William Aleyn
15th-century English pirate
About William Aleyn
Lived 1420 – 1448 (aged 27–28). William Aleyn was an English pirate.
William Aleyn (fl. 1430–1448) was a 15th-century English pirate. During the 1430s and 1440s, he raided shipping throughout Southeast England and sometimes worked with William Kyd in the Thames and the English Channel. Like others of his trade, Aleyn operated freely and without interference from authorities while under the protection of corrupt custom officials.
Biography In 1431, Aleyn was listed as one of several pirates active in the area according to a public document published that year. He joined William Kyd and several others in capturing four ships carrying provisions bound for Rouen in 1433. Fifteen years later, he and Kyd began seizing ships in the assisted him in seizing ships in the Thames and carrying them down to the English Channel. He was particularly active near Thanet, although no more is heard of him after this time.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Aleyn's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Aleyn?
15th-century English pirate
When was William Aleyn born?
William Aleyn was born in 1420.
When did William Aleyn die?
William Aleyn died in 1448.
What was William Aleyn's occupation?
William Aleyn was a pirate.
What nationality was William Aleyn?
William Aleyn was English.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Aleyn. https://biography.guide/william-aleyn/
MLA: "William Aleyn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-aleyn/.
Chicago: "William Aleyn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-aleyn/.
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