Blackbeard's Ship Discovered

Archaeologists believe they have discovered the remains of Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, in the waters off the coast of North Carolina. Though Blackbeard, aka Edward Teach, enjoyed only a brief (two year) career as a pirate, his legend has lasted almost three centuries.

Renowned for his cruelty, Blackbeard is rumored to have shot his own first mate, an act he explained by noting that if he didn’t shoot a sailor or two now and then, they might forget who he was. He's also said to have prepared for battle by winding flaming matches into his beard--an inspired bit of stagecraft, which led many a foe to compare his appearance to that of the devil. (How Blackbeard managed to save his whiskers from incineration is anyone's guess.)

In 1718, Blackbeard was killed and beheaded by naval officers acting on the orders of Virginia's governor. (His head was suspended from the bow of a navy ship as a warning to other pirates.) Legend has it that when his headless body was thrown overboard, it swam around the ship several times before sinking.

As for treasure, aside from a few bits of jewelry and some artifacts that only an archaeologist could love, there's unlikely to be much aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. If, as many believe, Blackbeard did indeed have a treasure, it's still out there waiting to be found.

Below: Blackbeard's Dreaded Flag