Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was an infamous English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. He commanded the formidable ship Queen Anne's Revenge and became one of the most feared figures during the Golden Age of Piracy. Known for his terrifying image, which included a thick black beard and lit fuses under his hat, he often intimidated his enemies into surrendering without a fight. His reign of terror ended in November 1718 when he was killed in a fierce battle with sailors sent by the governor of Virginia.