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BLACKBEARD, physical and personality character traits
© Illustrated by Edward Mortelmans |
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| Name | Edward TEACH, known as Edward Drummond (a recent discovery shows that his name could be Edward Beard) |
| Nickname | Blackbeard, Teach, Thatch, Thach, Thache, Thatche, Thack, Theach, Tash, Titche, Ned, Drummond |
| Origin | Bristol, England, ~1680 Ocracoke, November 22, 1718 (38 years) (a recent discovery shows that he could be born in Beaufort, North Carolina (USA) in 1690) |
| Status | Married to 14 women |
| Stunning blow | Ravaged the Carolina coast and plundered more than 40 ships |
| Ships | Le Concorde (Queen Anne's Revenge), ... |
| Peers | Israël Hands, Ann Bonny, Benjamin Hornigold, Steed Bonnet, Jack Rackam, John Phillips, Charles Vane, Richards |
| End of career | He is confronted by Maynard and his army of the Royal Navy, then succumbs to injuries by 20 knives (and 5 gunshots). |
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Edward Teach is a tall thin man. He is not a macho and poseur as are many characters
in 99% of books. Apart from captain Johnson (Daniel Defoe) who tended to romanticize his books no book depicts the
imposing stature of Blackbeard.
He wears a very black beard and a layer of fat on his chest. His body is never clean. He smells like sweat mixed with rum and
gun powder. His clothes, torn by many fights, are dark and stained with blood and various beverages.
Some captains gave themselves the image of gentlemen dressed in fine rare fabrics, and preferred negotiation.
Blackbeard preferred to cultivate the image of fury and a monster. In battle his beard was plaited with tens of mats
attached by blood-red ribbons. In battle he used to hang two ignited torches under his hat and hanging beside his face.
He did this to terrify his opponents.
Edward Teach is certainly an extraordinary leader. He maintains unparalleled discipline and inspires
confidence in his men.
He knows very well how to navigate through all types of conditions, treat his crew, and maintain their moral high.
He has the diplomatic skills to negotiate business with people of high ranks.
When he's bored, he shoots his own sailors in the dark to observe the impact of bullets
on their skin. He justifies this by saying:
« If I did not kill one from time to time, they would eventually no longer know who I am. »
After a good heist he would bury his chests in a deserted place with the help of one
or two men. He returned to the vessel alone. « They stand guard! », he said. It's true, they stand guard, but
only as cadavers, as Blackbeard did not like witnesses.
He refused to give the location of treasures: « Only the devil and I know the
whereabouts of my treasure, and the one of us who lives the longest should take it all. »
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