# Edward Teach — A General History of the Pirates character guide

> Edward Teach in A General History of the Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Blackbeard, Captain Teach, Teach

**First appearance:** 0005-iii-of-captain-teach-alias-blackbeard

## Snapshot

Blackbeard: a good sailor and hardened villain whose terrifying beard and bold cruelty made him the most feared captain on the American coast.

## Who they are

Teach joins forces with the gentleman-pirate Bonnet, then quietly takes over the man's own sloop, exposing the gap between reputation and real power aboard a pirate ship. He is bold, cruel, and calculating, a commander whose fearsome appearance does half his work before a shot is fired. His partnership with Bonnet and his dealings along the Carolina coast anchor the middle of the book, where piracy and colonial politics blur.

## Relationships

### [Robert Maynard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/robert_maynard)

_rivalry_

Teach (Blackbeard) was hunted and ultimately killed by Lieutenant Maynard in a violent naval confrontation.

### [Stede Bonnet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/stede_bonnet)

_professional_

Teach briefly commanded Bonnet's ship and acted as a mentor, though Bonnet was a reluctant subordinate.

### [Stede Bonnet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/stede_bonnet)

_professional_

Teach briefly commanded Bonnet's ship and acted as a mentor, though Bonnet was a reluctant subordinate.

## In the story

### [A General History of the Pirates](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/a-general-history-of-the-pirates)

Introduced as a pirate who began his career under Hornigold and later became infamous as Blackbeard.

### [Of Captain Teach Alias Blackbeard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/iii-of-captain-teach-alias-blackbeard)

The central figure of the chapter, known as Blackbeard, whose piracy, brutality, and final battle are detailed.

### [Of Major Stede Bonnet and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/iv-of-major-stede-bonnet-and-his-crew)

Notorious pirate known as Blackbeard; Bonnet's crew joined in consortship with him; he later abandoned Bonnet and took his valuables.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/edward_teach
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters