Bartholomew Roberts | Timeline

Bartholomew Roberts (17 May 1682 – 10 February 1722) was born John Roberts, a Welsh pirate who raided ships off the Americas and West Africa between 1719 and 1722. He was the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy as measured by vessels captured, taking over 470 prizes in his career. He is also known as Black Bart (Welsh: Barti Ddu), but this name was never used in his lifetime, and also risks confusion with Black Bart of the American West. (Wikipedia)

May 17, 1682 - Casnewydd Bach, Pembrokeshire, Wales - Bartholomew Roberts is born
June 1(?), 1719 - Anomabu (Annamaboa), Ghana - third mate John Roberts was serving aboard the "Princess of London" that was negotiating the purchase of slaves off the coast of Ghana. The ship was attacked and captured by the pirate Howell Davis, and many of its crew were forced into joining Davis' crew. Among these new recruits was John Roberts, who proceeded to adopt the new name Bartholomew Roberts =(START)
June 19, 1719 - Principe Island - Howell Davies is killed and Roberts elected to succeed him
August(?) 20(?), 1719 - Bight of Africa - Roberts decides to cross the Atlantic to Brazil
September(?) 10(?), 1719 - Fernando de Noronha Island - Roberts reaches Fernando de Noronha after less than a month crossing the Atlantic
September(?) 15(?), 1719 - Brazilian Coast - Roberts spends 9 weeks in the Brazilian coast without capturing any ships
October(?) 15(?), 1719 - Salvador, Brazil - Roberts sneaks into the anchorage at night and overpowers the crew of the richest ship in a fleet of 42, the "Sagrada Familia" galleon
November 1(?), 1719 - Île du Diable, French Guyana - Anchored at Devil's Island with 3 vessels including a portuguese treasure galleon. When a sail appears, Roberts gives chase. His deputy Walter Kennedy grabs the opportunity to sail away with the treasure
December(?) 1(?), 1719 - Off Tobago - Roberts sails to Tobago, where he captures a sloop
February(?) 1(?), 1720 - Off Barbados - Captures 3 more vessels off Barbados
February 26, 1720 - Off Barbados(?) - Attacked by Barbados warships. Combat. Heads to Dominica to repair the ship - Flag change
March 1(?), 1720 - Dominica - Roberts careens his sloop in Dominica and evades Martiniquan pirate hunters
May 1(?), 1720 - North Atlantic - Heading north to Newfoundland
June 21, 1720 - Trepassey, Newfoundland - Roberts attacks the harbour of Trepassey - 22 merchants captured
July 1(?), 1720 - Grand Banks - After being rejoined by La Palisse, Roberts cruises the Grand Banks, capturing several more prizes before sailing southward again
July 13, 1720 - Newfoundland Banks - Roberts takes the merchant "Samuel". After plundering it, forces almost all crew to join the pirates at gunpoint. Let's the captain go when another sail is spotted
August 25(?), 1720 - Off South Carolina - Captures a sloop off South Carolina
September 5(?), 1720 - La Désirade (Carriacou) - Returns to the West Indies. Careening the ship at Carriacou
September 30(?), 1720 - Basse Terre - Roberts is joined by La Palisse and together they attack Basseterre, destroying the town and capturing 2 ships
October(?) 4(?), 1720 - St.Barthelemy Island - Roberts and La Palisse raid the Island of St.Barthelemy. Starts operating from the Virgin Islands, where he captures a brig, his new "Royal Fortune"
October 25, 1720 - Off St.Lucia - Roberts captures 15 french and english ships in the next 3 days, including his third "Royal Fortune"
November 1(?), 1720 - Off St.Lucia(?) - Departs towards Bermuda, in the north
November(?), 20(?) - Bermuda - Roberts reach Bermuda
January 18, 1721 - Bermuda(?) - Brutal fight with a 300-ton dutch slaver with 24 guns. The pirates prevail
March(?) 25(?), 1721 - Bermuda - Roberts decides to cross the Atlantic to Cape Verde
April 18, 1721 - Atlantic Ocean - While sailing to West Africa, Thomas Anstis leaves Roberts in the night for the Caribbean
May 30(?), 1721 - Cape Verde Islands - Roberts arrives to Cape Verde, where he takes on water and provisions
June 5(?), 1721 - Senegal River - Makes african landfall in the Senegal River, where 2 sloops are captured, one of them renamed "Ranger"
June 12, 1721 - Sierra Leone - Roberts arrives to Sierra Leone. Spends 6 weeks careening the ships and carousing on shore
August 8, 1721 - River Cess (Point Cestos), Liberia - Captures 2 large ships, one of them the frigate Onslow. Some soldiers join the pirates. The Onslow becomes the fourth and last "Royal Fortune"
October 1(?), 1721 - Calabar - Reaches Calabar and takes 3 slaveships. Local hostility forces the pirates to head West
January 2(?), 1722 - Off Cape Appolonia, Ivory Coast - Roberts captures 2 slaveships

Roberts and the "Royal Fortune" at Ouidah

January 11, 1722 - Ouidah / Whydah (Banjul) - Roberts enters the Ouidah Harbour and captures 11 slaveships, burns the "Porcupine" with the cargo of slaves aboard
February 5, 1722 - Cape Lopez, Gabon - Chaloner Ogle's HMS Swallow detects the pirates and captures the "ranger"
February 10, 1722 - Off Cape Lopez, Gabon - Death of Bartholomew Roberts in combat against the returning HMS Swallow =(END)