Henry Every
Table of Contents
Henry Every was an incredibly famous pirate who was active for a very short period of time in the late 17th century. Contemporaries called him The King Of Pirates, in no small part for his place as the richest pirate in the world of his time, and the fact that he was one of the few pirates ever to retire with his loot and live a quiet life without being arrested or executed. Having begun his naval career as a legitimate officer of the Royal Navy, he went pirate after a inciting a mutiny and deposing the captain of his ship.
The mutiny that put Every in charge of his pirate ship took place in Spain due to a disagreement about letters of marque from Spain and unpaid wages. Directly thereafter, Every sailed south, making his way around the coast of Africa and taking five more ships in the process. After narrowly avoiding capture by a detachment of three East Indiamen off the coast of Madagascar, Every sailed north and entered the Arabian Sea where his most famous and daring exploit took place
Once he entered the Arabian Sea, Every discovered a Grand Mughal fleet of 25 treasure-laden ships making their annual pilgrimage to Mecca and planned the most valuable heist in history up to that point. He managed to plunder the Ganj-i-sawai, the flagship of the Mughal Navy. The treasures of this ship are what made him the richest pirate in the world. Following a bloody battle in which many pirates died, Every managed to come out victorious and distributed to his surviving comrades a share of treasure that would, in modern currency, equal more than $400 million.
After these two short years in which Henry Every went from regular mutineer to the subject of the world’s first international manhunt, he took away his formidable loot, split his crew, and sailed to Nassau. There, he bribed the governor for safe haven until barely escaping the authorities and vanishing for good. His plunder of the Mughal fleet severely damaged English relations with the Mughal Empire and made him an international news sensation. For decades thereafter, sightings of Henry Every were reported, but he was never apprehended and thought to have smuggled himself into a quiet life of retirement in the southern English city of Devon.
Who Was Henry Every?
Henry Every, sometimes known as Avery or even Long Ben, was not just any pirate; he was the embodiment of the golden age of piracy. Born around 1659, his early life is shrouded in mystery, as if the sea itself wanted to keep his origins a secret.
The Making of a Pirate Legend
What transforms a man into a legend? For Every, it was a combination of charisma, sheer audacity, and the allure of freedom that the open sea promised. He began his nautical career in the Royal Navy but found the lure of piracy too enticing to resist.
The Grand Heist: The Gunsway
Every’s claim to fame was the infamous capture of the Gunsway, a treasure-laden Mughal ship. It was a heist so daring and rich, it set the whole world ablaze with tales of his cunning.
The Pirate’s Code
Contrary to popular belief, pirates like Every did have a code. But how honorable was this pirate’s code? It was less about honor and more about staying alive and profitable.
Every’s Cunning Escape
After the Gunsway, Every became the most wanted pirate on the planet. His escape was nothing short of miraculous, vanishing like a ghost while entire navies hunted him.
The Bounty on Every’s Head
The bounty on Every’s head was immense, a king’s ransom, quite literally. It made him a target not only for the law but also for his own kind.
The Legend Lives On
Henry Every’s legend grew larger with each passing year. Did he retire with his riches, or did he meet a pirate’s brutal end? The truth is as elusive as Every himself.
Every’s Impact on Pop Culture
Every’s tale has inspired countless books, plays, and films. His life was a canvas for storytellers to paint the picture of the ultimate pirate adventure.
Unearthing the Treasure
The treasure Every stole has sparked imaginations for centuries. Is there a hidden chest of riches still waiting to be found?
The Final Days of a Pirate King
The last days of Henry Every are a tapestry woven from myth and sparse facts. Some say he lived out his days in luxury, while others claim he died poor and alone.
The Hunt for Every’s Fortune
Treasure hunters and historians alike are still on the quest to uncover the truth about Every’s ill-gotten gains. But where does the hunt lead?
The Myth vs. The Man
Separating the man from the myth is a challenge with Henry Every. The line between fact and fiction is as blurred as the horizon at sea.
Henry Every in Modern Fiction
Every has been immortalized in modern fiction, standing as a symbol of rebellion and freedom. But what does he represent to us today?
The Legacy of Henry Every
Every’s legacy is a complex one, mingled with both admiration and infamy. He is the pirate that other pirates aspire to be.
The Search for Truth
The search for the real Henry Every is ongoing. Will we ever truly know the man behind the legend?
In the vast ocean of history, Henry Every’s story is a drop that creates ripples even today. Like a ship disappearing over the horizon, he left us wondering, what is the truth, and what is the tale?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Was Henry Every ever captured? No, Henry Every was never captured. His fate after his final escape remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of the age of piracy.
2. What made Henry Every different from other pirates? Every was known for pulling off one of the biggest heists in pirate history and for eluding capture afterward, which was a rare feat among pirates.
3. How much was the bounty on Henry Every’s head? The bounty was 1,000 pounds per man, an astronomical sum at the time, with a special emphasis on capturing Every.
4. Are there any descendants of Henry Every? There are no confirmed descendants of Henry Every, and given his secretive life, it’s doubtful if any lineage could be reliably traced.
5. Has any of Henry Every’s treasure been found? To date, none of Every’s treasure has been officially found, making it one of the enduring legends of pirate lore.
