Interesting history topics are just a click away. These legendary riches turned out to be real, and are still waiting to be found. While this was a deeply profitable raid for Levasseur and company, their biggest haul was still yet to come. After a close shave against HMS Scarborough under Captain Hume, he fled to the Caribbean in a smaller sloop with much of his remaining treasure. But, you must ask yourself, what if the code is real? They then perpetrated one of piracy's greatest exploits: the capture of the Portuguese great galleon Nossa Senhora do Cabo (Our Lady of the Cape) or Virgem Do Cabo (The Virgin of the Cape), which was loaded full of treasures belonging to the Bishop of Goa, also called the Patriarch of the East Indies, and the Viceroy of Portugal, who were both on board returning home to Lisbon. Was this a hoax? But thats the beauty in the fascination that drives us to continually try to find the answers, to what we have yet to lay our hands on. He was known to be an excellent seaman and a capable commander. EILJNOURLAIREPITERUNCHIENTUPEUN As far as can be determined, the Levasseur cypher first appeared in 1934, with the publishing of Charles de la Roncires book, Le Filibustier Mystrieux: Histoire dun Trsor Cach, on the Seychelles treasure. As the legend says, Levasseur threw into the . Furthermore, even if the cipher is real it could be one last joke by a man doomed to die. If you listened to my episodes on Blackbeard and Black Sam, you should be familiar with Hornigold. And this brings to the actual main originators of the legends of buried treasure: Pirates. Hornigold was an Englishman and refused to attack English vessels. La Buse was sailing a 22-gun merchant ship that he named the La Louise, on the way to the South American coast. As of today in 2022, it hasnt. It is believed that a vast treasure was hidden here in 1821 by the mutinous crew of the Mary Dear (or Mary Deare, depending on source), a British ship chartered to move gold, silver, and jewels from the churches of Lima, Peru to the safety of Spain. Olivier Levasseur (born in the late 1680s - 7 July 1730) was a French pirate known for his quickness and ferocity in attacking his foes, both with his sword and with his rapier wit. Levasseur and Taylor eventually got tired of England's humanity and marooned him on the island of Mauritius. Together they plundered and pillaged, becoming the most hated and feared men on the high seas. This time by the HMS Scarborough under the command of Captain Hume, who was tailing the 60 man crew led by Levasseur. According to legend, pirate treasure reportedly worth 100 million is buried on an Indian Ocean island. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. 350 miles west of Costa Rica lies the tiny and uninhabited Cocos Island. The alliance between the two men would split almost as quickly as it was made. You must log in or register to reply here. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This draws a parallel with the little known island legacy of an ancestral rum-making heritage and authenticity that combines dedication and passion. VPULEZPLVSPRENEY2LETCASSESURLECH He deduced that part of the message stated: The treasure was somewhere underground and must be approached carefully to avoid being flooded. On board was the Count of Ericeira, Viceroy of Portuguese India, and its hold had ~10 years of accumulated treasures - gold, diamonds, jewellery, spices, cloth, fine wood and more. Legend has it that when Levasseur was about to be hanged, he tore a necklace from around his neck and flung it into the throng, shouting Find my treasure, the one who may interpret it!. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Treasure hunters have since tried to decode it. 21 Royal Han Tombs Unearthed in China. If you enjoyed this story as we explored the fascinating history of Olivier Levasseur and his hidden treasures, please be sure to like, rate and subscribe. But this was only the beginning of the legend of his hidden treasure. The pirates then sailed further north preying on ships again. The Lemminkinen Hoard, if found by the team, would be valued above 15 billion, making it the most valuable treasure trove ever discovered. 100 million worth of pirate treasure is reportedly is buried in Seychelles (Credit: Helen Soteriou). Levasseur had amassed a fortune of 90 million gold French francs from his raids on heavily laden mercchant vessels. But it is illegal to dig up government land without a permit, and despite searching continuously since 1988, John was shut down by the government in 2009 until he can pay 250,000 rupees to get a license. This he claimed to have done. Hang around a minute, and we will discover what sealed Olivier Levasseurs legacy in the history books, forever. The alphabet used was easily decoded into plain text, but the message that remains, with its clues as to where Levasseur left his treasure, has never been translated. , Levasseur made the most lucrative capture of his pirating career: the Nossa Senhora do Cabo. And while some people may seem content with the story as it stands, our view is that there existcountless mysteries, scientific anomalies and surprising artifacts thathave yet to be discovered and explained. Who was the Babushka Lady at JFKs Assassination? Apart from some old guns, coins, and a pirate sarcophagi, no treasure ever came from his efforts. Legend tells of a pirate named Olivier Levasseur who, while standing on the scaffold to be hanged, threw a necklace containing a 17-line cryptogram into the crowd while exclaiming: "Find my treasure, he who can!" The necklace has been lost, but the cryptogram has lived on. But just because it hasnt been found, doesnt necessarily make the treasure a myth. In 1716, he joined the Benjamin Hornigold pirate company. 0. In 1947, an Englishman named Reginald Cruise Wilkins, Mrs.Savoy neighbors began to study the documents. It was in 1721 that Levasseur and Taylor captured the Nossa Senhora della Cabo, a Portuguese treasure ship that had been sitting on a sandbar as a result of damages sustained during a storm. Very clever. After amassing this substantial wealth, the pirates then began dividing the loot equally with each member receiving 50,000 in gold and 42 diamonds each. The other, which is a 17-line cipher, became known due to its publication in a 1934 book entitled Le Flibustier Mysterieux, by Charles Bourrel de la Roncire, a French marine historian. It limited his vision, and left a nasty scar that was noticeable to everyone who met him. Olivier Levasseur was born to a wealthy family in Calais at the end of the 17th century. Whatever the truth, funds ran out, but news of the finds spread far and wide. During the War of the Spanish Succession which drew half of Europe into conflict from 1700, with the French crown looking for independent sailors to pursue their interests, he obtained a letter of marque from King Louis XIV and became a privateer. IVEUTSEFAIREDUNHMETSEDETESUDRE The pirates quickly fled to their headquarters in Madagascar with the British Navy in hot pursuit, and the booty was divided between the crew. Early work by Cruise-Wilkins produced some wild suggestions. He attacked many boats and ships on his way to the south of Brazil, most notably a slave ship coming from Angola, whose crew was abandoned to sink in their ship after it was robbed and damaged. What Became of Anne Bonny, Irish Pirate of the Caribbean? Does New Evidence Prove Noahs Ark Is Buried on a Turkish Mountain? Shocking Evidence Homo Naledi Used Fire 230,000 Years Ago, The Discovery that Revealed Ancient Humans Navigated the Seas 130,000 Years Ago, Han Purple: A 2,800-year-old artificial pigment that quantum physicists are trying to understand, 6 Shockingly Successful Ancient Warfare Tactics, 6 Advanced Ancient Inventions Beyond Modern Understanding. "Lost Diary of Thomas J. Bellamy and Levasseur sailed together for a little while, but then Levasseur had a change in plans, and wanted to raid the coast of South American coast just off of Brazil. Depiction of a pirate with an eye patch. In spite of the numerous failed attempts to locate the treasure, there are those who have dedicated their lives to finding it and are not ready to give up just yet. . Levasseur began his new career as part of the Flying Gang, a group of pirates who were based in Nassau, on the island of New Providence, in the Bahamas. The two captains combined forces; Levasseur with his mostly French fleet, and Hornigold with his fleet, known as the Flying Gang. From Cousteaus Rediscover The World series.]. interesting find at a coinstar last night, THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7, New Book on Amazon. [4] In 1719, he operated together with Howell Davis and Thomas Cocklyn (who had also served under Moody) for a time. Olivier Levasseur was a pirate, nicknamed La Buse ("The Buzzard") or La Bouche ("The Mouth") in his early days, called thus because of the speed and ruthlessness with which he always attacked his enemies. He concluded that instead of using advanced technology to locate the treasure, he needed to go back to the old method of getting into Levasseurs mind. After turning down the pardon, Levasseur decided it best to go into hiding to avoid punishment for the multitude of crimes he had committed. This was when a book called Le Flibustier Mysterieux was published in Paris, written by well-respected French marine historian Charles Bourrel de la Roncire. Levasseur plied his pirates trade in the lucrative Indian Ocean. The Scarborough was a 32 gun Royal Navy vessel that hailed from England, and sailed with a crew that had a thirst for pirate blood. According to researchers and historians, the hoard contains more than 50,000 gems such as diamonds, sapphires, and ancient artifacts. Until that happens, the story of John and the pirates will never have a happy ending. Maps, Mystery and Interpretation Vol 2. One of his more famous prizes was a slave ship from Angola, taken off Brazils southern coast with its live cargo. A Net Inceptions project. While the cipher is not directly linked to Oak Island, the activity in which it may be involved shares certain characteristics and there is a possibility that some of the elements of the story come from that other famous supposed cache of treasure. Whilst Levasseur was a notorious and much-feared pirate during his days, his greatest legacy is the alleged treasure that he had hidden. Note also that Charles Baudelaires (1845) translation of the Gold Bug rendered this as Un bon verre dans lhostel de lvque dans la chaise du diable quarante et un degrs et treize minutes nordest quart de nord principale tige septime branche, whereas a 1933 translation rendered Poes seat as sige. After it was all over, they completely destroyed the fortress, reducing it to ash and ruins. He quickly put a plan together, but with a lack of meteorologist in 1718, the crew was engulfed in a severe storm. And the question always with people is Why do you treasure hunt? "[8], APREJMEYUNEPAIREDEPIJONTIRESKET I almost gave up. DANSDUUI OOUQNDORMIRUNHOMMR Cruise-Wilkins searched for and dug in the island of Mahe until his death, but never found anything in a cave except antique rifles, a few scattered coins, and the desiccated bodies of long dead pirates. Available at: http://www.gjbath.com/Misc/LaBuse.htm. The cryptogram had 17 lines of random symbols that no one seemed to immediately recognize. In the cryptogram it was written that strange things would be found. Sometimes, there may really be hidden treasure waiting to be found, with clues as to its location for anyone with the wit to read them. He wouldnt spend much time in the actual Navy per se. Tarchon and Tyrrhenus: The Etruscan Romulus and Remus? 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