Jul 7
Execution of Olivier Levasseur: The Pirate Who Hid a Legendary Treasure
On July 7, 1730, Olivier Levasseur, better known as “La Buse” (“The Buzzard”), was executed on the island of Réunion Island for his life as a notorious pirate. Once a feared figure in the Indian Ocean, Levasseur became famous for his daring raids against merchant ships and his ability to evade capture for years.
Legend says that before his death, Levasseur threw a cryptic message into the crowd containing a treasure map, challenging someone to find his hidden fortune. The so-called “La Buse Treasure” has inspired centuries of searches, but its location remains one of history’s greatest pirate mysteries.
