Olivier Levasseur
La Buse; The Buzzard
At a Glance
- Given name: Olivier Levasseur
- Born: c. 1688, Calais, France
- Died: July 7, 1730, Île de Bourbon (Réunion)
- Active period: 1716–1730
- Known for: Alleged buried treasure and execution cryptogram; capture of Nossa Senhora do Cabo
- Fate: Captured and hanged (1730) on Réunion
Feared across the Indian Ocean, Olivier Levasseur ("La Buse" — "The Buzzard") rose from French privateer to pirate legend. In 1721, with John Taylor, he helped capture the Portuguese galleon Nossa Senhora do Cabo near Réunion — a treasure-laden prize of gold, jewels, silks, and relics that may have been the richest pirate haul in history.
Captured and hanged in 1730 on Réunion Island, Levasseur is famed for the legend of a cryptogram allegedly thrown to the crowd at his execution: “Find my treasure, ye who may understand it!” The cipher, tied to records in French archives, has fueled centuries of treasure hunts.
See also: Olivier Levasseur's Flag, Olivier Levasseur's Flag (variant)