So why does his name feel so pirate-y? Because in the late 17th century, the line between a “privateer” (a legal pirate with government permission) and a “pirate” (an outlaw) was incredibly blurry. While Turner likely saw himself as a patriot, his enemies—the French and Spanish—would have called him a pirate without hesitation. Here is where the history gets truly interesting. In 2006, while researching for a documentary, maritime historians found a striking clue in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London.
Sarah J. | June 10, 2024 | Categories: History vs. Hollywood, Maritime Lore william turner pirate
But here’s the twist: The man in the painting was later identified as —the real-life, infamous Scottish pirate who was hanged for piracy in 1701. So why does his name feel so pirate-y
They uncovered a portrait dated 1680 of a wealthy, stern-looking man with long dark hair, a leather jerkin, and a cutlass at his hip. The name on the frame? Here is where the history gets truly interesting
For centuries, the painting was mislabeled. So, for a long time, historians thought there was a pirate named William Turner because his portrait was swapped with Kidd’s. When the screenwriters for Pirates of the Caribbean were doing their early research, they likely saw that mislabeled portrait and thought, “What a great name for a hero.” So, the movie version is pure fiction, but it’s fiction built on historical rubble.
When you hear the name , one image likely springs to mind: a dashing blacksmith’s apprentice turned swashbuckling pirate, played by Orlando Bloom in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. He’s the loyal lover, the son of “Bootstrap” Bill, and eventually the captain of the legendary Flying Dutchman .
was a respected English naval captain and later a merchant commander. He is best known for his command of the HMS Oxford and later merchant vessels sailing to the Indies. Turner’s claim to fame wasn’t stealing gold; it was protecting it. He engaged in skirmishes with Barbary corsairs (pirates from North Africa) and defended English trade routes.