Howell Davis

Howell Davis was a Welsh pirate who operated in West Africa. He is best-known as the mentor of Bartholomew Roberts, and Roberts became a pirate because of Davis' death in 1719 in a Portuguese ambush.

Biography

Howell Davis was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the city of Milford Haven. He became the captain of the sloop "Saint James" and operated in the Cape Verde Islands and West Africa, raiding Portuguese shipping. During this time, he recruited Bartholomew Roberts into his crew when he captured the ship that Roberts was working on. Roberts became Davis' right-hand man and navigator aboard the "Saint James".

In May 1719, Davis and Roberts landed on the island of Principe, a Portuguese colony, with Davis planning to kidnap the Portuguese governor. The governor sent troops to ambush him, and Davis was killed, and most of his crew captured or killed. Roberts had warned Davis not to go ashore, and survived the ambush.

Trivia

• Howell Davis historically died in June 1719, a month after the level "Trust Is Earned", where Roberts points out his doom.