Facts Ahoy
Sunday
While piracy is nearly as old as ocean vessels themselves, most modern pirate associations come from the period from 1650-1720, often called “The Golden Age of Piracy.” An estimated 5,000 pirates were active during this time.
Monday
Many terms for pirates used interchangeably today are technically different. “Pirate” is the most generic term, as is “brigand.” A “buccaneer” was a pirate of Central America’s Pacific Coast or the Caribbean, a “corsair” worked the Mediterranean, and a “privateer” was a pirate with papers, that is, a private ship with official authority to raid a rival nation’s ships and settlements.
Tuesday
The image of pirates’ doomed prisoners “walking the plank” was more a creation of adventure fiction writers than reality. Real pirates simply threw unwanted prisoners overboard.
Wednesday
In popular culture, the black & white skull-and-crossbones pirate flag, AKA “Jolly Roger,” regularly flies above the menacing ships. In reality, pirate flagging was more complex. Pirates often flew false flags of nations to gain the trust of nearby vessels, or raise the pirate flag only at the last minute. Also, a red flag would indicate no mercy would be shown to those who resisted, while a black one indicated the pirates might negotiate.
Thursday
Pirates were a surprisingly democratic bunch. They chose their captain, made major decisions, and resolved disputes all with majority votes. This contrasted sharply with the rigid command structure of merchant and military vessels of the time, and indeed many pirates endured unpleasant previous careers on such ships.
Friday
The notion of buried pirate treasure marked on a map with an X is also more myth than reality, aided by the great success of Robert Louis Stevenson’s book Treasure Island. Though there were a few cases of real-life buried treasure, pirates were more likely to divide their spoils on the spot and spend it soon after on wild carousals.
Saturday
Piracy is still happening, particularly off the coasts of lower income countries with weaker law enforcement. Though not the only piracy hot spot, it spiked in Somalia following a civil war in the early 1990s and remains a threat to foreign vessels.