Printable Coloring Pages
Captain Kidd - Pirate Coloring Pages
Captain Kidd sails into the world of creativity with this collection of coloring pages, ready to be brought to life with a burst of color and imagination.
Captain William Kidd, a Scottish sailor born in the mid-17th century, is one of history's most enigmatic and controversial pirates—or privateer, depending on the source. His story is a blend of piracy, privateering, and a tangled web of political and financial intrigue that ultimately led to his downfall. Unlike many of his contemporaries who embraced the pirate's life wholeheartedly, Kidd's career began on a more legitimate note. He was initially commissioned as a privateer, tasked by the English government to protect English ships from pirates and to attack foreign vessels during a time when the lines between privateering and piracy were often blurred.
Kidd's most notorious voyage began in 1696 when he set sail aboard the Adventure Galley, with the official task of hunting pirates in the Indian Ocean and disrupting French interests. However, the expedition was plagued with difficulties from the start, including crew desertions and the failure to capture significant prizes, which pressured Kidd into making questionable decisions. His turning point came in 1698 when he captured the Quedagh Merchant, an Armenian ship loaded with valuable goods. The ship was technically a legitimate target, as it was sailing under a French pass, but its crew and cargo were mostly English, which complicated matters significantly.
The capture of the Quedagh Merchant marked Kidd's descent into outright piracy, and it was this act that led to his eventual arrest and trial. The political climate in England had changed, and the authorities were eager to make an example of pirates. Kidd was betrayed by powerful backers in England who had initially supported his voyage and was arrested upon returning to the New World. He was taken to London, tried for piracy and the murder of one of his own crew members, and executed in 1701. His trial was a public spectacle, reflecting the shifting attitudes towards piracy and privateering at the time.
Captain Kidd buried some of his treasure on Gardiner's Island, and this part of his treasure was found. It was unearthed by Governor Bellomont and sent to England as evidence in Kidd's trial. However, Kidd's legend includes tales of much more treasure hidden in various locations, not just on Gardiner's Island. After his arrest, only a portion of the treasure Kidd claimed to have hidden was recovered, approximately worth 20,000 pounds at the time, which was discovered on Gardiner's Island and sent to England along with Kidd. The rest, according to rumors and Kidd's own claims of a vast hidden fortune, remains undiscovered, fueling ongoing treasure hunts and speculation about the true extent of Kidd's buried wealth.
KidZone Maritime History | Captain Kidd