between 1719 and 1722; he is also noted for creating his own pirate code, and adopting an early variant of the Skull and Crossbones flag.

Roberts' infamy and success saw him become known as The Great Pyrate and eventually as Black Bart (, though this was a later attribution and was not used in his lifetime), and made him a popular subject for writers of both fiction and non-fiction. To this day, Roberts continues to feature in popular culture,