Charles Vane
An English pirate who once spent a week partying with Blackbeard in North Carolina, Charles Vane was noted for his brutal treatment of captives and wreckless disdain for authority. In one famous battle, Vane escaped a blockade by setting a recently captured French ship on fire and putting it on a collision course with one of the opposing vessels. His treatment of his crew wasn't much better than that of his captives, leading to a series of mutinies throughout his career. Still, Vane managed to kill, plunder, and scheme his way back to power several times before his execution in 1719.