Before planes were invented and maps were filled, man learned to sail the seas in order to travel the continents. Life at sea back then was very difficult because they encounter various challenges and dangers tossed at them by nature - storms and whale attacks to name a few. However, another entity poses a great threat to the common sailor. Who better endanger man but none other than fellow man with nefarious intent and they were referred to as pirates. The following are the most notorious pirates known in history.

Bartholomew Roberts was also known as Bart Roberts but he bore the name John Roberts during his birth. He was from Wales and was known to raid ships travelling from West Africa and America around 1719 to 1722. When he became captain after the death of his own captain Howell Davis, the first thing he did was attack Principe island in order to avenge Davis.

Blackbeard or Edward Teach was an infamous pirate from England known to terrorize the Caribbean Sea during the Golden Age of Piracy. He is so notorious that even his ship Queen Anne's Revenge was popular. He is known to carry multiple weapons from pistols, swords, and knives. Sailors and pirates alike who saw him fight would describe him as one who looked like a devil.

Calico Jack was John Rackman's pirate name and was best remembered as captain of 2 notorious female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read - during his era. Both these women at one point in time disguised as men so the crew would not notice them. When he became captain, he was able to conquer a lot of small ships within a day which earned his notoriety as well as respect from his crew.

Thomas Thew was only able to participate on two major pirate voyages but he was the one who pioneered the route, known as the Pirate Round, which would then be used later on for other pirate voyages. He was capable of running down a large ship with 300 soldier strong which was heading to the Ottoman Empire.

Edward Lowe is known to have raided 13 fishing ships from New England with his crew. He is known to be sadistic and brutal with one account telling that he sliced the lips of one victim and made such victim eat his own lips after cooking the flesh.