Queen Anne's Revenge
Encyclopedia
Queen Anne's Revenge was the name of English
pirate
Blackbeard
's flagship
, used by him for less than a year, but an effective tool in his prize taking.
In 1718, Blackbeard had gone aground in the ship at Beaufort Inlet, Carteret County, North Carolina
, in the present-day United States
. In late 1996, Intersal, the private contractor working for the state of North Carolina
in marine recovery, discovered the remains of a vessel likely to be the Queen Anne's Revenge.
built in England in 1710. She was captured by the French
one year later. The ship was modified to hold more cargo, including slaves, and renamed La Concorde de Nantes. Sailing as a slave ship
, she was captured by the pirate Captain
Benjamin Hornigold
on November 28, 1717, near the island of Martinique
. Hornigold turned her over to one of his men —Edward Teach, later known as Blackbeard
—and made him her captain. Teach's first mate, Christopher Blackwood (known as Blackbeard's Claw), was feared as a ferocious fighter and led many of Blackbeard's boarding parties.
Blackbeard made La Concorde into his flagship
, adding cannon
s and renaming her Queen Anne's Revenge. The name may come from the War of the Spanish Succession
, known in the Americas
as Queen Anne's War
, in which Blackbeard had served in the Royal Navy
, or possibly from sympathy for Queen Anne, the last Stuart
monarch. Blackbeard sailed this ship from the west coast of Africa
to the Caribbean
, attacking British
, Dutch
and Portuguese
merchant ships along the way.
Shortly after blockading Charleston
harbor in May 1718, and refusing to accept the Governor's offer of a pardon, Blackbeard ran Queen Anne's Revenge aground while entering Beaufort Inlet. He disbanded his flotilla and escaped by transferring supplies onto a smaller ship, the Adventure. He stranded several crew members on a small island nearby, where they were later rescued by Captain Stede Bonnet
. Some suggest Blackbeard deliberately grounded the ship as an excuse to disperse the crew. Shortly afterward, Blackbeard did surrender and accepted a royal pardon for himself and his remaining crewmen from Governor Charles Eden
at Bath, North Carolina
. However, he eventually returned to piracy and was killed in combat.
. The vessel is in the Atlantic Ocean
in shallow water offshore from Fort Macon State Park
, Atlantic Beach
, North Carolina
. Several of the cannons and more than 16,000 artifacts have been recovered; however, none appear to be of French origin, as would be expected from a French slave ship. They are mostly British, as would be expected with a colonial pirate crew.
For one week in 2000 and 2001, live underwater video
of the project was uploaded to the Internet as a part of the DiveLive educational program that reached thousands of children around the world. This project enabled students to talk to scientists and learn about methods and technologies utilized by the archaeology
team.
Project Director Mark Wilde-Ramsing of the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch supervised recovery of artifacts from the site through the 2007 field season. In November 2006 and 2007, more artifacts were discovered at the site and brought to the surface. The additional artifacts appear to support the claim that the wreck is that of Queen Anne's Revenge. Among current evidence to support this theory is that the cannons were found loaded. In addition, there were more cannons than would be expected for a ship of this size, and the cannons were of different makes. Depth markings on the part of the stern that was recovered point to it have been made according to the French (and not British) foot measurements.
By the end of 2007, approximately 1/3 of the wreck was fully excavated. Artifacts are undergoing conservation. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources set up the website Queen Anne's Revenge to build on intense public interest in the finds.
In 2011, the 1.4 tonnes (3,086.5 lb) anchor from the ship was brought to the surface along with a range of makeshift weaponry.
On August 29, 2011, the National Geographic Society
reported that the shipwreck had been confirmed as the Queen Anne's Revenge.
in 2004. The reference number is 04000148. It is listed as owned by the state of North Carolina
and near Morehead City
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
pirate
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Edward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, used by him for less than a year, but an effective tool in his prize taking.
In 1718, Blackbeard had gone aground in the ship at Beaufort Inlet, Carteret County, North Carolina
Carteret County, North Carolina
Carteret County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 66,469. Its county seat is Beaufort. Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast....
, in the present-day United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In late 1996, Intersal, the private contractor working for the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in marine recovery, discovered the remains of a vessel likely to be the Queen Anne's Revenge.
History
The 300-ton vessel, originally named Concord, was a frigateFrigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
built in England in 1710. She was captured by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
one year later. The ship was modified to hold more cargo, including slaves, and renamed La Concorde de Nantes. Sailing as a slave ship
Slave ship
Slave ships were large cargo ships specially converted for the purpose of transporting slaves, especially newly purchased African slaves to Americas....
, she was captured by the pirate Captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
Benjamin Hornigold
Benjamin Hornigold
Captain Benjamin Hornigold was an 18th-century English pirate. His career lasted from 1715 to 1718, after which he turned pirate hunter and pursued his former allies on behalf of the Governor of the Bahamas...
on November 28, 1717, near the island of Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. Hornigold turned her over to one of his men —Edward Teach, later known as Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Edward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
—and made him her captain. Teach's first mate, Christopher Blackwood (known as Blackbeard's Claw), was feared as a ferocious fighter and led many of Blackbeard's boarding parties.
Blackbeard made La Concorde into his flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, adding cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
s and renaming her Queen Anne's Revenge. The name may come from the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, known in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
as Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
, in which Blackbeard had served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, or possibly from sympathy for Queen Anne, the last Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
monarch. Blackbeard sailed this ship from the west coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, attacking British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
, Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
merchant ships along the way.
Shortly after blockading Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
harbor in May 1718, and refusing to accept the Governor's offer of a pardon, Blackbeard ran Queen Anne's Revenge aground while entering Beaufort Inlet. He disbanded his flotilla and escaped by transferring supplies onto a smaller ship, the Adventure. He stranded several crew members on a small island nearby, where they were later rescued by Captain Stede Bonnet
Stede Bonnet
Stede Bonnet was an early 18th-century Barbadian pirate, sometimes called "the gentleman pirate" because he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherited the family estate after his...
. Some suggest Blackbeard deliberately grounded the ship as an excuse to disperse the crew. Shortly afterward, Blackbeard did surrender and accepted a royal pardon for himself and his remaining crewmen from Governor Charles Eden
Charles Eden
Charles Eden was the second Governor of the separate Colony of North Carolina.-Public service:Eden was appointed Governor of North Carolina on 13 July 1713. He is best known for his actions to end piracy in the area...
at Bath, North Carolina
Bath, North Carolina
Bath is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 268 at the 2008 census. Incorporated in 1705, Bath was North Carolina's first port of entry. Bath is North Carolina's oldest town, celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2005...
. However, he eventually returned to piracy and was killed in combat.
Discovery of shipwreck
Intersal Inc., a private research firm, discovered the wreck believed to be the Queen Anne’s Revenge on November 21, 1996. It was located by Intersal's director of operations, Mike Daniel, who used historical research provided by Intersal's president, Phil Masters and archaeologist David MooreDavid Moore (archaeologist)
David Moore is an American archaeologist and historian. He is best known for his work on the shipwreck believed to be Blackbeard's flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge...
. The vessel is in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
in shallow water offshore from Fort Macon State Park
Fort Macon State Park
Fort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936...
, Atlantic Beach
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2008, there were 1,815 people, 971 households, and 498 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,728 housing units at an average density of 2,206.0 per square mile...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Several of the cannons and more than 16,000 artifacts have been recovered; however, none appear to be of French origin, as would be expected from a French slave ship. They are mostly British, as would be expected with a colonial pirate crew.
For one week in 2000 and 2001, live underwater video
Underwater videography
Underwater videography is a video production, the branch of underwater photography concerned with capturing underwater moving images either as a recreational diving or commercial documentary, or filmmaking activity.-Limitations:...
of the project was uploaded to the Internet as a part of the DiveLive educational program that reached thousands of children around the world. This project enabled students to talk to scientists and learn about methods and technologies utilized by the archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
team.
Project Director Mark Wilde-Ramsing of the North Carolina Underwater Archaeology Branch supervised recovery of artifacts from the site through the 2007 field season. In November 2006 and 2007, more artifacts were discovered at the site and brought to the surface. The additional artifacts appear to support the claim that the wreck is that of Queen Anne's Revenge. Among current evidence to support this theory is that the cannons were found loaded. In addition, there were more cannons than would be expected for a ship of this size, and the cannons were of different makes. Depth markings on the part of the stern that was recovered point to it have been made according to the French (and not British) foot measurements.
By the end of 2007, approximately 1/3 of the wreck was fully excavated. Artifacts are undergoing conservation. The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources set up the website Queen Anne's Revenge to build on intense public interest in the finds.
In 2011, the 1.4 tonnes (3,086.5 lb) anchor from the ship was brought to the surface along with a range of makeshift weaponry.
On August 29, 2011, the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
reported that the shipwreck had been confirmed as the Queen Anne's Revenge.
National Register of Historic Places
Queen Anne's Revenge was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2004. The reference number is 04000148. It is listed as owned by the state of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and near Morehead City
Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
.
In popular culture
- Queen Anne's Revenge is a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
song recorded by The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet featuring drummer Liberty DeVittoLiberty DeVittoLiberty DeVitto is an American rock drummer. He is best known as the drummer for Billy Joel, but has also played with the NYC Hit Squad and has been a session drummer on recordings of other artists.-Career:...
. - Queen Anne's Revenge is a song recorded by the punk-rock band Flogging MollyFlogging MollyFlogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
from their album Within a Mile of Home. - Queen Anne's Revenge is the ship Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase escape from Circe's Island on in The Sea of MonstersThe Sea of MonstersThe Sea of Monsters is a fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology written by Rick Riordan published in 2006. It is the second novel in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and the sequel to The Lightning Thief...
. - Queen Anne's Revenge appears in the 2011 film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a 2011 adventure fantasy film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series...
, played by the Sunset, a ship which previously portrayed the Black PearlBlack PearlThe Black Pearl, originally Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. In the screenplay, the Black Pearl is easily recognized by her distinctive black hull and sails. The ship was originally named Wicked Wench before she was ordered burned and sunk by Lord Beckett...
in the film's predecessors: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
and At World's End. Queen Anne's Revenge also appears in the Pirates of the Caribbean OnlinePirates of the Caribbean OnlinePirates of the Caribbean Online, sometimes shortened to Pirates Online or POTCO, is a MMORPG , created by the Walt Disney Company. It is based on the film series and theme park attraction of the same name...
video game.
External links
- "Blackbeard", North Carolina Office of Archives and History
- Queen Anne's Revenge: Archaeological Site, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
- The Friends of QAR website
- Queen Anne's Revenge at the Pirates of the Caribbean wiki