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BLACKBEARD
 Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard (English: Blackbeard) is one of the most famous figures in the history of piracy. Born in 1680 in Bristol, England, his real name is assumed to be Edward Drummond.
A recent discovery in May 2009 could prove that he was born in 1690 in Beaufort, North Carolina, and that his name would
be Edward Beard. He became a pirate in 1716. Pirate captain Hornigold entrusted him with the command of a sloop. For two years Teach accompanied Hornigold until the day when he boards a large French merchant ship.
Then in November 1717 he received command of a French ship of 40 guns. « The Concorde », renamed "Queen Anne's Revenge". On July 5 1717 Blackbeard's reputation began to gain momentum following a statement by captain Mathew Musson following the sinking of his ship on Catt Island in the Bahamas. He learned that five pirates met regularly at the Port of Providence: Hornigold, Jennings, Burgiss, White and Teach (Blackbeard), equipped with an armed sloop of six cannons and about 70 men. In 1718 Teach separated from Hornigold and went foaming the seas on his own. At the head of four ships and 300 men he then starts to ravage the coasts of the Carolinas, multiply collisions, loot, and kill. He plundered over 40 vessels in one year. Teach was sought and his head was priced by Governor Alexander Spotswood. The latter appealed to Lieutenant Maynard, Commander of war building Pearl to capture Blackbeard.  After several days of searching Maynard arrived to find Blackbeard in the Bay of Ocracoke (see map) where his ship was anchored. Teach was warned of Maynard coming, but seemed not to care.
On the morning of November 22 1718 the collision was launched, a fierce battle ensued. Teach and Maynard found themselves face to face, each armed with a sword and gun. They engaged in a shooting duel. Teach was affected. The two men then competed in sabre, the Lieutenant broke under the onslaught of his terrible opponent. Teach pounced on him to deal the fatal blow when a deckhand dealt Teach a blow of dagger in the neck. Overcoming his pain with blood flowing from everywhere, Blackbeard continued to fight courageously despite his multiple injuries when another seaman joined the fight and knifed him. Screaming and mad with rage Blackbeard fought with all his strength. The other sailors were shooting at him, trying to finish him off and finally Maynard fatally shot him with a pistol. The pirate collapsed... In a last-ditch effort Blackbeard drew one of his last six pistols which he brought to his chest and prepared to shoot, but he fails, collapsing lifeless. 25 injuries including gunshot wounds were found on his body. Maynard got Teach decapitated and exhibited his head at the top of the pole to serve as a warning to all the pirates who were in the Caribbean or elsewhere. Although his head was later exposed in the public square, many sailors and settlers refused to believe his death... And so many acts of piracy were attributed to him posthumously.
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The duel between the pirate Blackbeard and Lieutenant Maynard in Ocracoke - Painting Jean Leon Gerome FERRIS (August 8, 1863 - March 18, 1930)
