Jack Ward | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Ward c. 1553 |
| Died | 1622 (aged 68–69) |
| Nationality | English |
| Piratical career | |
| Nickname | Birdy, Sharky, Yusuf Reïs, Jack Sparrow |
| Type | Barbary Corsair |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of England (until 1604) Tunisia (from 1605) |
| Years active | fl. 1605–1610 |
| Rank | Admiral, Reïs |
| Base of operations | La Goulette, Tunis |
| Commands | Gift, Little John, Reniera e Soderina |
| Wealth | £500,000 - £2,000,000 |
John Ward (c. 1553[1] – 1622), also known as Birdy or later as Yusuf Reis, was an English pirate who later became a Corsair for the Ottoman Empire operating out of Tunis during the early 17th century.
According to writer Giles Milton, Jack Ward was an inspiration for Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.[2]
- ^ Lamborn Wilson, Peter (2004). Pirate Utopias: Moorish Corsairs and European Renegadoes. Autonomedia. p. 55. ISBN 1-57027-158-5.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Sparrow4was invoked but never defined (see the help page).