Stede Bonnet (c. 1688– December 10, 1718) is an early 18th-century Barbadian pirate, sometimes called "The Gentleman Pirate" because he is a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime.

Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherits the family estate after his father's death in 1694.

In 1709, he marries Mary Allamby, and engages in some level of militia service.

Because of marital problems, and despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decides to turn to piracy in the summer of 1717.

He buys a sailing vessel, names it Revenge, and travelswith his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships.

Bonnet sets sail for Nassau, Bahamas, but he is seriously wounded en route during an encounter with a Spanish warship.

After arriving in Nassau, Bonnet meets Edward Teach, the infamous pirate Blackbeard.

Incapable of leading his crew, Bonnet temporarily cedes his ship's command to Blackbeard.

Before separating in December 1717, Blackbeard and Bonnet plunder and capture merchant ships along the East Coast.

After Bonnet fails to capture the Protestant Caesar, his crew abandons him to join Blackbeard aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Bonnet stays on Blackbeard's ship as a guest, and does not command a crew again until summer 1718, when he is pardoned by North Carolina governor Charles Eden and receives clearance to go privateering against Spanish shipping.

Bonnet is tempted to resume his piracy, but does not want to lose his pardon, so he adopts the alias "Captain Thomas" and changes his ship's name to Royal James.

He had returns to piracy by July 1718. n August 1718, Bonnet anchors the Royal James on an estuary of the Cape Fear River to careen and repair the ship.

In late August and September, Colonel William Rhett, with the authorization of South Carolina governor Robert Johnson, leads a naval expedition against pirates on the river.

Rhett and Bonnet's men fight each other for hours, but the outnumbered pirates ultimately surrender.

Rhett arrests the pirates and brings them to Charleston in early October.

Bonnet escapes on 24 October, but is recaptured on Sullivan's Island.

On November 10, Bonnet is brought to trial and charged with two acts of piracy.

Judge Nicholas Trott sentences Bonnet to death.

Bonnet writes to Governor Johnson to ask for clemency, but Johnson endorses the judge's decision, and Bonnet is hanged in Charleston on December 10, 1718.