The famous English pirate Edward Teach (c. 1680-1718), known for his fearsome appearance and thick black beard.
A descriptive nickname from 'black' + 'beard', referring to Edward Teach's distinctive facial hair which he allegedly wove with hemp and lit with slow matches to create a terrifying, smoke-wreathed appearance.
Blackbeard pioneered psychological warfare on the high seas, understanding that reputation could be more powerful than actual violence - his theatrical smoke-and-fire beard display often caused enemies to surrender without a fight, making him perhaps history's first master of personal branding.
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