The execution of Captain William Kidd on 23 May 1701 is one of the most
controversial and revealing episodes in the long history of piracy. The
legend that has grown up around Kidd's final voyage, his concealed
treasure and the dubious conduct of his trial, has made him into one of
the most intriguing and misunderstood figures from the golden age of
piracy. For either Kidd was a legal privateer or he was a wicked
pirate - indeed he has been described as one of the most feared pirates
to sail the high seas. But his story is complex and ambiguous. This
timely new account of Kidd's life and seafaring career reassesses the
man and his legend - it makes compelling reading.