The Black Corsair

The Black Corsair is an 1898 adventure novel by Italian writer Emilio Salgari, originally published as Il corsaro nero. Set in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy, it follows Emilio Roccanera, styled the Black Corsair, as he pursues revenge against Wan Guld, the Governor of Maracaibo, who murdered his brothers, allying himself along the way with historical pirates including Francois l'Olonnais and Henry Morgan. The novel sold roughly 80,000 copies in its first Italian printing, a striking success for its time, and established Salgari's reputation as a leading writer of popular adventure fiction.