A ship discovered off the coast of North Carolina in 1997 has been identified by experts as the Queen Anne's Revenge, a ship used by the pirate Blackbeard. The ship was originally named Le Concorde before the pirate seized it from its French crew in 1717. Artifacts, such as this apothecary weight featuring two fleurs-de-lis, helped to identify the ship as Blackbeard's.
See more pictures at National Geographic. Link
(image credit: Wendy M. Welsh, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources)
Le Concorde's surgeon, who was forced to serve briefly in Blackbeard's crew, may have owned the weights, designed for pharmaceuticals. Pirates could have also used the weights to measure gold dust, experts say.
See more pictures at National Geographic. Link
(image credit: Wendy M. Welsh, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources)
My favourite of all the mad bastard Pirates, corsairts and Buccaneers.
Though having said that my knowledge of him is totally informed by Tim Powers book "On Stranger Tides".
Man I love Tim Powers...Argh!
Nonetheless, a very interesting find.
The top link was a laugh, but I came across this page too.
http://www.militaryfactory.com/battles/french_military_victories.asp
You've got to admit though, the 1300s were a very bad century for them.