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Are ye a privateer, buccaneer or a pirate?
A privateer was a ship sailing under a Marque of Letter from
a Government to seek and attack the ships of hostile nations.
Men who sailed on the privateer were also called privateers.
Privateers would loot, pillage and plunder enemies for the
Kind and Country. In return to Captain and crew would
receive a portion of the plunder and safe harbor. Usually
the privateers ignored the Marque and just did what they
bloody well pleased.
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Buccaneers were French settlers in the Caribbean who used to barbecue or "smoke"
wild boar and oxen. Buccaneer literally means one who hunts wild pork. Many
buccaneers found more profitable life styles hunting Spanish doubloons instead
of wild pigs.
A pirate was a sea robber that for one reason or another looted under no jack (flag)
other than Captain Death (the Jolly Roger). They organized their ship for more
democratically than most merchants ships. Many a privateer became a pirate.
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Hoist Up the Jolly Rogger
The pirate flag was designed to strike fear into victims and
encourage a hasty surrender. the Black Jolly Roger,
commonly associated with pirates, was not a greatly feared
as the bright red, blood colored flag which meant "no quarter
given" or no mercy would be shown in battle. The Jolly Roger
may have got its name from the evil - Old Roger - but is more
likely derived from the French name for the red flag -
Jolie Rouge.
Bartholomew Roberts' flag featured a pirate captain raising
an hourglass with a spear-wielding skeleton, suggesting time
was running out. Thomas Tew's flag, a single arm wielding a
cutlass, suggested brute strength and violence. Blackbeard's
flag had a menacing skeleton that held an hourglass and a
spear that was poised to attack and bleeding heart, served
as a blatant threat of death to those who dared to resist.
Click on the flags to learn more about these pirates
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Blackbeard's Flag
John Rakham's Flag
Henry Avery's Flag
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Bart Robert's Flag
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Thamas Tew's Flag
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Christopher Moody's Flag
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Stede Bonnet's Flag
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Life of a Pirate
Life on Land:
After a successful raid pirates would reach port and squander their ill-gotten gains on all manner of debauchery with stumpets and wine often spending thousands of pieces of eight in a night (2 pieces-of-eight bought a cow!). a good pirate ensured that his ship was kept in good shape by careening the ship (scraping weed and barnacles from the bottom of the ship) as well as repairing sails and rigging.
Life at Sea:
Life at sea was one of great contrasts, weeks of boredom searching for prey then short bursts of excitement as a victim was sighted, boarded and plundered. Pirates kept busy repairing the ship, fighting, drinking and gambling. If they cought no fish or turtles, they might be lucky enough to have a chicken still on board. Otherwise the pirates ate hardtack, usually stale and insect ridden dry biscuits that were a mainstay of long sea voyages.
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Pirates Links & Downloads Click on the images to download your screensaver
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