Little pirate ship. Pirate ships

Pirates have always been associated with adventurers, robbers, brigands and rowdies who gained fame not only at sea, in love affairs, but even in politics. But let’s look at their activities in the sea, since it was precisely this that brought those fabulous riches that are still being sought today. Even the names of pirate ships were intended to frighten their opponents, and the Jolly Roger flag completely instilled panic in the crew of the attacked ship.

The most famous pirates

Speaking about the era of piracy, it is worth considering that not all adherents of this way of earning and living were pirates in the truest sense of the word. In those days, there was a division into outright robbers, corsairs, privateers, filibusters, etc.

Interestingly, privateering was legalized in England, which tried with all its might to prevent Spain from entering the New World. Roughly speaking, the English crown secretly issued patents for the robbery of Spanish galleons, which were returning from the Americas with gold and silver.

But in general, if you make a list of the most desperate and famous personalities of that era in their field, it could look something like this:

• Captain Kidd.
• Edward Teach "Blackbeard".
• Henry Morgan.
• L'Ollone.
• Jetrow Flint.
• Olivier Le Vasseur.
• William Dampier.
• Arouge Barbarossa.
• Jen Shi and many others.

Famous names of pirate ships. List

Naturally, each of these thugs preferred to have their own ship, and, if possible, a flotilla of three or more ships. However, if secondary ships had names, sometimes even satirical ones, the flagship had to bear such a name so that it would be on everyone’s lips. Allegories or openly provocative names were often used. Here is an incomplete list of the most famous ships of that time (the names of pirate ships in English or French are given along with the Russian translation):

• "Golden Hind"
• Adventure Galley;
• Queen Ann's Revenge;
• "The Careless Corsair" (El corsario descuidad);
• "Periton" (Le Periton) - flying deer;
• "Avenger";
• "Whydah"
• “Royal Fortune”;
• "Fantasy" (Fancy);
• “Happy Delivery”;
• "Rising Sun";
• "Retribution" (Revenge), etc.

And that's not all. Very often you could find the names of pirate ships like “Unipresent Death”, “Victoria the Bloody Baroness”, “Lucky Prize”, “Bell”, “Cerberus”, “Black Widow”, “Leviathan”, “Water Shaver”, etc. In general, there was plenty of imagination. But let's dwell on what the famous pirate ships were. Their names did not always reflect the true nature of the threat, because by and large the Spanish galleons were 36-48-gun frigates that were not possible to board for capture. The pirate ship would have been shot on the way, no matter how well it maneuvered.

Therefore, usually the robbers were content with frigates of a lower rank. Having 24, 36 or 40 guns on board was considered top. And escort by several ships with 20 or even 12 guns on board could play a decisive role in the battle.

Main characteristics of ships

Despite the loud and sometimes intimidating names of pirate ships, they could not always compare with the same Spanish ships or the English fleet.

For example, William Kidd's Adventure was a 34-gun brigantine frigate of an unusual type (with straight sails and an oar crew).

Queen Anne's Revenge, originally called Concorde, was more powerful, having 40 guns. The "Golden Hind" was first launched from the stocks as the "Pelican", according to various estimates, with 18-22 guns.

The most famous literary hero and his squadron

In literature, the names of pirate ships were replenished with another famous character - Captain Blood (Rafael Sabatini - “The Odyssey of Captain Blood”, “The Chronicles of Captain Blood”), whose unrequited love for the daughter of the governor of Barbados (and then of Jamaica) forced him to name the captured from the Spaniards 36- gun frigate "Cinco Llagos" named after her. Since then, "Arabella" has become a thunderstorm of the seas.

By the way, the work mentions and names Levasseur, and his ship is called “La Foudre” (“Lightning”). There is also the name “Avenger” of one of the constant opponents of the main character - Captain Easterling.

Captain Blood himself, in his characteristic humorous manner, named minor ships like "Elizabeth" (in honor of the Queen of England) or in honor of three Greek goddesses - "Atropos", "Clotho" and "Lachesis".

Only towards the end of the story was the 80-gun frigate Victorieuse, commanded by Baron de Rivarol, captured. But, according to the plot, the author could not rename it, because Blood became the governor, and his ships became part of the Jamaican squadron.

Cinema

And how can we do without the “Black Pearl” from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” quadrology? There are also some nuances here. Captain Barbossa's name clearly echoes Barbarossa.

And there’s no need to talk about “The Flying Dutchman” at all. The film indicates that this is a ship, although in fact no one knows who owned this ghost ship, and whether it exists at all or only in a single copy.

Instead of an afterword

Well, if we take into account that children love this kind of adventure, it’s not difficult to come up with a name for a pirate ship for children, because their imagination is often much more developed than that of an adult. Even common names like "Thunderstorm" or "Thunder" will do. Here children are masters of using associations that frighten their peers.

But, seriously, the names of pirate ships are very often associated not with abstract concepts or mystical phenomena, but rather with the history of England, because most of these fortune-seekers, one way or another, were associated with the English crown, and by and large fought against the Spaniards. Naturally, there were those who robbed indiscriminately, but privateering in those days was, so to speak, the most gentlemanly craft with a huge number of restrictions. Take the same Henry Morgan, who later became the lieutenant governor of Jamaica, or Sir (English admiral). History is full of surprises...

Pirates, by the very nature of their occupation, required maneuverable, fast and well-armed ships. And, of course, they didn’t bother building them - why? After all, it is easier to capture a ship by assessing its seaworthiness in advance. The pirates needed speed in order to catch up with their fleeing prey, and in order to carry off their own legs if they ran into military frigates. Having captured merchant ships, pirates usually “tuned” them: they removed deck superstructures, bulkheads in the hold, made a lower poop, sawed off one of the masts, and cut additional ports for guns in the sides.
The most legendary pirate ships were even faster than ordinary ships. For example, Charles Vane, who was hunting in the Bahamas, evading sea patrols in 1718, advanced two of his own for every foot of them.

1. Queen Anne's Revenge

This is how the no less famous corsair Edward Teach named his famous ship. It was on this ship that he reached the peak of his filibuster career. Until 1717, this ship was the French merchant ship Concorde with 14 guns and a displacement of about 200 tons. Why Teach gave the ship such a strange name remains unknown. There are different versions, one of which says that it was his nostalgia for the past, when Teach was in military service during the reign of this queen.
Having captured the Concorde, Teach showed unexpected nobility - he transferred its captain to his old sloop, added his slaves to it, with whom he managed to sail to Martinique. The change of name was only a small part of the metamorphoses that then occurred with the former merchant ship. Teach or “Blackbeard”, as he was called, increased the number of cannons on the sides of the ship to 40. The small crew of pirates then threw merchant ships into a state of panic, this is not surprising, because now their ship was second in firepower after the ship of Bartholomew Roberts .

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2. "Royal Fortune"

This ship, with a much clearer name, belonged to the famous Welsh pirate John Roberts, better known as Bartholomew Roberts. He worked not only in the Caribbean, but also in the Atlantic, managing to capture over 400 ships. His behavior was characterized by extravagance. Having been involved in piracy for many years, Roberts changed several ships. In 1719 he was chosen captain of the Royal Tramp, which had 30 guns in service. Leaving on a captured sloop in pursuit of the brigantine, he met with the betrayal of his own assistant Walter Kennedy and the crew, who deserted. Then Roberts named his 10-gun sloop "Luck" and forced his sailors to swear allegiance on the Bible.
In 1721, he captured a 42-gun French ship, which he called the Royal Fortune. Such a ship was considered impregnable, and its capture was a glorious victory, especially since the governor of the island of Martinique was on board. The latter faced the gallows for having previously hanged many pirates from Roberts' entourage. Controlling such a warship, it seemed that there was no longer any fear of other warships. But the following year, as a result of a battle with the English warship Swallow, Roberts was killed.

3. Ouida

The famous flagship Ouida was in the hands of the filibuster Black Sam Bellam. Historians claim that the name of the ship appeared in honor of the city of Ouidah, located on the territory of modern Benin - at that time it was the center of the slave trade. This ship was launched in 1715 in the port of London. The ship was intended to transport slaves from Africa. From London he headed to Africa to further sail to North America. The ship was launched from the stocks as the fastest ship, capable of reaching a speed of 13 knots. This was necessary to reduce the transportation time of slaves, who were dying in the holds like flies.

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4. "Adventure"

Scottish privateer William Kidd's favorite ship was the Adventure. The Adventure was both a frigate, equipped with straight sails, and a galley, since it also had oars. The latter made the ship especially maneuverable, both in windy and calm weather. It had 34 cannons on its sides and a displacement of 287 tons. The ship's crew consisted of 160 people. The main task of the Adventure was precisely the destruction of other pirate ships. Kidd himself was accused of pirate attacks and other crimes, but to this day the case remains unfinished.

5. "Fantasy"

The ship "Fantasy" was commanded by Henry Avery, who had several nicknames - "Long Ben", "Archipirate" and was one of the luckiest gentlemen of fortune. Fantasia was originally a 30-gun frigate, the Charles II, whose crew enjoyed plundering French merchant ships. When a riot broke out on it (usually for pirates), the first mate Avery seized power there. He began by renaming the ship (which is also typical), after which he had a glorious rampage on it, and only death separated them.

6. "Happy Delivery"

On this small but glorious vessel, the English pirate George Lauter sailed the expanses of the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas in the 18th century. His favorite technique was to ram a pursued vessel and then lightly board it. “Delivery” was very suitable for this tactic.

7. "Rising Sun"

This ship with a beautiful name belonged to one of the most ruthless thugs - Christopher Moody, who did not take anyone prisoner on principle, preferring to quickly send his captives to the next world. Therefore, when they saw the 35-gun frigate “Rising Sun” on the horizon, most ships tried to slip beyond the horizon as quickly as possible. And it could be distinguished by its bright and recognizable flag. This continued until Moody was caught and hanged.

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8. "Talky"

During the golden age of piracy, there was a Creole pirate, John Bowen, who sailed on a large 50-gun ship, the Talkative, which had a displacement of 450 tons. Initially, the ship transported slaves, but when Bowen got it, he began to boldly hunt Moorish ships.

9. "Retribution"

This 10-gun sloop was sailed by Steed Bonnet, who was called the "gentleman of the pirates" because this Englishman was of noble birth. The life of the ship, although short, was eventful: at first it was owned by a small landowner, then by the pirate “Blackbeard,” who was given an amnesty, but the ship returned to piracy. "Retribution" was a small and maneuverable boat that managed to sink larger ships.

10. "Golden Hind"

This small galleon belonged to the famous Francis Drake, who, following Magellan's Victoria, managed to sail around the globe. The ship was built in Aldenburg, England and was called “Pelican”. It was a galleon - a new type of ship that replaced caravels and carracks in the 16th century. Its body was decorated with an image of a pelican, as well as red and yellow diamonds. When the ship changed its name, the pelican on the hull was replaced by a doe; moreover, under the bowsprit they fixed a figure of a doe cast from looted and therefore cheap gold.

Sushi paddles! Now I will tell you about something without which not a single sailor would become a sailor, without which sea wolves would be ordinary land ragamuffins. I'll tell you about pirate ships!

The pirate ship performed several functions at once. It was a barracks for the crew, as well as a warehouse for trophies. Since pirate crews usually outnumbered ordinary ships, there was often not enough space on the ships. The pirate ship was a warship, so it had to carry powerful cannon weapons. In addition, the pirates not only attacked, but they often had to evade pursuit, so the ship had to have increased speed. In order for a pirate ship to meet all the requirements for it, pirates had to rebuild ordinary merchant or warships they captured. Strictly speaking, in maritime terminology the word “ship” means a three-masted vessel with a full set of straight sails. Such “ships” were very rare among pirates.

American colonial schooner of the 18th century.
The sloop differed from the schooner in its smaller size
and the presence of only one mast. Both types were
popular among pirates for its speed and shallow draft.

Pirates obtained their ships as a result of capture at sea or mutiny of the crew. If a ship captured in this way turned out to be completely unsuitable for pirate activities, it was abandoned as soon as something more suitable could be obtained. Former privateers also often became pirates. Privateering ships were originally adapted for pirate activities. Upon expiration of the contract, privateers who did not want to stop their fishing turned into pirates. Some pirates spent their entire (usually short) career sailing on one ship, while others changed ships several times. So, Bartholomew Roberts changed the ship six times, each time giving the new ship the name “Royal Fortune”. The pirates either sunk the captured ships, sold them, or used them themselves.

Privateering, which flourished during the War of the Spanish Succession (1700-1714), led to the construction of many ships originally intended for privateering. After the end of the war, English privateers almost all took up privateering. Privateering was legal piracy. Privateer ships were equally suitable for pirate activities, without requiring any modification. Those same privateers who managed to overcome the temptation to become pirates entered the service of local authorities and began to fight pirates.
Pirates preferred small but fast ships like sloops, brigandines or schooners. Caribbean sloops were perfect for the role of a pirate ship. Some pirate crews preferred to use larger, more spacious ships. In addition to speed, small ships had an advantage over larger ones in draft. This allowed them to operate in shallow waters where large ships did not risk sailing. Smaller ships were easier to repair and clean their hulls to maintain speed. To clean the bottom, the ship was pulled ashore and the algae and shells that had grown during the voyage were peeled off.

When remodeling, unnecessary bulkheads between the decks of the ship were usually removed. This made it possible to free up space on the gun deck. Usually the forecastle was cut off and the quarterdeck was lowered so that the upper deck ran from bow to stern. Thanks to this measure, an open combat platform was created. Additional ports for guns were made in the sides, and the load-bearing elements of the hull were strengthened to compensate for the increased load. Swivel guns were installed on the gunwale.

Royal James and Henry fighting off Cape Fear River, North Carolina, September 27, 1718. Upon learning of the close presence of Steed Bonnet,
Governor of the Colony of South Carolina sent Colonel William Rhett
to hunt for a pirate. The chase ended in a battle, which resulted in
Bonnet capitulated, was captured and later hanged.

Types of pirate ships

Sloops

At the beginning of the 18th century, sloop meant various ships built in the Caribbean islands. Sloops were usually small single-masted ships carrying a disproportionately powerful sail. This made them fast and maneuverable, which, combined with their shallow draft, made them the ideal pirate ship. Typically, sloops were equipped with a slanting main sail and a jib at the bow. Two- and three-masted ships with similar sailing rigs could also be called sloops.

Bartholomew Roberts on the West African Coast.
Behind him is a fleet of slave trading ships he captured.
The "Royal Fortune" and "Great Reinder" ships are also located there
Roberts. Images of two flags are clearly visible.

Schooners

Throughout the 18th century, schooners became an increasingly common type of ship. Typically, schooners are defined as two-masted ships with forward sails on both masts. The narrow hull and large sail area made them fast; the typical schooner speed with a tailwind exceeded 11 knots. The schooner's draft was also shallow, which allowed them to sail freely among the shallows and close to the shore. With a displacement of up to 100 tons, the pirate schooner carried 8 cannons and a crew of about 75 people. The disadvantage of the schooner was its insufficient cruising range. It was necessary to frequently call at ports to replenish water and food supplies. However, with sufficient knowledge and skill, the pirates took everything they needed into the sea.

Brigandines

Another type of ship often found along the American coast was the brigandine. Brigandine is a two-masted ship, with straight sails on the foremast, and an oblique lower sail and straight topsails on the mainmast. Such sailing rig allows the brigandine to effectively sail both jibe and close-hauled. The length of the brigandine is about 24 m, displacement is about 150 tons, crew of 100 people, armament of 12 guns.

A variant of the brigandine was the brig, but this type of ship was quite rare in American waters. The brig carried straight sails on both masts, although slanting sails were sometimes installed between the masts. Sometimes a slanting gaff sail was placed on the mainmast. In this form the ship was called shnyava. The Royal Navy used shniavs as patrol ships in Caribbean waters.

Three-masted ships (straight sail)

Three-masted ships with direct sails could be considered ships in the full sense of the word. Although three-masted ships were slower than pirate schooners and sloops, they still had a number of undeniable advantages. First of all, they were distinguished by better seaworthiness, carried heavier weapons and could accommodate a large crew. Many pirates, including Bartholomew Robert and Charles Vane, preferred three-masted ships.

Three-masted merchant ships were actively used during that period. Edward Teach's Queen's Envenge was a converted slave trading ship, equipped to carry 40 cannons. Typically, a merchant ship with a displacement of 300 tons carried more than 16 guns. Three-masted warships were divided into several ranks. A ship of the 6th rank carried from 12 to 24 guns. The 5th rank ship already carried up to 40 guns. These weapons were usually more than enough to defeat any pirate in an artillery battle. The only exceptions were Roberts' Royal Fortune and Teach's Queen N Revenge, as well as several other pirate ships that carried comparable weapons.

Pirate ships at sea

A ship, a flag and appearance - only these three things could put a pirate above the rest of the world. A fast ship, a flag with a bad reputation, and a terrifying appearance were often enough for the enemy to surrender without a fight. When success depends on how much fear you can instill in the victim, these three things were of no small importance, and they also served as evidence of the pirate’s luck.

The pirates did not build their own ships. Pirate ship had to be fast, maneuverable and well armed. When capturing a ship, they first looked at its seaworthiness. Daniel Defoe said that a pirate ship is, first of all, “a pair of light heels that will be very useful when you need to quickly grab something or run away even faster if they grab you”. On captured merchant ships, hold bulkheads, deck superstructures and one of the masts were often removed, the poop was made lower, and additional gun ports were cut into the sides.

As a rule, pirate ships were faster than ordinary ships, which was very important both in order to catch up with the victim and in order to evade pursuit. For example, when Charles Vane hunted a ship in the Bahamas in 1718, he easily evaded naval patrols, "making two feet on their one".

Most pirate captains did not change ships throughout their careers.(which was often very short - we can even talk about months, not years; even Blackbeard's empire of terror lasted only a few years). However, there were also those who changed ships like gloves - Bartholomew Roberts had about six of them. As for the captured ships, they were usually sold or simply burned.

A pirate ship needs constant care; it is especially important to timely clean the bottom of shells and algae so that they do not slow down the ship’s progress.. This procedure was performed once every three months. Usually, the pirates swam to some safe place, placed cannons at the entrance to the bay to repel a possible attack, and heeled the ship - that is, using tackles they pulled it onto the sandbank and cleaned the bottom. Heeling was also used in cases where it was necessary to repair the underwater part of the hull. The biggest threats to the ship were shellfish and the shipworm (woodworm), which gnawed into the wood and could make tunnels up to 6 feet (2 meters) long in it. These worms were capable of completely destroying the ship's hull.

Vessel dimensions

The size of a pirate ship was quite important. A larger ship is easier to deal with storms and can also carry more guns. However, larger ships are less maneuverable and more difficult to heel. In movies, pirates are usually shown on large ships, such as galleons, because they look very impressive, but in reality, pirates preferred small ships, most often sloops; they were fast and easy to care for. In addition, their shallower draft allowed them to sail in shallow waters or take refuge among sandbanks where a larger ship could not reach.

They were so large that anyone could participate in everyday naval duties, but in battle one gun required the service of four, or even six, people. A ship with twelve cannons on board needed seventy people just to fire, and it was also necessary to supply cannonballs and gunpowder.

The imagination of the robbers was quite mundane, but rich, and pirates, alien to pretentiousness, willingly gave their brothers all sorts of simple nicknames. A variety of people could be hiding behind nicknames. Some preferred to keep their real names secret, others - special favorites of the pirate world - proudly wore nicknames as an honorary title, and some pirates had such unusual physical features that it was simply impossible to ignore them.

Nicknames were often given based on geography. It is not difficult to understand where Ghassan Veneiano, the famous Algerian corsair of the 16th century, came from. The legendary Jean François No, known as Olone and famous for his cruelty, was born in the town of Sables d'Olonne. The nicknames of Pierre the Picardian, Miguel Le Basque, Roca the Brazilian or Bartolomeo the Portuguese also betray their nationality or remind of the countries with which they were in one way or another these people are connected.

Nicknames associated with the physical characteristics of their bearers hardly need any special explanation. For example, Long Ben, Pierre Long, Handsome, Teach Blackbeard, two red-bearded brothers Urouj and Hayraddin, who went down in history as Barbarossa I and II. The nickname Wooden Leg was widely used. The familiar pirate John Silver from “Treasure Island” may owe his appearance to the fame of two real-life heroes of pirate battles in the Spanish Maine - the Frenchman Francois Leclerc and the Dutchman Cornelis Yelu. In other cases, the pirates' imagination was more sophisticated. If the nickname of the filibuster leader Alexander the Iron Hand suggests that its bearer had an all-crushing powerful blow and enormous physical strength, then Pierre Legrand (French “grand” - “big”, “great”) was probably just a tall man, and perhaps he had a great mind. A certain West Indian freebooter bore the nickname Strong-toothed, and another was known as Light-footed. It is difficult to determine what qualities the pirate nicknamed Fair Wind became famous for. It may well be that for his comrades he was something of a talisman, and his presence on the ship promised the right direction of the wind, and perhaps he earned the nickname because of his constant readiness to take part in a glorious fight and a dashing drinking session. An obviously humorous nickname was coined for one famous Algerian robber - the Death's Head. His completely bald head resembled a waterless, dead desert, where there was no place for living vegetation.

More elaborate nicknames were given for special “differences.” The world of the Caribbean has retained a few fairly typical nicknames - for example, Slick or Storm of the Tides. The most famous nickname was the Exterminator, received by the Chevalier de Montbard for his all-consuming passion for the extermination of the Spaniards.

Finally, there were also mysterious pseudonyms. These include the name taken by the famous pirate Henry Avery, or John Avery. His real name was Bridgeman, and he came from a family of honest, law-abiding sailors. In order not to tarnish his relatives, he came up with a strange Avery (English, “every” - “any, everyone”). It is not easy to recognize by such a nickname what the real name of its owner is.

The example of the pirate James Kelly is very indicative. Throughout his turbulent life, filled with adventures and voyages, he changed his name several times and either acted under his own surname or became Sampson Marshall or James Gilliam. It is impossible to determine with accuracy at what stages the reincarnation of this trickster took place. His activities in the field of piracy and privatization lasted almost twenty years. It began in 1680, when a young Englishman left his native country and set sail for the west coast of Africa on a slave trading ship. Here the ship was captured by captain Yankee's pirates, and Kelly decided to become a robber. For several years he robbed in Spanish Main, moving from one ship to another. He eventually ended up on John Cook's pirate ship. In the spring of 1683, the ship arrived on the shores of Virginia in Chesapeake Bay, where a crew was recruited and provisions were purchased. Note that among the new members of the team were the later famous William Dampier and Ambrose Cowley, who left notes about this voyage. Cook's ship set sail in April. In the Atlantic, he intercepted a Dutch merchant ship. Cook's crew liked its draft and strength, and the pirates moved onto it, taking valuable cargo (sixty black slaves) and leaving their ship to the Dutchman in exchange. Now the ship on which Kelly sailed began to be called the Bechelos Delight (Bachelor's Delight). The pirates set sail for the Pacific Ocean, but after passing Cape Horn they encountered a terrible storm. After difficult trials in the southern latitudes, they finally reached the Chilean coast. Here they met other pirate ships, and a reputable Anglo-Franco-Dutch company continued their joint hunt for the Spanish galleons. No major success was achieved, the crews fell out and the community fell apart. Kelly found himself in a group under the command of Edward Davis (Cooke had died by this time) that went back to the Caribbean. Here Kelly went to Jamaica and accepted the amnesty of William I, becoming a privateer. However, he soon grew tired of the official status and returned to piracy. Having captured the sloop "Diamond" ("Diamond"), Kelly, already as a captain, headed to the Indian Ocean, where he disappeared for several years. It is believed that he spent a lot of time on the island of Madagascar, and possibly was in captivity. It ended with Kelly, under the name of Marshall, with the crew of the famous Robert Culliford coming to the island of Sainte-Marie. Here he met Captain Kidd and returned with him to the West Indies, but under the name James Gilliam. But Kelly did not stay in America, but returned to England and settled in London with his family. He died as a respectable gentleman, surrounded by love and respect.

Whatever the reasons for the authors of the nicknames, all nicknames carried a certain psychological load, adding mystery and unusualness to pirate life. Sometimes these nicknames turned into a kind of calling cards, from which potential victims of their owners shuddered with fear.

* * *

The names of pirate ships played an important role in influencing the enemy psychologically. Maritime robbery researcher M. Rediker, having analyzed the names of forty-four pirate ships, found: in eight cases (18.2%) the word “revenge” was mentioned (remember Teach’s famous brig “Queen Anne’s Revenge” or Stead Bonnet’s ship “Revenge”), in seven (15.9%) contain the word “ranger” or “rover”, in five cases the name of the ship refers to royalty.

The most famous symbol of piracy is the ominous Jolly Rodger flag. It was first recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary in 1724. It became very widespread and was known in various variants. On the black field was placed the favorite sign of sea robbers - a skull with crossbones or a full-length skeleton. Various paraphernalia of sea life, weapons and other items were used, depending on the imagination and preferences of the team. In most cases, these were weapons - from boarding blades and swords to knives and arrows. For example, a black flag fluttered over the ship of Captain Spriggs, in the middle of which was a white skeleton. In one hand he held an arrow piercing the heart, from which three drops of blood flowed, in the other there was an hourglass, indicating to the ship that it met that the hour of death had struck. Previously, the same flag, but called “Old Roger,” was recorded by the pirate John Quelch, who came to Brazil in 1703. Bartholomew Roberts had a creepy skeleton standing on two skulls, under which were written the letters "AVN" and "AMN". Of course, the authorities of the islands of Barbados and Martinique, sworn enemies of Roberts, knowing about these letters under the death heads, could not forget about the robber’s special “attachment” to their possessions.

There is a report of a black flag with a skeleton holding a bowl of punch in one hand and a sword in the other. Sometimes the colors varied, and then a black skeleton appeared on a white field.

There are many controversial issues associated with The Jolly Roger. Firstly, it is known that this name was not the only one for pirate flags. Both “Black Flag” and “Roger” were used, as well as the already mentioned “Old Roger”. Secondly, the color of the pirate flag was not always black. Actually, the first mention of the color black dates back only to 1700, and the flag of the French pirate Emmanuel Dune had this background.

Previously, black color (as well as black scarves) was widely used by Spanish pirates. One of the rules defining the procedure for registering hearses for the funeral of the Spanish king states: “A black flag should not be hung either at the top or on any of the floors of the mourning tower. Despite being the sign and color of the king, this flag is disgraced(our discharge), as a flag used on pirate ships. Therefore, we should limit ourselves to a flag of dark violet or cardinal’s purple.”

Perhaps the Spanish robbers mocked not only the monarch - the flags of the Spanish military squadrons were also worn black (including those on the “Invincible Armada”). In addition, the black suit of the Spanish aristocrat served as a distinctive sign of belonging to the upper classes and a sign of “high fashion” of the 16th century. It is not surprising that the pirates wanted to “join” high society.

However, the favorite of the bandits (especially the British and French) was the red, or bloody, flag, the color of which, apparently, symbolized bloodshed, the willingness of the one who threw this flag to shed blood and be in constant combat readiness. It is no coincidence that the red flag was a signal of danger, announced alarm and later became the flag of uprisings. Captain Massersie's logbook gives a story about how a detachment of filibusters met Indians on the side of the Spaniards on the road to the city of Capone in Western Mexico: “When they saw us, they were afraid... We immediately lowered the white flag and raised the red one with a white skull and crossbones.” Let us also recall the famous 1680 attack on Panama by the First Pacific wave of buccaneers. Five of the seven detachments flew under red flags: the vanguard (first detachment) of Captain Bartholomew Sharpe under a red flag with white and green ribbons; the main forces are the second detachment of Richard Sawkins under a red flag with yellow stripes, the third and fourth detachments (Peter Harris's teams) under green flags, the fifth and sixth detachments under red flags; rearguard (seventh division) of Edmond Cook under a red flag with a yellow stripe, a naked hand and a sword.

The red flag of the robbers repeated the bloody battle flag of the military fleets. Order No. 1 of the Lord of the Admiralty in 1596 established “for the duration of the battle, raise a red battle flag instead of a permanent nasal flag.” In D. Defoe’s novel “Robinson Crusoe,” the hero recalls one clash with the enemy and says that at first a white flag of negotiations was raised on his ship, and with the beginning of the battle a red flag hoisted from the mast. Close to red was the light orange color in which Tich Blackbeard’s cloth was painted.

Note that in the 17th century. sea ​​robbers preferred to sail under their national flag or use the flag of the state that granted them a marque license. But if, upon meeting with the enemy, a bloody banner was raised on the mast, then its appearance indicated that there would be no mercy for anyone (the same on land). The uncompromising, totally hostile nature of the red flag was recorded by witnesses. Thus, Captain Richard Hawkins, captured by pirates in 1724, said that if pirates fight under the Jolly Roger, they seem to give the intended victim the opportunity to consider whether to resist, and are ready to accept voluntary surrender, but if a red flag appears, This means that things have reached the extreme point, and the fight will be life and death. The bloody flag played the same function, for example, in Avery. This robber swam under the cross of St. George, using his own symbolism - four silver chevrons on a red field. The appearance of this flag meant that Avery was ready to enter into negotiations for surrender, but when a simple red flag flew up the flagpole, the crew of the merchant ship should have prepared for hand-to-hand combat. It is possible that the black flag, used, like the red one, to intimidate the enemy, carried some kind of peace-loving overtones. The symbolism of the choice could be based on the fact that black was considered the color of mourning, sorrow and death, while red was seen as the color of rebellion and rebellion, a sign of merciless war and death.

Third, The question of the origin of the name “Jolly Roger” remains open. If this is due to the ferocious grin of the skull, then it is likely that the pirates ("jokingly") could call this creepy monster "cheerful." But what does Roger have to do with it? Researcher Patrick Pringle has offered several explanations. One of them notes the fact that the French filibusters and buccaneers called the red flag “joli rouge”. When pronouncing the first word, the pirates deliberately emphasized the final vowel, adding the sound “e”. The English filibusters brought their own interpretation to the name, and in the course of evolution, “joli” became “jolly”, and “rouge” became “Roger”. Moreover, all this came together in a black flag. According to another version, the term originated in the Indian Ocean. The leader of the local pirates who sailed under the red flags had the title Ali Raja. He was called the "king of the sea." Among the English who came here, the word “Raja” turned into “Roger”, and Ali became the property of any Roger - Ally, Old or Jolly. However, it is possible that the English “roger” is etymologically related to the word “rogue” (“rogue”, “tramp”) and denoted the beginning of an independent vagabond life.

As for the skull, its appearance on the flag apparently goes back to the history of the spread and use of this sign as a symbol of death. And this was not at all the invention of pirates. The skull as an emblem of death was accepted long ago and spread to European armies of the 16th century. The captains of merchant ships used skulls and crossbones when making entries in the ship's logs, declaring the death of one of the crew members.

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The use of symbols and attributes of a “personal nature” gave a special flavor to piracy, without which it is impossible to imagine the robber world of the sea. Is it possible to talk about a sailor without talking about a tattoo? Sea signs, talismans, symbols, mysterious writings, letters - sophisticated imagination suggested thousands and thousands of different variations. On the port streets of the Old and New Worlds, the East Indies, sailors found special “salons” where masters applied tattoos that allowed their owners not only to show off in front of other crew members, but also... to hide from justice. The fact is that a tattoo, a sign of belonging to a maritime caste, in addition to aesthetic and psychological connotations, had an additional function: with its help, robbers hid eternal, indelible traces of justice - the “stigma of shame” (as defined by Cardinal de Richelieu), a mark. It was impossible to erase and destroy lilies and crowns applied with a hot iron - and then the criminals hid them among many tattoos and drawings (skulls, skeletons with braids, sabers, knives, crosses, monograms of Christ, Madonna) applied to the shoulders and forearms.

Here are a few examples of such “retouched” marks.

Rice. 1 - 3 illustrate options for hiding the signs of French justice - Bourbon lilies. In Fig. 1 “royal” flower is covered with a bunch of lightning, personifying fearlessness and power (XVII century). The mark on the left shoulder (second quarter of the 18th century) is hidden: in Fig. 2 - applied skulls; in Fig. 3 - an image of a naked beauty. In Fig. 4a - 4b shows the transformation that the mark of the Spanish Inquisition underwent (the letter “P”, from “praedo” (Latin) - “robber”, “pirate”, “robber”, crowned with the sign of the royal crown), burned on the right side of the chest, — the resulting sad composition consists of a gallows with a hanged man and a bird sitting on it.

A most interesting example is demonstrated by the tattoo in Fig. 5 - the Spanish mark (the old coat of arms of the Kingdom of Castile), supplemented at the bottom with an anchor, turned into the coat of arms of the 17th century. Spanish Admiralty. In Fig. 6 and 7 depict characteristic tattoos of sea robbers of the 17th - 18th centuries. In the first case (Fig. 6) it is a tattoo that brings good luck (wind rose, heart, anchor and two magic triangles); in the second (Fig. 7) there is a tattoo promising good luck (the sun above the ship).

Any robber, not too educated, superstitious person also associated hope for fortune, rich booty, a happy voyage and good luck in battle with the presence of amulets, various talismans, sacred totems and the practice of magical cults. There is a well-known test - a kind of rite of passage, initiation - that Teach Blackbeard conducted for new team members. They were placed in a cramped room (usually in the hold) and fumigated with sulfur, finding out how “strong” the newcomer was by the time that the sailor could withstand. One can also recall the enchanting action of “lunar sharpening” - sharpening edged weapons on the moonlight, which usually took place on the eve of military campaigns. Stupefied with narcotic potions (most often peyote was used, a narcotic substance extracted from a cactus), the robbers with drawn blades gathered in a circle and waited for the moon to rise; when the light fell on the weapon, they inflicted slight wounds on each other and did not wipe the blood off the blade. Prohibitions based on superstitious beliefs were also widespread: spitting overboard while sailing, shaving or trimming hair while sailing, taking food and drink with the left hand.

In the same row are amulets inseparably associated with sea robbery. Their number is infinite. Here are some examples (XVI - XVIII centuries):

1) An amulet that protects against a treacherous shot. Made from a lead bullet, flattened on a shell or metal part of the rigging: it was set in silver or gold and worn on a neck chain.

2) Astrological, with owner's horoscope.

3) An amulet that guarantees a happy return home,- bear tooth (earth sign).

4) Navigation amulet, promising good sailing - Neptune's anchor.

5) Amulet of Friendly Spirits— lava circle with heraldic and astrological signs and letters.

6) An amulet that protects against Indian and Negro spells,— jade turtle with the sign of the cross; worn on a cord woven from horsehair (an ancient amulet of the conquistadors).

7) Amulet against witchcraft, deception and evil spells- a gypsy amulet in the form of sechin.

8) An amulet that ensures victory in battle,— a battle hatchet with a magical pentagram.

9) Safe Navigation Amulet in the Southern Hemisphere— a shell of a mollusk with burnt signs of the Moon and the Southern Cross.

10) Amulet that removes witchcraft widespread in the Mediterranean.

11) An amulet that guarantees the wife's fidelity and good luck in love affairs,- a tuft of black goat hair.

12) Amulet against wounds and death from firearms- a bow with a string (must be woven from the hair of someone killed in battle).

13) An amulet that brings grief to the enemy - a piece of coral in the shape of a human head (the material could not be processed).

1. An amulet that protects those killed from vengeance,- a skull with the owner’s zodiac signs (in the figure - Pisces) and a point symbolizing injury.

15) An amulet that ensures victory in a shootout- Fire sword.

16) Amulet of safety - figurine of the devil, carved from a piece of ebony.

Let's name a few more magical talismans and amulets. A fragment of a bladed weapon (knife, dagger, stiletto, rapier, etc.), removed from a wound, guaranteed victory in battle (it was worn in a leather pocket near the belt). Yemeni pirates had a common talisman in the shape of the “hand of Fatma” (curiously, in Morocco it was a female talisman), Moorish pirates had lion fangs, and Algerian pirates had leopard ears.

In conclusion, let us recall another amulet, which, in our opinion, clearly characterizes the specific character of the pirate community. This is the so-called sister amulet. The sister pirates, having made incisions on the left forearm, collected a few drops of blood into vessels made from a hollowed out cactus, and added a little earth to them from the place where the whole procedure took place. The vessels were covered with wax, and the “brothers” exchanged talismans. If ever one of them received such a vessel, he had to drop all his affairs and go to the aid of his brother-friend.

Gloomy symbolism was the means by which robbers terrified their victims. The flag of death, revenge, ferocity and doom, waving over the seas, challenged the whole world. Such attributes were an integral part of the pirate world, an independent world that dared to challenge civilized society. Piracy as an isolated system, trying to isolate itself on its own exclusivity, turned into a society of doomed people, united by relationships unusual for civilization. The savagery, ferocity, cruelty and doom of these outcasts were combined with their awareness of their criminal exclusivity, a certain chosenness of people who went against the accepted laws of the society that gave birth to them. And, realizing this, the civilized, respectable world declared a ruthless war on the robbers: the corpses of those hanged at crossroads and on embankments aggravated the gloomy tone of the pirate trade, recalling the irreconcilable confrontation between the two worlds.

The underworld rose like a dark ghost over the seas. He carried a warning about what fatal destructive force lurked in the depths of human society. “Defenders of justice,” these pirate Robin Hoods, intimidating their enemies without accepting the “system,” seemed to be deliberately dooming themselves to destruction. But they themselves looked at life with different eyes. Rejecting a society based on nobility and wealth, the pirates painted for themselves a fundamentally different picture of the structure of their closed society. On pirate ships and in robber settlements, their own rules reigned. Taking upon themselves the mission of revenge for injustice, the pirates did not limit themselves to calls for destruction. The pirate ship became a symbolic cauldron in which a special social product was boiled, a kind of attempt to erect a society of social alternative. Its components were the democratic principles of democracy and egalitarian ideas of property distribution. The white flag of Libertalia fluttered above the new building.

Libertalia

The white flag of purity and freedom with the inscription “For God and Freedom” first flew over the French ship “Victoire” (“Victory”). This happened in the early 90s of the 17th century. during the French War against the League of Augsburg. In a battle with the English privateer ship Winchester in the Martinique region, Victoire prevailed.

A high price was paid for the victory - almost all the officers and about half the crew died. Only one noble officer from Provence, Lieutenant Misson, survived. With his friend, the young Italian monk Caraccioli, he approached the sailors with an offer to become pirates. But this will not be a simple robbery, said the rebel, intellectual Misson, we will carry around the world the light of the ideas of equality, human brotherhood and rid humanity of the power of gold. Caraccioli echoed him: “We are not pirates. We, free people, are fighting for the right of man to live according to the laws of God and nature. We have nothing in common with pirates, except that we seek our fortune at sea." The stunned sailors agreed. The pirate ship set off on a liberation voyage. On the ships that the robbers captured along the way, they could not recover from amazement. The pirates did not “rob”, but only took the equipment and food they needed. Gold found on captured ships went to the treasury of the future state. Only the Dutch ship carrying a cargo of slaves from Africa was seriously damaged. All captured valuables were divided equally, the liberated blacks were declared free, dressed in the clothes of the murdered Dutch and taken to their homeland. The pirates let everyone who was dissatisfied with the strange order go home. The ship of freedom wandered for a long time in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, until in 1694 it entered the deserted, deserted bay of Diego Suarez, located on the northeastern tip of the island of Madagascar. On the rocky shores of the bay, pirates built a village and announced the newly-minted republic of justice, Libertalia (Land of Freedom). A world of equal people, racial equality, a fair structure of society in which “the strong will not beat down the weak” - such “reasonable laws” guided its creators. The free city sent its ships to the ocean and invited all pirates to go to the kingdom of justice. Calls from Libertalia did not go unanswered. So, the crew of the pirate Kidd abandoned their captain and went to Madagascar. One of the leaders of the new state was the Caribbean pirate Thomas Tew, who arrived in the city of Liberty with his ship.

The inhabitants of Libertalia called themselves Liberians. Private property was abolished. The city had a common treasury, replenished through piracy. From here the funds necessary for the development of the surrounding area, urban construction and provision for the disabled were drawn. There was no money in circulation. According to legend, Libertalia citizenship was granted regardless of nationality or race. The British, the Dutch, the French, the Africans, and the Arabs lived here in equal conditions. Gambling, drunkenness, swearing and fighting were prohibited. The city was governed by the Council of Elders, re-elected every three years. The Guardian, Misson, was placed at the head of the state, Caraccioli was chosen as Secretary of State, and Tew was chosen as the great admiral, commander of the naval forces of the Republic. The “filibuster republic of equality” gradually took hold on the island. The attack of the Portuguese squadron was repulsed, the material well-being of the city grew due to successful robberies and successful colonization of the surrounding area. However, the wonderful dream came to an end when the Libertalia fleet, led by Misson, went on another raid. Warlike local tribes suddenly attacked the city, plundered it, seized the treasury and massacred all the inhabitants, leaving smoking ruins in place of the commune. Only a handful of Liberians managed to escape and, sailing away on a small boat, reached the squadron and told about the disaster. Misson and Tew (Caraccioli died in the attack on Libertalia) went to America to start all over again. But on the way their ships separated. Misson's sloop crashed off the Cape of Good Hope and the entire crew drowned. Tew sailed for several more years and was a well-known figure in the world of pirate business. We don’t know for certain how his life ended - according to one version, he died off the coast of Arabia in a battle with the ship of the Great Mogul, according to another, he was hanged by the British.

The story of the utopian pirate republic of Libertalia was told to us by the mysterious Captain Johnson. It is unknown what formed the basis of the legend of the pirate state - a talented hoax inspired by social problems and hopes for the renewal of human civilization, or real events that led to the creation of a society that seemed to embody the ideals of justice and equality. One way or another, the principles of piracy, the ideas of sea robbers about the social ideal could well turn into an attempt to create such a “society of harmony.”

The sea routes led from a society of inequality and private property - a “criminal society” - to a society of criminals, enemies of the laws governing respectable people. The injustice of modern civilization pushed thousands of adventurers in search of “truth.” Robust piracy under the black flag of intimidation has become a terrible scarecrow for the whole world. But was the white flag of the vigilante robbers a warning to the world of private property?

D. N. Kopelev

From the book “The Golden Age of Sea Robbery”

Notes

In other cases, place names ("Lancaster"), women's names ("Mary Ann"), animal names ("Black Robin" - "Black Robin"), etc. were used. The mention of bachelor life is also interesting - we have already encountered “Bechelos Delight” (“Delight of a Bachelor”) and “Bechelos Adventure” (“Bachelor’s Adventure”). There is nothing strange in this, since most pirates do not have a good personal life. Dozens of pirate ships with similar names left traders no hope of impunity. Fierce warnings rushing from the sides of pirate ships turned the ocean into a real hell, inhabited by gloomy avengers.

AVN (A Barbadians Head - Head of a Barbadian; AMN (A Martinician Head) - Head of a Martinican.

There is also no consensus among researchers on the question of the origin of black flags. It is unlikely that this is connected with the black sails of Theseus’ ship, returning from Crete after defeating the Minotaur - it is doubtful that the pirates studied ancient Greek myths and knew the secret of the hero’s agreement with the king of Athens. Most likely, in our opinion, the assumption is that the black color allowed the robbers to camouflage themselves in cloudy weather and at night.

In the 17th century officials of the French kingdom were faced with situations where there was simply nowhere to put the mark - the entire body of the condemned person was covered with intricate ornaments and tattoos. It is no coincidence that they were considering whether to put a brand on their foreheads. In fairness, we emphasize that in the Moscow state such a problem did not face justice, and the branded criminal always revealed himself when he “beat with his forehead” (removed his hat).