The story of Henry Avery

Born in (probs) 1659

Served in the Royal Navy when young

Joined Royal Navy when young but left in 1690 to enter the slave trade (lovely guy)

Joined a Spanish ship but was stuck in port without pay for months – eventually led mutiny in 1694 –
surprisingly generous and let those who didn’t support mutiny go

Turned his ship Fancy (40 guns) into one of fastest ships in Atlantic and raided shipping but chased
out by English.

Instead headed to Indian Ocean where had heard of the richest ship in the world – the Gunsway

A ship belonging to the Mughal Emperor with members of his family (daughters) and diplomats
returning from pilgrimage to Mecca

Avery spread news to other pirate captains and was joined by 5 other pirate ships turning him into
an admiral of a pirate fleet! Total of 440 men

Outnumbered by 25 Mughal fleet. Gunsway had 80 cannons and hundreds of sailors + ship Fateh
Muhammed with nearly same number.

Avery and ships gave chase and engaged Fateh Muhammed – hundreds killed included captain Tew
who had led fleet but pirates boarded it, butchered crew and claimed £60,000 – 3 pirate ships fell
behind

But real target was Gunsway so continued to chase it – Gunsway had 400 soldiers and 600 crew and
passengers – massively outgunned and outnumbered pirate but Avery got lucky – broadside
destroyed mainmast making it impossible for Gunsway to escape or manoeuvre

Avery pulled alongside but many pirates cut down by gunfire from Indian soldiers but at that
moment cannon on Gunsway exploded killing many and allowing pirates to board ship – violent
hand-to-hand fighting followed whilst ships burst into flames – chaos everywhere

Indian captain in desperation armed slave girls and sent them to fight but were massacred by pirates

After hours and hundreds dead on both sides Gunsway surrendered leading to days of brutal
pillaging, murder and raping by pirates – went deck by deck torturing captives to find hidden
treasure. SO horrible that one who participated, when dying (John Sparkes) claimed felt no guilt for
his piracy but felt terrible remorse for barbarous acts of cruelty committed to those on Gunsway

After days, pirates left ship and passengers with hoard of up to £600,000 (£132 million today)

In response, Mughal Empire sent soldiers to English ports in India and shut them down

Response by Parliament was to declare Avery outlaw and EIC placed £1000 bounty on him leading to
world’s first global manhunt

Soldiers and bounty hunters search high and low but Avery – hunted to Bahamas, disappeared with
the treasure – never found again