unshackling them.

    Anything
  • 9
    Edward Low Liked Burning Captives' Hands Down To The Bone

    Edward Low, called the most vicious pirate ever, became infamous for the maniacal punishments he inflicted in the early 18th century. Though his career was short, he quickly enjoyed carrying out extreme punishment.Edward Low enjoyed extreme punishment.This is 'Edward Low Liked Burning Captives' Hands Down To The Bone in the list '13 Most Gruesome Pirate Killings in History'.

    One cruel act Edward Low used involved tying captives' hands with rope. He inserted lit matches between the fingers so the rope burned. The flames stripped the flesh, burning down to the bone, stopping blood loss and shock.

    Anything
  • 10
    Some Pirates Forced Captives to Run Until They Perished From Exhaustion

    Sweating was a sadistic punishment that often killed the target. Pirates used this as both mental and physical torture, doing it in front of the whole ship's crew. This made it perfect for setting an example for others considering crossing the pirates.

    The captain forced the captive to...Some pirates forced captives to run up and down until they died from exhaustion.The deck of the ship hosted the action. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew poked and pierced the man with swords and other tools, causing cuts that led to death.

    Anything
  • 11
    Captain Morgan’s Crew Tied Men To Stakes And Beat Them

    Captain Henry Morgan acted incredibly cruelly. His crew accepted these awful acts. During their 17th-century attack on Gibraltar, they found a Portuguese man who refused to hand over the treasure they sought.

    The men eventually tied the civilian's hands and feet to four stakes.They then beat the rope with wooden planks.This caused intense vibrations in his body. When he still did not give them the information, they placed a 200-pound boulder on his stomach and burned him all over.

    Anything
  • 12
    Pirates Tied Slayers to Their Targets and Threw Them Overboard

    People often misunderstand pirates. Most think they are just fighting thugs. They were actually a sophisticated group of people. They alsooperated as a democracy.Each crewmember voted, but many did not accept cruel acts.

    Those who killed a captive or a crewmate were often punished.They tied the guilty person to the corpse.Then they threw them overboard as punishment. This meant the perpetrator surely died as they sank to the ocean floor with their dead target.

    Anything

Comments (0)

Join the conversation

Sign in to share your take and reply to others.

First take? Share what stood out to you.

More like this