Which pirate captured the treasure ship Ganj-i-Sawai in 1695?

Henry Every captured the Mughal treasure ship Ganj-i-Sawai in 1695. The attack made him one of the most hunted pirates of the late 17th century and one of the era’s most successful fugitives.

Every commanded the ship Fancy, formerly the privateer vessel Charles II. Near the Red Sea, his crew joined forces with Thomas Tew’s group and attacked vessels returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca. Ganj-i-Sawai belonged to the fleet associated with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The capture produced enormous wealth, but reports of violence against passengers caused an international crisis. The Mughal Empire threatened to restrict English trade in India, pressuring English authorities to pursue Every. A royal proclamation offered a major reward for his capture.

Every disappeared after reaching the Caribbean and dividing the treasure. His final whereabouts remain uncertain, which helped create the legend of Captain Every as a pirate who vanished with his fortune.