
Pirates: Behind the Legends
A swashbuckling adventure; the true and untold story of the history of pirates.
TV-142024•44m•7.0/10
DramaDocumentary
Ratings
🎬TMDb
7.0/10(8)
From legendary John Ward, immortalized in fiction as Jack Sparrow, and English explorer Francis Drake; branded Pirates by their enemies but heroes by their comrades, to the notorious Pirates of the Caribbean shrouded in myth.
Production
National Geographic, Dash Pictures
Language
EN
Status
Ended
First Aired
June 9, 2024
Last Aired
June 30, 2024
Networks
National Geographic
Trailers & Videos
Where to Watch
Region US · Lang EN
US
No providers available for this region.
Seasons & Episodes
Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.
Season

E1
Francis Drake - For Queen and Country
Air date: 2024-06-09
Circumnavigation is the pinnacle of Drake's career, cementing him in history as the world's most controversial pirate.

E2
Grace O’Malley - The Pirate Queen of Ireland
Air date: 2024-06-09
Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen of Ireland. Her rise from wanted pirate to Chieftain is won through a warrior’s sword and a woman’s grit.

E3
John Ward - The English Pirate of North Africa
Air date: 2024-06-16
The Englishman turned Algerian pirate starts his remarkable ascent from petty pirate to a notorious menace, becoming ruler of the Tunisian empire.

E4
Henry Morgan - The Lieutenant Pirate
Air date: 2024-06-16
A brilliant strategist, Morgan takes humans, treasure and Spanish colonial towns with no mercy later becoming Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.

E5
William Kidd - The Treasure Hunter
Air date: 2024-06-23
Captain Kidd, the treasure hunter. When the legitimate prizes of the Red Sea are not to be found, Kidd quickly turns from pirate hunter to pirate.

E6
Blackbeard
Air date: 2024-06-23
Blackbeard is a terrifying figure with a diverse crew of pirates seeking equality and treasure, aboard the stolen flagship The Queen Anne’s Revenge.

E7
Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read: Rebel Spirits
Air date: 2024-06-30
The notorious pirate run town of Nassau is soon to be shaken by the English crackdown on lawlessness in the Caribbean. Living off plunder and raiding, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny and Mary Read form a troublesome trio who successfully rob ships and live off the spoils of the sea until they are captured by pirate hunters and tried for piracy.

E8
Roberts - The Last Great Pirate
Air date: 2024-06-30
Bartholomew Roberts aka Black Bart, the most successful pirate of the Golden Age, his fleet amassing 450 stolen ships. From his humble beginnings as a Welsh sailor, Roberts quickly becomes captain of a pirate ship, showing his shrewd captainship he writes down a pirate code. His piracy almost brings West Indies trade to a standstill until he is hunted down by the English crown.


























