What was Stede Bonnet’s occupation before he became a pirate?

Stede Bonnet was a Barbados planter before he became a pirate.

Bonnet was a wealthy landowner on Barbados and held the rank of major in the island’s militia. In 1717, despite having little known seafaring experience, he purchased and outfitted the sloop Revenge and began attacking ships in the Atlantic.

His unusual background led later writers to call him the “Gentleman Pirate.” Unlike many pirates who came from merchant or naval crews, Bonnet appears to have entered piracy as an established colonial gentleman. Historians have debated his motives, including personal problems and dissatisfaction with his marriage.

Bonnet later encountered Edward Teach, or Blackbeard. Teach temporarily took control of Revenge and treated Bonnet more like a passenger than an equal captain. Bonnet eventually resumed command, but his career ended after capture near the Cape Fear River. He was executed at Charleston in 1718.