Henry Avery, also known as the “Pirate King,” vanished mysteriously after orchestrating the most lucrative act of piracy in history. In 1695, Avery and his crew aboard the ship Fancy plundered an armed Mughal trading vessel, the Ganj-i-Sawai, amassing treasures worth a then-staggering £600,000, equivalent to £90 million today. This raid, carried out near the Indian Ocean, prompted England to place a £1,000 bounty on Avery, spurring the world’s first global manhunt.

Avery disappeared in 1696, leaving experts puzzled for over 300 years. The mystery might now be solved thanks to a letter discovered by Zélide Cowan in the Scottish Records Office in 1978. Her husband, shipwreck hunter Rex Cowan, along with marine archaeologist Dr. Sean Kingsley, deciphered the letter decades later. The letter, dated December 1700, suggests Avery accepted a royal pardon and worked for the British Secret Service to thwart a French Catholic invasion. This claim is supported by the coded nature of the letter, a common practice among spies of the era.

Dr. Kingsley and Rex Cowan have co-authored a book, “The Pirate King: The Strange Adventures of Henry Avery and the Birth of the Golden Age of Piracy,” that delves into Avery’s life and the resulting age of piracy. The letter also lists a cache of treasures supposedly still hidden, awaiting discovery.

Details about Avery’s final days are scant, but it is believed he died between 1699 and 1714. Despite Avery’s infamous legacy, this newfound evidence portrays a more complex figure involved in espionage and international intrigue.