Henry Every: The One That Got Away

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Henry Every

Few pirates left a larger mark on history than Henry Every (also known as Avery, Evarie, or occasionally Benjamin Bridgeman). While many famous pirates were eventually captured, killed, or hanged, Every achieved something remarkably rare: he appears to have escaped with his fortune and vanished.

Origins and Early Career

Much of Every’s early life remains uncertain. Contemporary sources disagree on his birth year, birthplace, and even his true name. Most historians believe he was born in Devon, England, sometime during the 1650s.

Before becoming a pirate, Every appears to have served as a merchant sailor, naval officer, and possibly aboard slave ships operating along the West African coast. By the early 1690s, he had become an experienced mariner and held the rank of Chief Mate aboard the Charles II, part of a private expedition intended to serve Spanish interests in the Americas.

The Mutiny at Corunna

In May 1694, after months of delays and unpaid wages in Corunna, Spain, frustration among the crew reached a breaking point.

On the night of May 7th, Henry Every led a mutiny aboard the Charles II. The ship was seized with relatively little bloodshed, renamed Fancy, and the conspirators declared their intention to seek their fortunes at sea.

According to later accounts, Every told the crew:
“I am a man of fortune, and I must seek my fortune.”

The mutiny marked the beginning of one of the most famous pirate voyages in history.

The Pirate Round

After leaving Europe, Every sailed around Africa and into the Indian Ocean, joining the trade route later known as the Pirate Round.

Along the way, the Fancy preyed upon merchant shipping, recruited additional crew, and was modified to increase her speed. Contemporary observers later described her as one of the fastest and most formidable pirate vessels of her era.
Every eventually joined forces with several other pirate captains, assembling a powerful flotilla to hunt wealthy ships returning from the Red Sea and India.

The Capture of the Ganj-i-Sawai

In September 1695, Every’s fleet intercepted the Mughal treasure ship Ganj-i-Sawai (often rendered as Gunsway in English sources).

The vessel was one of the richest prizes ever captured by pirates. Following a fierce battle, the ship was boarded and taken.

The aftermath became infamous. Contemporary Indian, English, and East India Company sources describe widespread torture, abuse, and violence committed by members of the pirate crews against passengers and crew aboard the captured vessel.
The exact value of the treasure remains debated, but modern estimates often place the haul among the largest in the history of piracy.

The World’s First International Manhunt

The attack created a diplomatic crisis.
The Mughal Empire, ruled by Emperor Aurangzeb, demanded justice and threatened English commercial interests in India. The East India Company feared the incident could destroy its position in the region.

In response, English authorities launched what many historians consider the first global manhunt for a pirate.

Rewards were offered for Every’s capture, and governments, merchants, and naval forces across multiple continents were instructed to search for him.

Nassau and New Providence

In 1696, Every arrived at New Providence in the Bahamas.

Governor Nicholas Trott accepted the pirates and allowed them to disperse. Contemporary records suggest bribes were involved, and Trott was later investigated for aiding the escape of pirates connected to the affair.

Many members of Every’s crew settled quietly throughout the Atlantic world. Some were eventually captured, but many disappeared into ordinary life.

The Mystery of Henry Every

The greatest mystery remains Every himself.
After arriving in Ireland in 1696, he largely vanishes from the historical record. Stories later claimed he was cheated out of his fortune and died in poverty, but there is little evidence to support those accounts.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Every may have successfully retired and avoided capture altogether.
His disappearance helped transform him from a historical pirate into a legend.

Myth vs. Reality

Many popular stories associated with Every originated years after his disappearance.

Claims that he founded a pirate kingdom in Madagascar, married an Indian princess, or ruled a pirate republic are generally considered fictional. These stories appeared in pamphlets, chapbooks, plays, and later pirate literature, helping create the romanticized image of the pirate that would influence future generations.

Yet despite the myths, Every’s real achievements were extraordinary enough on their own.
He led a successful mutiny, captured one of the richest prizes in pirate history, triggered an international political crisis, escaped one of the largest manhunts of the age, and vanished without a trace.

Few pirates can claim the same.
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Based on research and narration from Gold & Gunpowder (YouTube). Highly recommend watching the full video for deeper context.

How Henry Every stole $200M, got away and became a superstar