# Howel Davis — A General History of the Pirates character guide

> Howel Davis in A General History of the Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Captain Davis, Captain Howel Davis, snow Davis, Davis

**First appearance:** 0012-viii-of-captain-howel-davis-and-his-crew

## Snapshot

A Welsh sailor whose charm and nerve carried him from merchant service to command of a pirate crew on the African coast.

## Who they are

Davis rises through the pirate ranks by wit and persuasion rather than sheer brutality, holding a crew together along the Guinea coast where discipline frays and fortunes shift. His authority rests on performance as much as force, and the tension between his ambition and the loyalty of his men shadows his command. His career shows how quickly an ordinary seaman could become a captain in the Atlantic pirate world.

## Relationships

### [Edward Low](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/edward_low)

_professional_

Low served under Davis's command and later succeeded him, maintaining a professional pirate hierarchy.

### [Woodes Rogers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/woodes_rogers)

_rivalry_

Davis was a pirate captain actively opposed by Governor Woodes Rogers, who sought to suppress piracy in the Bahamas.

### [Bartholomew Roberts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/bartholomew_roberts)

_professional_

Roberts served as Davis's navigator and later succeeded him as captain after Davis's death.

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

_professional_

Davis and Bonnet were both pirate captains who may have coordinated attacks or shared intelligence.

### [Charles Vane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/charles_vane)

_professional_

Vane and Davis were rival pirate captains who competed for territory and plunder in the Caribbean.

### [James Skyrm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/james_skyrm)

_professional_

Skyrm served under Davis as a crew member before later joining Low's crew.

### [Edward Low](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/edward_low)

_professional_

Low served under Davis's command and later succeeded him, maintaining a professional pirate hierarchy.

### [Bartholomew Roberts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/bartholomew_roberts)

_professional_

Roberts served as Davis's navigator and later succeeded him as captain after Davis's death.

### [Woodes Rogers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/woodes_rogers)

_rivalry_

Davis was a pirate captain actively opposed by Governor Woodes Rogers, who sought to suppress piracy in the Bahamas.

### [Edward Low](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/edward_low)

_professional_

Low served under Davis's command and later succeeded him, maintaining a professional pirate hierarchy.

### [Woodes Rogers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/woodes_rogers)

_rivalry_

Davis was a pirate captain actively opposed by Governor Woodes Rogers, who sought to suppress piracy in the Bahamas.

## In the story

### [Of Capt. Edward England, and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/v-of-capt-edward-england-and-his-crew)

Mate of the Cadogan snow; given the vessel and cargo by England's crew after Skinner's murder.

### [Of Captain Howel Davis, and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/viii-of-captain-howel-davis-and-his-crew)

Born at Milford, Monmouthshire; chief mate on the Cadogan snow; captured by England; later becomes pirate captain; plots to plunder Prince's Island; killed in ambush by Portuguese.

### [IX: Of Captain Bartho. Roberts, and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/ix-of-captain-bartho-roberts-and-his-crew)

Mentioned as the captain who took Roberts; his death prompts the election of a new leader.

### [Of Captain Anstis, and His Crew](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/chapters/x-of-captain-anstis-and-his-crew)

One of the six original conspirators at Providence; later killed at the island of Prince's.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/a_general_history_of_the_pirates_se/characters/howel_davis
- 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