Edward Teach was one of the most notorious pirates based in the Caribbean during the early eighteenth century. A former Royal Navy sailor, he took up piracy after Queen Anne's War brought him from England to the Bahamas and cut a fearsome figure. Known as "Blackbeard" due to his signature facial hair, Teach's beard was said to be so long that he could braid it and put ribbons in it. His main tactic was intimidation, rather than outright violence, as he would approach other ships waving a pirate flag, wearing slow burning fuses under his hat, and making demands. His most successful capture was demanding the small settlement of Charles Town in South Carolina hand over medicine and treasure under threat of killing prisoners. He actually killed no one, but returned them after receiving his demands. This made him infamous to many British colonial leaders, most especially Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood. Spotswood extralegally contracted the Royal Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard to lead a small party against Blackbeard. On a surprise raid, Maynard killed Blackbeard after Blackbeard boarded his ship. Although Blackbeard was an active pirate for just about two years, he would become one of the most famous pirates in history.