The Jolly Roger Flies!

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The Jolly Roger Flies!

• A brief history of piracy.

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What do you know about pirates?

• Did pirates have parrots?
• Sure. Monkeys were popular, too!
• Did pirates have peg legs and hooks?
• Yes, many lost limbs, but few had hooks.
• Did pirates grapple and swing from boat to
  boat?
• Not really, usually ships would launch the long
  boats. But it happened.
• They usually didnt swing from boat to boat it
  doesnt work.
• They didnt slide down sails with knives.

Bartholomew Roberts
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Please remember

• Pirates are evil thieves, murderers, liars,
  kidnappers, rapists, terrorists, and torture
  experts.
• There is no such thing as a good pirate.

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• Did pirate ships get close together and fire
  cannons from just feet away? Its in all the
  cool pirate movies?
• Maybe once, but that would be a really dumb
  maneuver.
• Were there any crazy pirates like the weird,
  little dude with grenades?
• Some may have been little, many were crazy, but
  they did have grenades!

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• Did pirates make people walk the plank?
• No, theres only one recorded instance of this,
  and historians are skeptical about it.
• A pirates favorite sword
• Cutlass short but practical (keeps out of
  ropes)
• Daggers were handy, broadswords popular
• Rapiers good for duels
• Boarding axes and pikes popular as well

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• Did they shoot silverware out cannons?
• Silverware, probably not. Nails, chains, other
  bits of shrapnel, sure.
• Did they use a lot of guns?
• Yes, but guns were very unreliable. They became
  wet easily and wouldnt work. Most pirates
  carried several pistols. There were marksmen as
  well.

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Its all about the booty

• The treasure
• Reales or Pesos
• Silver Spanish coins
• The eight reales coin became known as pieces
  of eight
• Escudos
• Gold Spanish coins
• The eight escudo coin became known as
  doubloon
• Ingot
• Gold or silver cast into a bar

• Practical and common plunder
• Food and water supplies
• Cloth for sails and markets
• Spare parts and pieces for the ship (masts,
  ropes, lumber, etc.)
• Slaves (to be sold or used)

Treasure recovered by Barry Clifford from Black
Sam Bellamys Whydah
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Types of Pirates

• Buccaneer
• Boucaner French term for process of curing
  strips of meat over a barbeque
• Buccaneers were thugs, outlaws, and hunters of
  wild oxen and pig on Hispaniola
• Eventually left island after food shortages and
  being pushed out by authorities took to the seas
• Term for pirates in Caribbean region
• Corsair
• Pirates in the Mediterranean and European areas

• Pirate or Privateer?
• Privateer Has a legal commission from a
  government to attack and seize cargo from enemy
  vessels or villages
• Pirate Illegal criminals who attacked and
  plundered any vessel or costal village

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The pirates life for me!

• Pirates became pirates for many reasons
• Treasure! Gold! Jewels! A quick way to make it to
  the good life of wine, food, and luxury. Its all
  about the booty!
• An easy way to get money to spend in the brothels
  and taverns
• Some forced into it after pirate
  attackscarpenters, surgeons
• There were no jobs for sailors during times of
  peace
• The drink drove them to it
• John Archer, before his hanging in 1724, admitted
  that strong drink had hardened him into
  committing crimes that were more bitter than
  death to him (Cordingly 193).
• William White, before his execution on the same
  day, said that drunkenness had been his ruin,
  and he had been drunk when he was enticed aboard
  a pirate ship (Cordingly 193).

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Captains of merchant and military vessels were
cruel and pushed the crews too far!

• Edward Hamlin (crime unknown, date unknown)
  suffered flogging plus being fettered for 8 days
  to the deck of the ship
• Richard Baker (1734) became ill on Europa and
  became too weak to work on deck. The captain
  forced him to spend four hours at the helm, then
  a whipping, and 90 minutes of being tied to the
  mizzen mast. He died a few days later.

• I could wish that Masters of vessels would not
  use their men with so much severity, as so many
  of them do, which exposes us to great
  temptations. John Archer, 1724, before his
  execution.
• It was such dogs as he that put men on
  pyrating. John Phillips, 1722, at the trial of
  the crew of Bartholomew Roberts, regarding former
  officers known to starve the men.

(Info taken from Cordingly, Under the Black Flag)
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Pirate Flags

• Black Quarter given (Well be gentle)
• Red No quarter given (Well kill and possibly
  torture everyone on board)

Typical skull and cross bones flown by Edward
England
Arm and sword flown by Edmund Cook, Thomas Tew,
Christopher Moody
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More Pirate Flags
One of Christopher Moodys flags Edward Lows Flag

• Henry Avreys flags

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More Pirate Flags
Blackbeards flag Devil skeleton toasting while
stabbing a heart
Calico Jacks flag Notice the resemblance between
this flag and the flag from Pirates of the
Caribbean
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More Pirate Flags

• The Jolly Roger
• Jolie Rouge Red or bloody flag
• Ali Raja Tamil pirate captain
• Old Roger the devil

Two of Bartholomew Roberts flags The two skulls
represent two Caribbean island that fought
against Roberts
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Piratical Democracy?

• Pirates were democratic
• They elected captains!
• They could rescind their choice!
• The crew determined the course of action
• Fight, retreat, go to Madagascar, go to New
  England zig-zagged.
• The captain made sure the ship went smoothly
  courses, battle positions, strategy, argument
  disputes, money, etc.

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Articles and Contracts

• No prey, no pay!
• Pirates signed articles contracts that determine
  duration and compensation

• Carpenter or shipwright salary of 100-150 pieces
  of eight
• Surgeon salary of 200-250 pieces of eight
• Captain 5-6 shares plus a salary
• Masters mate 2 shares
• Crew 1 share
• Any boys ½ share
• Honest about making sure everyone had their fair
  sharethose who lied or concealed turned out of
  the company!

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Compensation for Injuries

• Loss of starboard side arm 600 pieces of eight
• Loss of portside arm 500 pieces of eight
• Loss of starboard leg 500 pieces of eight
• Loss of port leg 400 pieces of eight
• Loss of an eye or finger 100 pieces of eight

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Buried Treasure and X-Marks the Spot!

• Pirates rarely ever buried their treasure.
• Most squandered their shares with drink and
  prostitutes.
• Some hoarded their shares to live the good life,
  but
• most wasted it on drink and women only to
  have to ship out again for more loot.

• There are three recorded examples of buried
  treasure
• Captain Kidd
• Captain Stratton
• Sir Francis Drake

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The pirates who liked to dig

• Sir Francis Drake wasnt a pirate
• A privateer who had permission to plunder Spanish
  towns and ships.
• Returned from a profitable attack on a mule train
  at Nombre de Dios
• Drake found his ship sailed away after being
  attacked
• He buried the treasure, went for the ship, and
  unburied it that afternoon.
• Not a pirate, either!

• Captain Stratton wasnt a pirate
• a crooked captain who made furtive and
  underhanded deals with pirates
• He was captured for his deceptions
• Not a pirate doesnt count as pirates buried
  treasure.

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The one who inspired stories of buried treasure

• Captain William Kidd
• Not a pirate, at least he would say he wasnt!
• Became a privateer
• Wealthy businessmen and politicians paid for the
  outfitting of 34 gun Adventure Galley
• Even King William III got in on the deal
• Had permission to attack French pirate ships
• Kidd decided to sail to the Red Sea and the
  Indian Ocean

• Set sail in 1696 in Adventure Galley
• Captain Kidd ended up with a quickly-gathered
  crew of misfits and ex-pirates
• Expedition suffered nearly two years of bad
  weather, sickness, and a lack of prizes (plunder)

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Captain Kidd

• Kidd eventually dumped the rotting, damaged
  Adventure Galley and took the Quedah Merchant,
  renamed Adventure Prize
• Kidd had a few more adventures and associated
  with other pirates
• Kidd found out that England was unhappy with him
  and sent ships to arrest him
• Kidd sold Adventure Prize and goods, bought a
  sloop, sailed home to wife and kids in NY

• Jan. 30, 1698 Quedah Merchant.
• --Kidd flew a French flag Quedah Merchant
  responded similarly, flying a French flag as
  well, despite belonging to Armenians.
• --Kidd had permission to attack French vessels.
• --Kidds ruse allowed him to attack on a
  technicality
• --The captain was British
• --The boat belonged to a high Indian official
• --Kidd also attacked Sedgwick of the East India
  Trading Co.

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Captain Kidd

• Back in NY, Kidd dispersed funds to wife and
  friends
• A few witnesses saw some heavily-laden long boats
  launch from his sloop and land on Gardiners
  Island.
• Kidd arrested and sent to England, received no
  help from backers of his expedition
• Spent several year in solitary confinement on
  ships and in Newgate prison

• Charged with
• Piracy he illegally attacked and plundered 5
  ships
• Walloping William Moore in the head with a bucket
  and killing him (Cordingly 183)
• Kidd had 2 weeks to prepare his defense
• Asked for papers, but the license to attack
  French vessels was missing

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Captain Kidd

• Found guilty on all charges
• My lord, it is a very hard sentence. For my
  part, I am the innocentest person of them all,
  only I have been sworn against by perjured
  persons (Cordingly 189).
• Hanged at Execution Block in London, then his
  corpse was hung in chains at Tilbury Point on the
  Thames
• Kidds treasure amounted to nearly 400,000 but
  only 40,000 were found

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A few other big scores
Artist conception of Black Sam Bellamy

• Black Sam Bellamy
• Close to 400 million retrieved (modern value)
  from the wrecked Whydah
• Blackbeard
• Capture more than 20 ships in pirate career
• After his fall, 2,500 total, including the sale
  of his sloop, collected

Figures from Cordingly
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Blackbeard Truth or Legend?
Truth
Legend

• Invented persona of Blackbeard to scare people
• Had 14 wives and 40 kids
• Buried massive treasures
• Grew beard and tied it with bright ribbons to aid
  in persona
• Burned rope sticking from hat to look fearsome
• Chased down a British navel ship!
• Buried treasure at the Isles of Shoals

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Blackbeard!

• Little is known only of his 2 year reign of
  terror on the high seas
• Possibly sailed during Queen Annes War
• Possibly learned from Pirate Captain Hornigold
• Probably took Hornigolds crew and ships in 1777
  after Hornigold took a pardon
• Considered an amiable person, unless you gave him
  trouble

AKA ---Edward Teach---Edward Thatch--- ---Edward
Drummond---Edward Tach--- ---Edward Tash---
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Blackbeard in NH!

• Isles of Shoals off the NH coast
• A great place for him to trade
• Honeymooned with Martha (one of 14 wives) on
  Smuttynose Island
• He left her there to guard a treasure
• She died of illness, but many say his treasure is
  still there, as is the ghost of Martha who wails,
  You will come back!

You Will Come Back by North Hamptons Terri
DeMitchell is about this tale.
Whats a mooncusser?
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Blackbeard!

• Created a blockade around Charleston, SC, and
  held hostages he received the medicine he demanded

• Captured French slave ship La Concorde and
  converted it to Queen Annes Revenge
• This was a big ship! 44 guns!
• Wrecked havoc for two years!
• Battled 30 gun HMS Scarborough

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Blackbeards gutsy move--

• Problem 300 pirates in his fleet and he wants to
  retire.
• Ground QAR on shallows near Ocracoke Inlet (NC)
• Summoned Adventure to assist, which also got
  stuck
• Blackbeard sent Captain Bonnet and others to
  receive a pardon

• While they were gone, Blackbeard moved the
  treasure from QAR to Adventure and slipped away.

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Blackbeards Final Battle

• British Navy sent Robert Maynard after him
• Maynard lost one sloop in shoals, but the other
  kept going
• Dawn, Thur. Nov. 21
• Maynard catches Blackbeard
• Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarter or
  take any from you.
• Blackbeard shoots a broadside, devastating
  Maynards forces
• Maynards men board and attack Blackbeard

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Blackbeards Final Battle

• Blackbeard eventually overcome either shot by
  Maynard or decapitated by a Scotsman under
  Maynard
• Maynard tied Blackbeards head to his Bowsprit
  and sailed for home
• Blackbeards body 20 serious cuts and 5 shot
• Legend Blackbeards headless body swam around
  the boat several times after it was dumped
  overboard

Printed from The Boston News Letter one of
Maynards men, being a Highlander, Engaged Teach
with his broadsword, who gave Teach a cut on the
neck, Teach saying well done lad the Highlander
replied, If it be not done well, Ill do it
better. With that he gave him a second stroke,
which cut off his head, laying it flat on his
shoulder.
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Women pirates

• Anne Bonny
• Left her husband for pirate John Rackham (Calico
  Jack)
• Had a child with him
• Mary Read
• Raised as a boy, fought in land armies and on
  ships
• Joined with Anne and Calico Jack after her ship
  was captured

• Both sailed and fought dressed as men
• William was captured, the rest of the crew wanted
  to surrender, but Anne and Mary urged them to
  fight
• Both found guilty of piracy
• Both escaped hanging because of pregnancy
• Mary Read died of fever in prison
• Anne Bonnys and her childs fate are unknown

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A few other lady pirates

• Mrs. Cheng (Early 1800s)
• Perhaps the most successful pirates ever!
• Nearly 1,000 ships in her fleet!
• Harsh and cruel stiff punishments, no mercy to
  victims
• China forced to hire ships from Europe to help
  stop her
• Secured a treaty pirates walk away with plunder
  but turn in boats and weapons
• More than 17,000 pirates in her force

• Princes Alwilda (400ad)
• She didnt want to marry Prince Alf of Denmark
• She dressed as a man and stole a boat with some
  friends
• When Prince Alf captured her, he also captured
  her heart!
• Grace OMalley 1500ad
• Cut her hair short for sailing
• After her husband died, Granuaille took control
  of her familys fleet
• Grany Imallye eventually arrested
• Befriended Queen Elizabeth I who let her go

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Pirate families

• Most pirates didnt have families
• Henry Avery had a wife and two kids
• William Kidd had a wife and two Kidds
• Blackbeard had 14 wivesmaybe.
• Most pirates didnt have time or were more
  interested in other women

Considered bad luck to have women on board. There
were anywhere from 30-200 male pirates on a ship
(depending on size).
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Pirate Movies
The Black Pirate, 1926Captain Blood, 1935Fire
over England, 1937The Sea Hawk, 1940The Black
Swan, 1942Captain Kidd, 1945Treasure Island,
1950Captain Horatio Hornblower, 1951The Last of
the Buccaneers, 1951 The Crimson Pirate,
1952Blackbeard the Pirate, 1952
Errol Flynn as Captain Blood
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Against All Flags, 1952Abbott and Costello Meet
Captain Kidd, 1952Morgan the Pirate,
1961Pirates of Tortuga, 1961The Kings Pirate,
1967Swashbuckler, 1976Nate and Hayes, 1983The
Princess Bride, 1987 Magic Island,
1995 Cutthroat Island, 1995Muppet Treasure
Island, 1996Pirates of the Caribbean, 2003and
thar be even more!
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Coming Summer 2006 Pirates of the Caribbean
Dead Mans Chest In production now