Captain William Kidd is one of the most famous names in pirate lore. But what if he wasn't actually a pirate at all? In this episode, bestselling author and scientist Samuel Marquis joins me to talk about his new book Captain Kidd: A Story of Treasure and Betrayal. Marquis has a personal stake in the story — he's Captain Kidd's ninth great grandson. We talk about Kidd's rise from colonial sea captain to pirate-hunter, the murky politics of the time, his dramatic trial in London, and the love story that's rarely told. Marquis argues Kidd was less Blackbeard and more fall guy — a man caught in a scandalous power struggle between the English crown, shady investors, and the East India Company.

Subscribe to Jon's Substack Small Talk

This episode is sponsored by AG1.