Captain Kidd's end
Execution Dock, London
What happened
In 1696 Kidd sailed from England on the Adventure Galley with official permission to hunt pirates and French ships in the Indian Ocean. The voyage went badly, and in 1698 he captured a large merchant ship, the Quedagh Merchant. England's government then denounced him as a pirate. He was arrested in Boston on 6 July 1699, tried in London and executed in 1701.
Why it matters
Kidd's case became one of the most famous pirate trials in history. Kidd had kept the French sea passes of the Quedagh Merchant, which he may have hoped would justify his capture of the ship.
What came next
The belief that Kidd had buried treasure became part of his legend and inspired treasure hunts for centuries.
Did you know?
Execution Dock in London stood just beyond the low-tide mark on the River Thames, to show that the Admiralty's authority covered crimes at sea.
Timeline
- c. 1645Kidd is born in Dundee, Scotland.
- 1696Kidd sails on the Adventure Galley.
- 1698Kidd captures the Quedagh Merchant.
- 6 July 1699Kidd is arrested in Boston.
- 1701Kidd is executed in London.