In September 1695, Avery and his crew pulled off what is often called the richest pirate heist in history. Commanding the ship Fancy , he captured the Ganj-i-Sawai , a massive treasure ship belonging to the Grand Mughal of India. The haul was astonishing, valued at £600,000—equivalent to nearly £100 million (over $120 million USD) today.
Known as "Long Ben" or "The Arch Pirate," Henry Every pulled off the single richest heist in pirate history because of Madagascar. In 1695, Every led a small fleet to the Red Sea. He captured the Ganj-i-Sawai , the flagship of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
When we speak of pirates, the mind conjures the Caribbean: turquoise water, white sand, and the skull-and-crossbones snapping in a trade wind. But the Golden Age of Piracy had a second, darker, and more fascinating capital—not in the Bahamas, but off the coast of Southeast Africa. For nearly seventy years, Madagascar was not just a pirate hideout; it was the world’s first autonomous pirate colony.
According to A General History of the Pyrates , Captain James Misson and a Dominican priest, Caraccioli, founded a settlement in northern Madagascar dedicated to equality, freedom, and the sharing of wealth—a "republic of equals." madagascar pirates top
Because no European power officially controlled the land, it functioned without laws. Famous Residents and Landmarks
Levasseur was eventually captured and sentenced to death. According to legend, just before he was hanged, he threw a piece of paper into the crowd, containing a cryptic cryptogram that is believed to reveal the location of his hidden treasure. To this day, no one has successfully cracked the code or found his loot.
The republic featured an elected legislature and a constitution based on the concept of natural rights. In September 1695, Avery and his crew pulled
By the 1720s, the golden age of Madagascar piracy began to wane. Several factors brought an end to the rogue republic:
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: Every orchestrated the most profitable pirate raid in history, capturing the Mughal flagship Ganj-i-Sawai . He escaped to Madagascar with a fortune in diamonds and gold, triggering the world's first international manhunt. Known as "Long Ben" or "The Arch Pirate,"
Thomas Tew is credited with pioneering the "Pirate Round" sailing route. Operating from Madagascar, Tew successfully raided rich commerce ships in the Red Sea. His immense financial success inspired waves of Caribbean pirates to cross the Atlantic and set up camp on the African island. Christopher Condent
Madagascar Pirates Top: Legends, Leaders, and the Lost Treasure of the Indian Ocean
Legends persist that pirates were buried with their fortunes, or that they hid vast treasures in the island's tunnels.