Capture of the Grand Mughal Fleet

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The capture of the Great Mughal Fleet was an armed naval encounter in the history of piracy that targeted the Mughal Empire. On 7 September 1695, the English pirate Henry Every captured 2 ships out of the 25-ship convoy of Imperial Mughal vessels making the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, namely the treasure-laden Mogul ship known as the Ganj-i-Sawai and its escort, Fateh Muhammed. Joining forces with several pirate vessels, Every found himself in command of a large squadron, and they were able to loot up to £600,000 in precious metals and jewels, equivalent to around £108 million in 2025. Every's actions caused considerable damage to England's fragile relations with the Mughals, and a combined bounty of £1,000—an immense sum at the time—was offered by the Privy Council and the East India Company for his capture, leading to the first global manhunt in recorded history. Every was never caught, nor was his treasure recovered, and their fate remains unknown. In August 1695, Every, captaining...

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