How would a pirate attack a ship?
The ideal pirate attack could go one of two ways. The pirates could approach their target openly, run up the Jolly Roger, and accept the ship's surrender. Or, the pirates could use smaller boats and board to the enemy ship using grappling hooks and ropes. One of the pirates would disable the ship's rudder to help prevent escape.
What happened in sail with pirates?
In the Time Machine series, the fourth book, Sail with Pirates, had the protagonist searching for a treasure ship that sank in the Caribbean and having to defeat the pirates of the region.
How did pirates capture ships in the 1700s?
Capturing was a way in which a pirate could overcome a ship by boarding, gunnery, and possibly intimidation. Another method within piracy was the "crime of opportunity." Pirates would take their time identifying a target which was easy to capture. The "easy" targets were rare whilst on the high seas.
What did pirates do with their victims?
When firing at people, pirates generally tried to take out the sailor at the ship's wheel first. When pirates successfully captured a ship, they had to deal with its crew. They could make the victims part of their own crew, kill them or sell them as slaves. Or, pirates could maroon the victims on an island, leaving them with few if any provisions.
Did pirates ever attack towns?
Did pirates ever attack/siege settlements, anything from a small village up to a city/fortrees, or did they pretty much exclusively prey on shipping lanes? Uh, yes. All the time. Some of the greatest events in the history of the Caribbean were "pirates" attacking settlements.
Did pirates attack on land?
The so-called Barbary pirates began to operate out of North African ports in Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Morocco around 1500, preying primarily on the shipping of Christian powers, including massive slave raids at sea as well as on land.
How did pirates settle disputes?
Pirates were organized criminals. As well as having crew members assigned certain duties, pirates found a way to reduce conflict among themselves and maximize profits. They used a democratic system, spelled out by written “articles of agreement,” to limit the captain's power and to keep order on board the ship.
Did pirate ships attack each other?
It wasn't uncommon for pirates to team up to take on both sea and land based targets. There are only a handful of times pirates attacked each other and even those were very restrained. If pirates actually did attack each other regularly, the pirate strongholds throughout the world wouldn't have worked.
Where do most pirate attacks occur?
Nowadays, most pirate attacks are committed in the Gulf of Guinea and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. In the last five years, between 36 and 48 attacks were carried out annually against ships in the Nigerian waters, and between 26 and 49 piracy attacks were committed in the Indonesian waters in the same period.
Were there any good pirates?
Famous pirates from this period include Henry Morgan, William 'Captain' Kidd, 'Calico' Jack Rackham, Bartholomew Roberts and the fearsome Blackbeard (Edward Teach). Though this Golden Age came to an end in the 18th century, piracy still exists today in some parts of the world, especially the South China Seas.
Did pirates actually have a code?
A pirate code, pirate articles, or articles of agreement were a code of conduct for governing pirates. A group of sailors, on turning pirate, would draw up their own code or articles, which provided rules for discipline, division of stolen goods, and compensation for injured pirates.
Who was the most feared pirate?
5 Most Terrifying Pirates Ever1 – Blackbeard. Easily the most famous buccaneer on the list and possibly the most terrifying pirate of all time, Blackbeard had a reputation of horrific magnitude in his day. ... 2 – Zheng Yi Sao. ... 3 – Black Bart. ... 4 – Ned Lowe. ... 5 – Francois L'Olonnais. ... References:
Did pirates have a bedtime?
They were then kicked off the pirate ship and set ashore alone somewhere to fend for themselves. When playing cards or dice, no money was to be exchanged or gambled. Bedtime was set at eight o'clock each night and all lights and candles had to be put out at that time.
Do pirates still hijack ships?
In early 2017, a few incidents of piracy were reported as the navies of Asian and European nations began to more actively rescue hijacked ships, including the bulk carrier OS35.. By November 2017, there were no major vessels or hostages remaining in pirate captivity....Piracy off the coast of Somalia.Date2000 – presentResultOngoing1 more row
Are cargo ships armed against pirates?
Cargo ships don't carry weapons because it is feared this would increase the likelihood of crew members getting killed or injured. Anti-piracy tactics tend to focus on preventing pirates boarding in the first place.
What did pirates do to prisoners?
One Mediterranean pirate was noted for slitting open the abdomen of a prisoner and nailing part of his intestines to a mast, then forcing him to dance until he died. Another was known for nailing prisoners' feet to the deck and beating them.
When was the last pirate attack?
On 13 March 2017, Aris 13, was hijacked by pirates in two skiffs a few miles off Alula, the northernmost town of Somalia in Puntland. It was the first hijacking of a large commercial vessel since 2012.
How common are pirate attacks?
On a worldwide scale, pirate attacks have fallen by over half in the past decade, from 445 known attacks in 2010 to 195 in 2020. The running tally kept by the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur suggests that this year's count may fall below 150, which would be the fewest attacks since 1994.
Do pirates still exist in 2022?
In 2021, there were six piracy incidents per month, a 33 percent decrease from 2019 and 2020 monthly averages. There have been five incidents per month in the first quarter of 2022.
Did pirates ever attack Charleston?
Soon after Blackbeard's blockade, another pirate, Charles Vane, attacked Charleston. After the second attack, the city was certainly on edge. Then came the Charleston native + pirate hunter, William Rhett.
How did pirates affect the Atlantic?
Those in the Atlantic were affected greatly as pirates captured, plundered, and burned "hundreds of merchant ships" with valuable cargo. However, the goal of the pirate was to rob the ship without fighting or blood loss. Pirates faced losses from "resistant victims who hid or destroyed" loot.
Where did pirates take place?
Much of the known pirate activity that took place in the Northern Atlantic was along the Eastern Seaboard of Canada and the US mainland, from Newfoundland to the Florida Keys. Newfoundland fisheries were known as recruiting areas for pirates in the early eighteenth century.
What are the pirate trials?
List of pirate trials 1 Trial of George Cusack and Crew (1676) 2 Trial of Crompton Guyther and Crew (1680) 3 Trial of Capt. William Kidd (1701) 4 Trial of the Privateer Savannah on Charge of Piracy (1861)
Why are pirates important?
Pirates and sailors are important in understanding how the Atlantic world looked and worked. Defying traditional alliances, attacking and capturing merchant vessels of all nations, pirates wreaked havoc on an emerging economic system, disrupted trade routes and created a crisis within an increasingly important system of trade centered on ...
What was the Golden Age of Piracy?
"The Golden Age of Piracy" is a term used by historians to refer to the most widespread increase of "sea banditry" on record. Although scholars agree that there was a boom in raiding and pillaging activities in the early eighteenth century, there are various schools of thought regarding the length of time that was the Golden Age. The shortest amount of time that is agreed upon is from around 1715 to 1725. The signing of the Treaty of Utrecht ended the War of Spanish Succession, ending the authorized privateering that was a part of the war and marking the beginning of the Golden Age of Piracy. Another group holds that the Golden Age was from around 1690 to about 1725. The longest definition of the Golden Age runs from 1650 to 1726, to include the buccaneers and other piracy endeavors.
Where did pirates begin?
European-based piracy of the modern era began in the "Atlantic Triangle". This common area of oceangoing commerce between Seville & Cadiz, the Azores Islands, and the northwest coast of Africa, encompassing Madeira and the Canary Islands was haunted by both European, as well as the Berber Coast pirates of North Africa throughout the sixteenth century. As consistent trade increased between Spain and Portugal and the East and West Indies, respectively, so did piracy. What Spain and Portugal would call piracy was often sponsored by, even if only at times marginally, monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth I and King Edward VI. Most popular in this era of privateers was Francis Drake. Drake raided Spanish settlements and shipping in the South Sea shores of present-day Peru, Chile, Brazil, and Venezuela, along the coasts of Central America. This era was notable for beginning somewhat regular long-term visits to the west Coast of the Americas and further to the East Indies, often after stopping in West Africa to attack slave ships or towns. Dutch merchants were active in the Caribbean, mining salt and dyewoods on the coast of Brazil. This activity lead to dozens of raids along the West Coast of the Americas and to the formation of the West India Company which had semi-legal standing as privateers. This large continuous harassment incensed Spain and put their inhabitants in fear. By the turn of the seventeenth century this vast expansion of the Dutch had formed colonies in the East Indies and soon they started feeling as well the wrath of piracy. Shortly buccaneers followed in the seventeenth century. These bandits mostly raided land settlements. They were "embittered Dutch sailors", "abandoned French colonists", "abused English, Scots, and Irish indentures."
Why were privateers sanctioned?
Privateers were sanctioned by their respective governments to raid enemy vessels. The colonization of the Atlantic saw many conflicts among the various colonizing European nations; raids by privateers was one way to gain an advantage over rivals.
Why did pirates flourish in the Caribbean?
Piracy flourished in the Caribbean because of the existence of pirate seaports such as Port Royal in Jamaica, Tortuga in Haiti, and Nassau in the Bahamas. Piracy in the Caribbean was part of a larger historical phenomenon of piracy, as it existed close to major trade and exploration routes in nearly all the five oceans.
When did pirates start in Central America?
Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The era of piracy in the Caribbean began in the 1500s and phased out in the 1830s after the navies of the nations of Western Europe and North America with colonies in the Caribbean began combating pirates.
What happened after the French destroyed Fort Caroline?
After the destruction of Fort Caroline by the Spanish, the French made no further colonization attempts in the Caribbean for several decades as France was convulsed by its own Catholic-Protestant religious divide during the late 16th century Wars of Religion.
Why were privateers important in the Caribbean?
In the Caribbean the use of privateers was especially popular for what amounted to legal and state-ordered piracy. The cost of maintaining a fleet to defend the colonies was beyond national governments of the 16th and 17th centuries. Private vessels would be commissioned into a de facto 'navy' with a letter of marque, paid with a substantial share of whatever they could capture from enemy ships and settlements, the rest going to the crown. These ships would operate independently or as a fleet, and if they were successful the rewards could be great—when Jean Fleury and his men captured Cortes' vessels in 1523, they found an incredible Aztec treasure that they were allowed to keep. Later, when Francis Drake captured the Spanish Silver Train at Nombre de Dios (Panama's Caribbean port at the time) in 1573 his crews were rich for life. This was repeated by Piet Hein in 1628, who made a profit of 12 million guilders for the Dutch West India Company. This substantial profit made privateering something of a regular line of business; wealthy businessmen or nobles would be quite willing to finance this legitimized piracy in return for a share. The sale of captured goods was a boost to colonial economies as well. The main imperial countries operating at this time and in the region were the French, English, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese. Privateers from each country were all ordered to attack the other countries' vessels, especially Spain which was a shared enemy among the other powers.
What was the only port city open to transatlantic trade in New Spain?
Veracruz, the only port city open to trans-Atlantic trade in New Spain, continued to serve the vast interior of New Spain as its window on the Caribbean. By the 17th century, the majority of the towns along the Spanish Main and in Central America had become self-sustaining.
Why did the Caribbean have a resurgence of piracy?
However, this same time period saw a resurgence of piracy in the Caribbean due to the growth of the slave trade.
What was the Caribbean colony?
The Caribbean had become a center of European trade and colonization after Columbus ' discovery of the New World for Spain in 1492. In the 1493 Treaty of Tordesillas the non-European world had been divided between the Spanish and the Portuguese along a north–south line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.
What Was a Pirate Ship?
A pirate ship is defined as any vessel whose sailors and crew are engaged in piracy. Thus, anything from a raft or canoe to a massive frigate or man of war could be considered a pirate vessel. Pirates could and did use very small boats, even canoes when nothing else was at hand.
Why did pirates trade ships?
Most pirates simply traded ships when they captured one that was more seaworthy than the one they had been using. Sometimes brave pirates could steal ships: "Calico Jack" Rackham was cornered by Spanish gunships one night when he and his men rowed over to a sloop the Spanish had captured.
What are the three things that a pirate ship needs?
A good pirate ship needed three things: it needed to be seaworthy, fast, and well-armed. Seaworthy ships were especially necessary for the Caribbean, where devastating hurricanes are a yearly occurrence. Since the best ports and harbors were usually off-limits to pirates, they often had to ride out storms at sea.
Why did Blackbeard and Sam Bellamy need to be well armed?
It was also necessary to outrun pirate hunters and navy ships. They needed to be well-armed in order to win fights. Blackbeard, Sam Bellamy, and Black Bart Roberts had massive gunboats and were very successful. Smaller sloops had advantages as well, however.
Why did pirates change the rigging of their ships?
The pirates usually changed the rigging or ship’s structure so that the ship would sail faster. Cargo spaces were converted into living or sleeping quarters, as pirate ships usually had more men (and less cargo) onboard than merchant's vessels.
How do pirates get new ships?
When pirates got a new ship, by stealing one or by swapping their existing ship out for a better one belonging to their victims, they usually made some changes. They would mount as many cannons on the new ship as they could without significantly slowing her down.
What was the Golden Age of Piracy?
During the so-called "Golden Age" of piracy (roughly 1700-1725) , thousands of pirates terrorized shipping lanes all over the world, particularly in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These ruthless men (and women) needed good ships to be able to run down their prey and escape from pirate hunters and navy vessels.
Why did Laffite interrupt his pirate activity?
In 1814, Laffite famously interrupted his pirate activity to play an unlikely role in the War of 1812. After receiving an offer from the British—who hoped to use Barataria as a point of access to New Orleans—Laffite instead offered his services to the United States in exchange for clemency for his past misdeeds.
Who offered a pardon to pirates who surrendered?
Governor Rogers offered a pardon to any pirates who surrendered—some, like Benjamin Hornigold, even became pirate hunters—but he showed little mercy to those who resisted. In December 1718, he sent a chilling message to unrepentant buccaneers when he executed a band of convicted pirates in Nassau.
What was the main island in the Caribbean in the 1600s?
3. Tortuga. In the early 1600s, the rocky island of Tortuga served as the chief stronghold of a motley group of adventurers, thieves and escaped slaves who preyed on Spanish treasure ships in the Caribbean.
What was the most famous port of call for thieves?
Take a tour through some of history’s most notorious pirate havens, and meet the swashbuckling marauders who helped build them. Author: Evan Andrews. 1. Port Royal. During the “Golden Age of Piracy” in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Port Royal, Jamaica stood as one of the most popular ports of call for thieves, ...
What happened to Port Royal in 1720?
By 1720, the town had begun to clean up its act and its “Gallows Point” became a notorious site for pirate hangings. Among countless others, buccaneers like the ruthless Charles Vane and the flamboyant “Calico” Jack Rackham would eventually meet their end in Port Royal. 2. St.
Where did the most successful buccaneers trade?
Mary’s Island. Peg-legged pirates and swashbuckling sea captains are usually associated with the Caribbean, but many of the most successful buccaneers plied their trade in the Indian Ocean.
Where did the Corsairs live in the 16th century?
Clew Bay. The west coast of Ireland might not seem like prime pirate territory, but in the 16th century the rugged shores of Clew Bay served as the stronghold for of one of history’s most formidable lady corsairs.
Who was the pirate that attacked the Spanish port of Portobello?
Howard Pyle / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. Captain Henry Morgan , a very clever pirate, is the only one to appear on this list twice. On July 10, 1668, the legendary Captain Morgan and a small army of buccaneers attacked the unsuspecting Spanish port of Portobello.
Who was the first pirate to arrive in the Spanish camp?
First to arrive was Captain Henry Jennings (among whose men was a promising young pirate named Charles Vane), who promptly sacked the Spanish salvage camp, making off with £87,000 worth of silver without firing a shot. 07. of 10.
What was Drake's ship called?
Sir Francis Drake had many famous exploits against the Spanish and it's hard to name just one, but his taking of the treasure ship Nuestra Señora de la Concepción has to rank right up there on anyone's list. The Concepción was a powerful ship, nicknamed "Cacafuego" (in English "Fireshitter") by its crew.
What was the name of the ship that Avery sacked?
In July of 1695, only about a year after leading a mutiny which led to his becoming a pirate and acquiring a ship, Avery caught up with the Ganj-i-Sawai, the treasure ship of the Moghul Prince of India, which he promptly attacked and sacked. It was one of the single richest hauls in the history of piracy.
What happened to the pirates in 2020?
The life of a pirate was a hard one: they were hanged if caught, they had to fight and torture victims to find their treasure, and discipline could be harsh. Piracy could occasionally pay off, though…sometimes big time! Here are 10 defining moments from the age of piracy .
What did Blackbeard blockade?
Jappalang / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. In April of 1718, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach realized that the wealthy port of Charleston was basically undefended. He parked his massive warship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, just outside of the harbor entrance.
What was the name of the ship that Drake sailed from Panama to Spain?
It carried treasure regularly from Peru to Panama, from where it would be shipped to Spain. Drake, in his ship Golden Hind, caught up with the Concepción on March 1, 1579.
How did pirates control their ships?
Pirates and sailors had some control over all of these factors. They could periodically beach their ship and careen the hull by scraping the barnacles from it. They could also abandon, sell or store unneeded cargo. Skilled sailors knew how to get the most power from their sails as well.
What did pirates do to their victims?
When pirates successfully captured a ship, they had to deal with its crew. They could make the victims part of their own crew, kill them or sell them as slaves. Or, pirates could maroon the victims on an island, leaving them with few if any provisions. In addition, raids on ports and other settlements often involved torture, murder and kidnapping for ransom.
How did pirates get killed?
Pirates could be similarly violent when dealing with the crews of their own ships. Many codes of conduct listed death as the punishment for crimes like stealing or smuggling women on board. Another punishment was keelhauling, in which the offending pirate was tied to a rope and dragged under the keel of the boat. Keelhauling usually resulted in death by drowning, and the barnacles attached to the hull of the ship could rip the offending pirate's skin and clothing to shreds. Walking the plank, however, is a literary invention, not an actual pirating practice.
Why did pirates want to plunder ships?
When it came to attacking an enemy ship, pirates preferred to get up-close and personal. Pirates wanted to plunder ships before sinking them. Pirates needed to be able to plunder ships before they sank or to keep the ship rather than sinking it. This, in addition to their cannons' inherent dangerousness, made ship-to-ship battles risky. Pirates instead liked to intimidate their victims into surrendering or board the enemy ship and fight hand to hand on the deck.
Why do ships use sails and oars?
Through much of history, ships used sails and oars for power. For this reason, it may seem impossible for one ship to catch up to another -- after all, they're using the same wind. But a number of factors can affect a ship's speed, including:
Overview
History
European-based piracy of the modern era began in the "Atlantic Triangle". This common area of oceangoing commerce between Seville & Cadiz, the Azores Islands, and the northwest coast of Africa, encompassing Madeira and the Canary Islands was haunted by both European, as well as the Berber Coast pirates of North Africa throughout the sixteenth century. As consistent trade increased between Spain and Portugal and the East and West Indies, respectively, so did piracy. …
Background
Pirates and sailors are important in understanding how the Atlantic world looked and worked. Defying traditional alliances, attacking and capturing merchant vessels of all nations, pirates wreaked havoc on an emerging economic system, disrupted trade routes and created a crisis within an increasingly important system of trade centered on the Atlantic world. They were ready and willing pa…
Geographic area
Pirates, during what is called the "Golden Age of Piracy" of the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century operated on a truly global scale.
Most of the pirates known during this period originated from Europe. Much of the known pirate activity that took place in the Northern Atlantic was along the Eastern Seaboard of Canada and the US mainland, from Newfoundland to the …
Pirate demographics
Geographically, they "left behind little or no property and few documents by their own hands." Most of the pirates were from England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Of that population approximately one-quarter were linked to British port cities like Bristol, Liverpool, and Plymouth. Approximately one-quarter of the populations were associated with men of the West Indies and North America. …
Becoming a pirate
Hans Turley argues mutiny was common on long voyages and often discipline was brutal if captains heard discussions of revolt even though these actions were a serious offense due to the "direct assault on the order – thus the status quo – on a seagoing vessel." Turley also argues that the "temptations to turn pirate" centered on the opportunities for employment and profit; and therefore …
The life of a pirate
Pirates were outlaw sailors, but that doesn't mean they didn't have their own form of government aboard their ships. The wooden world of piracy was very much structured when it came to shipboard relations. Suffice to say, this structure did not mimic the oppression of a naval ship sailing under the king's crown, "They wanted leadership by example, not leadership by ascribed status …
"Enemies of all mankind"
The scourge of the high seas pirates were cast as "hostis humani generis", a term which was derived from Roman law. This title was rendered onto them in part by Sir Edward Coke in his effort to renovate existing legislation which dealt with piracy. As a consequence of this label, a British Admiralty Judge by the name of Sir Charles Hedges would issue a sweeping proclamation which woul…
Overview
The era of piracy in the Caribbean began in the 1500s and phased out in the 1830s after the navies of the nations of Western Europe and North America with colonies in the Caribbean began combating pirates. The period during which pirates were most successful was from the 1660s to 1730s. Piracy flourished in the Caribbean because of the existence of pirate seaports such as Port Royal i…
Causes
Pirates were often former sailors experienced in naval warfare. In the 16th century, pirate captains recruited seamen to loot European merchant ships, especially the Spanish treasure fleets sailing from the Caribbean to Europe. The following quote by an 18th-century Welsh captain shows the motivations for piracy:
History
In the early 17th century, expensive fortifications and the size of the colonial garrisons at the major Spanish ports increased to deal with the enlarged presence of Spain's competitors in the Caribbean, but the treasure fleet's silver shipments and the number of Spanish-owned merchant ships operating in the region declined. Additional problems came from shortage of food supplies be…
Rules of piracy
Aboard a pirate vessel things were fairly democratic and there were "codes of conduct" that reflect modern laws. Some of these rules consisted of a dress code, no women, and some ships had no smoking. The rules, the punishment for breaking them, and even the staying arrangements would be decided among everyone going on the ship before departure, which was a very abstract process compared to the strict rules and procedures onboard European warships and merchant…
Early and Golden Age pirates
Born in Vatteville and financed by shipowner Jean Ango, French privateer Jean Fleury was Spain's nemesis. In 1522, he captured seven Spanish vessels. One year later most of Montezuma's Aztec treasure fell into his hands after he captured two of the three galleons in which Cortez shipped the fabled booty back to Spain. He was captured in 1527 and executed by order of Holy Roman …
Privateers
In the Caribbean the use of privateers was especially popular for what amounted to legal and state-ordered piracy. The cost of maintaining a fleet to defend the colonies was beyond national governments of the 16th and 17th centuries. Private vessels would be commissioned into a de facto 'navy' with a letter of marque, paid with a substantial share of whatever they could capture from ene…
Buccaneers
Pirates involved specifically in the Caribbean were called buccaneers. Roughly speaking, they arrived in the 1630s and remained until the effective end of piracy in the 1730s. The original buccaneers were settlers that were deprived of their land by "Spanish authorities" and eventually were picked up by white settlers. The word "buccaneer" is actually from the French boucaner, meaning "to smoke meat", from the hunters of wild oxen curing meat over an open fire. They tra…
Slave pirates
Many slaves, primarily from places in Africa, were being exported to colonies in the Caribbean for slave labour on plantations. Out of the people that were forced into slavery and shipped off to colonies in the years from 1673 to 1798, approximately 9 to 32 percent were children (this number only considers the exports of British slavers). While on the average 12-week journey to the colonies, the new slaves endured ghastly living conditions that included cramped spaces too sm…