The King of Pirates - Henry Avery - The Kernow Krew - Official Lyric Video

Описание: "Proper job, Henry! Proper job!" ⚓️💎

Ever wondered why some pirates end up swinging from a rope while others end up retired with more diamonds than a Duchess? Meet Henry Avery—the West Country lad who pulled off the "Heist of the Century" and then pulled the greatest vanishing act in history.

In this foot-stomping shanty, the Kernow Krew tells the tale of how a First Mate on the Charles II decided that "unpaid wages" was a suggestion, not a lifestyle. He turned the ship, changed the name to the Fancy, and set sail for the kind of riches that make a King’s ransom look like pocket change.

From the mutiny in Spain to the legendary capture of the Mughal Emperor's treasure ship, this is the story of the only pirate who actually beat the house. No gallows, no chains—just a ghost in the wind and a pocket full of Indian gold.

Grab a pint, stomp your boots, and join the crew!

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Comment below: If you found £600,000 in Mughal gold, where in Cornwall would you hide?

#HenryAvery #SeaShanty #PirateHistory #KernowKrew #TheFancy #KingOfPirates #WestCountryLegends #HistoryShanty

The True Story of Henry Avery (The Arch-Pirate)
If you're wondering how much of the song is "tall tale" and how much is truth, here is the breakdown of Avery’s incredible career:

1. The Mutiny (May 1694)
Avery was serving as First Mate on the Charles II, a privateer ship docked in Spain. The crew hadn't been paid for months. While the Captain was "indisposed" (likely drunk), Avery led a bloodless mutiny. He told those who didn't want to join to get in the boats, renamed the ship the Fancy, and headed for the Indian Ocean.

2. The "Long Ben" Nickname
To his crew, he was known as "Long Ben." He was a Plymouth man, described as jolly but firm. He famously wrote a letter to the English authorities early in his career stating he would never attack an English ship—he was only interested in foreign gold.

3. The Big Score (September 1695)
Avery’s legend was cemented when he intercepted the Ganj-i-Sawai, the personal treasure ship of the Grand Mughal of India.

The Odds: The Indian ship was massive, with 80 cannons and 400 soldiers. The Fancy was smaller but much faster.

The Luck: A lucky shot from Avery’s cannon disabled the Mughal ship’s main mast, and one of the Mughal’s own cannons exploded, causing chaos.

The Loot: They took roughly £600,000 in gold, silver, and jewels. In today’s money, that is over £100 million ($125 million). It remains the most profitable pirate raid in history.

4. The Great Escape
The raid sparked the world’s first "global manhunt." The East India Company was furious because the Mughal Emperor threatened to kick them out of India.
Avery and his crew sailed to the Bahamas, bribed the governor to let them dock, and then split up. While a few of his crew were eventually caught and hanged, Avery himself vanished. Some say he died penniless in Devon after being cheated by merchants; others believe he lived out his days as a wealthy man under a false name.