Henry Every
His single, spectacular pirate raid was so lucrative it made him a global folk hero and the British Empire's most wanted man.
1659–1696 (age 37)·English captain and pirate (late 1600s)·Birthday: August 20
Biography
Henry Every led a mutiny in 1694, seizing a British privateering vessel and renaming it the *Fancy*. He sailed for the Indian Ocean and in 1695 intercepted the *Ganj-i-Sawai*, a treasure ship belonging to the Grand Mughal of India. The haul exceeded £600,000 in gold, silver, and jewels, dwarfing many kingdoms' annual revenues. The attack provoked an international crisis, with the East India Company threatened and the British government issuing the first worldwide manhunt. Every and his crew vanished, with rumors placing him in the Caribbean or a secret retirement. He was never captured, his fate unknown. Born in 1659, his career lasted only a few years.
#1 When Henry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1659
Henry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1659Born
1664Started school
1672Became a teenager
1675Could drive
1677Could vote
1680Turned 21
1689Turned 30
1696Died at 37
Key Achievements
- Led the capture of the Mughal treasure ship *Ganj-i-Sawai* in 1695, one of the most lucrative pirate raids ever.
- His crime prompted King William III to authorize an unprecedented global bounty for his capture.
- Became the subject of popular broadside ballads and plays in England, shaping the romantic image of the pirate.
- Successfully evaded capture entirely, with his final whereabouts remaining a historical mystery.
Did You Know?
Some historians believe he may have used a portion of his loot to bribe officials in the Bahamas to let him go free.
His story inspired the character of Captain Avery in Daniel Defoe's 'A General History of the Pyrates.'
A 1696 play about his life, 'The Successful Pyrate,' was staged in London while he was still officially at large.
He was sometimes called 'Long Ben' by his crew, a reference to his height.
“I am a man of fortune, and must seek my fortune.”
