10 Real Pirates Of The Caribbean More Bad-Ass Than Jack Sparrow

5. Edward Lowe - Maddness Knows No Ends On The High Seas

Edward Low was known for brutality, torture and an uncontrolled madness of which no pirate could commit. Said to have captured over one hundred vessels in his time, Low is believed to have burned many of them, whilst survivors of his raids report acts of torture of the most brutal nature. Victims were cut, whipped, burned and starved to death, all in the hope that Low would learn of the hidden treasures and ship schedules that would serve his raids. An upbringing amidst a family of convicted thieves from London set the tone for the rest of Low's exploits. However, there was brief hope, having married and settled with a wife, Eliza, in Boston, that Low would live in peace. Following Eliza's untimely death in childbirth, Low descended into the madness he was famous for, taking to the Caribbean and Spanish Maine to raid and pillage. Although, crew members report Low's often-expressed regret about leaving their daughter, Elizabeth, behind in Boston and refused to press married men into service of his crew - perhaps suggesting an element of tragedy behind the madness. Low's fate remains unknown, however - said to have been cast adrift by his own crew, tired of his reckless cruelty, and eventually caught and hanged by the French; or that he successfully evaded capture and lived out his days in Brazil.