LIFE Explores The Golden Age of Pirates

Travel back in time and explore the world of pirates, the bloodthirsty outlaws who rode the high seas and held little regard for human life when it stood in the way of their reward. Real pirates are even more fascinating than the Hollywood versions they have inspired for decades, and their true stories are packed with adventure, rum, treasure and, yes, parrots. The gripping tales of real-life pirates Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, Anne Bonney and many more are here, along with the stories of the heroes who hunted these ruthless criminals across oceans. Plus: The full history and amazing journey of Black Sam Bellamy’s Whydah, the only authenticated Golden Age pirate shipwreck to be found, in the 1980s, and perhaps the last of the great pirate ships. The Whydah’s extraordinary tale includes its dramatic 1717 shipwreck in a nor’easter off Cape Cod. Discover the true pirates of the Caribbean, and around the globe, in this evocative guide to the Golden Age.