Which pirate captain was elected leader after Howell Davis was killed in 1719?

Bartholomew Roberts was elected captain after Howell Davis was killed in 1719.

Roberts was serving aboard Davis’s pirate ship when Davis attempted to deceive the governor of Príncipe, an island off the West African coast. Davis was killed during the encounter. The crew then selected Roberts, a relatively new member of the company, as their leader.

Roberts quickly demonstrated strong tactical ability and became one of the most successful pirate captains of the era. He raided merchant shipping across the Atlantic and along the West African coast, capturing a large number of vessels.

His rise also explains why historical accounts often date the beginning of his independent pirate career to 1719. Roberts later used the name Bartholomew Roberts, although he had been born John Roberts. He was killed by HMS Swallow at Cape Lopez in 1722.