Henry Avery was once one of the most feared men on the high seas. The English pirate robbed so many other ships in the late 1600s that he became known as the Pirate King.

Avery launched his daring raids from a warship he had stolen and named the Fancy. The mighty ship had 46 cannons and was faster than many other vessels of the time. 

In Avery’s biggest raid, he and the crew of the Fancy captured the ship of a wealthy emperor off the coast of India. The pirates stole gold, silver, and jewels that would be worth millions of dollars today. 

English officials launched a worldwide manhunt for Avery. Meanwhile, he and his crew fled thousands of miles to the Bahamas, a cluster of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Avery had the Fancy set on fire in a harbor near an island named New Providence. He and his crew scattered, taking their loot with them. Avery and his ship were never seen again. 

Now, more than 300 years later, archaeologists are exploring the waters the Pirate King once sailed. In late 2025, they discovered six shipwrecks near New Providence. The researchers think one of them may be the remains of the Fancy.

What will these discoveries reveal about pirates?

Henry Avery was an English pirate in the 1600s. He was one of the most feared men on the high seas. He robbed so many ships in the late 1600s that he was called the Pirate King.

Avery made his bold raids from a ship he had stolen. He named it the Fancy. The mighty ship had 46 cannons. It was faster than many other vessels of the time. 

In Avery’s biggest raid, his crew captured the ship of a wealthy emperor near India. The pirates stole gold, silver, and jewels. The treasure would be worth millions of dollars today. 

English officials began a worldwide search for Avery. Meanwhile, he and his crew fled thousands of miles. They went to the Bahamas. That’s a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Avery set the Fancy on fire near an island named New Providence. Then he and his crew ran away. They took their treasure with them. Avery and his ship were never seen again. 

Now, more than 300 years later, researchers are searching the waters the Pirate King once sailed. In late 2025, archaeologists found six shipwrecks near New Providence. One of them may be the remains of the Fancy.

What will these discoveries tell us about pirates?

When you think of a pirate, you might imagine a fictional character who wears an eye patch and says “Arrr!” But pirates are real. From about 1650 to 1730, thousands of them sailed the seas. This era is now known as the Golden Age of Piracy. 

During that time, England and Spain competed for land and wealth in the Americas. That led to many battles at sea. The English military often hired people called privateers to attack enemy ships and steal their cargo. 

When the work as privateers dried up during peacetime, many of the men turned to the pirate life. They plundered goods from merchant vessels—and sometimes even stole the ships themselves. The islands of the Bahamas were a favorite pirate hideout (see “A Pirate Paradise”).

Think of a pirate. You might picture a made-up character who wears an eye patch and says “Arrr!” But pirates are real. From about 1650 to 1730, thousands of them sailed the seas. These years are called the Golden Age of Piracy. 

During that time, England and Spain fought for land in the Americas. There were many battles at sea. The English military often hired people called privateers. Their job was to attack enemy ships and steal their cargo. 

The work as privateers dried up during peacetime. Many of the men then became pirates. They plundered goods from merchant vessels. Sometimes they even stole the ships themselves. The Bahamas were a popular pirate hideout (see “A Pirate Paradise”).

Before last year’s expedition, researchers spent two years studying old maps and other historical records of the area around New Providence. This helped the team decide where to search for pirate ships. 

Their research paid off. Divers discovered cannons and other weapons among the wrecks. They also found artifacts of everyday life, such as crates, glass bottles, and clay tobacco pipes. 

But the biggest discovery is a wreck the team thinks is Avery’s ship. It matches the age and size of the Fancy, and it was found near the ship’s last known location. The wreck also shows signs of having been burned.

“We’re still collecting clues, but the wreck shows all the signs of pirate mischief,” says archaeologist Michael Pateman, a co-leader of the expedition. “We do suspect it’s the Fancy.”

Experts are testing the wood from the ship to try to prove that Avery’s lost vessel has finally been found. Meanwhile, Pateman and his team will keep searching the area. 

“I believe we will find even more wrecks,” Pateman says. “The pirate history of the Bahamas is just so rich.” 

Before last year’s expedition, researchers spent two years studying old maps of the area near New Providence. They also looked at other historical records. This helped the team decide where to search for pirate ships. 

Their research paid off. Divers found cannons and other weapons among the wrecks. They also found artifacts of everyday life. These included bottles, crates, and clay tobacco pipes.  

But the biggest find is a wreck that might be Avery’s ship. It matches the age and size of the Fancy. And it was found near the ship’s last known location. The wreck also shows signs that it was burned.

“We’re still collecting clues, but the wreck shows all the signs of pirate mischief,” says archaeologist Michael Pateman. He’s a co-leader of the expedition. “We do suspect it’s the Fancy.”

Experts are testing the wood from the ship. That could prove that the ship is Avery’s lost vessel. Meanwhile, Pateman and his team will keep searching the area. 

“I believe we will find even more wrecks,” Pateman says. “The pirate history of the Bahamas is just so rich.”