John Phillips (pirate)

John Phillips (died April 18, 1724) was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic during the early 18th century. Unlike many pirates who turned to piracy out of desperation or after being pressed into naval service, Phillips was a carpenter who seemingly voluntarily chose to become a pirate after being captured.

Phillips began his piratical career in 1723 aboard the Revenge, a ship he and other captured men seized while being transported to Philadelphia. They elected him captain. His flag, a grim design of a black background featuring a skeletal figure holding a spear pointed at a red heart, remains one of the more recognizable pirate flags.

Under Phillips' command, the Revenge and later captured vessels raided ships off the coasts of Newfoundland and New England. He was known for his strict discipline and adherence to a pirate code, similar to those of other contemporary pirates. He enforced rules against fighting on board the ship, and punished those who violated his articles.

Phillips' career was relatively short. On April 18, 1724, while careening his ship near Newfoundland, Phillips and several members of his crew were killed in a surprise attack led by a former captive. The captives overpowered the small pirate force ashore, effectively ending Phillips' piratical voyage and freeing those still held aboard the vessel.