Alexandre Exquemelin

John Esquemeling (also known as Alexandre Exquemelin; fl. seventeenth century) was a Dutch or Flemish writer and former buccaneer whose account of Caribbean piracy remains one of the earliest and most influential sources on the subject. Believed to have worked as a surgeon among pirate crews, he later compiled his experiences and observations into The Buccaneers of America, first published in Dutch and quickly translated into several European languages. His work has shaped both historical understanding and literary portrayals of piracy for more than three centuries.