Which historical pirate is the main character of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag?

The main character of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is the historical-fiction pirate Edward Kenway.

Edward is a Welsh privateer who becomes a pirate during the early eighteenth-century Golden Age of Piracy. After taking the identity of an Assassin, he becomes entangled in the conflict between Assassins and Templars while seeking wealth and influence in the Caribbean.

The game is set primarily around the West Indies and features major ports such as Havana, Kingston, and Nassau. Its naval exploration, ship combat, and crew management became defining features of the experience. Edward also encounters real historical pirates, including Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Charles Vane.

Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway and the grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton, the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III. This family connection makes Black Flag part of the broader Kenway storyline rather than a separate historical thread.