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.

The short answer is sort of . The long answer involves a fascinating collision of history, a very famous painting, and one of the most successful fictional name-steals in movie history. Let’s get the biggest misconception out of the way first. If you search 17th-century pirate rolls for a Captain William Turner, you won’t find him. There was no infamous buccaneer with that name terrorizing Port Royal. william turner pirate

But here’s the question that sent me down a rabbit hole this week: But here’s the twist: The man in the

Sarah J. | June 10, 2024 | Categories: History vs. Hollywood, Maritime Lore Let’s get the biggest misconception out of the way first

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?

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 .