Pirates – sea and river robbers, existing as long as there is navigation. In the modern world, the appearance of pirates is often overgrown with romantic details, representing them as such dashing and free conquerors of the seas, but the story reads another ..
Piracy appeared simultaneously with navigation.
Despite everything, pirates exist and now.
Today, to raise a pirate flag over a ship is a serious crime.
Contrary to the conventional stereotype, pirates did not always raise a black flag with a skull and bones, more often pirate ships did not raise the flag at all. Later, when the black flag began to associate steadfastly with pirates, it was sometimes raised before the attack to demoralize the command of the victim ship.
In Russia, river pirates were called ushkuynikami. However, ushkuyniki not only pirated, but also traded.
Corsairs and filibusters were privateers, that is, “pirates with a license.”
On most pirate ships, there was always a severe discipline, and alcohol was banned.
The most famous ports, loyal to the pirates – Tortuga and Port Royal. Both of them were in the Caribbean Sea.
Myths about pirate treasures still haunt many people.
Pirate Bartholomew Roberts over three years has captured more than four hundred ships.
There are mentions that the famous pirate Black Beard weaved into his beard smoldering fired wicks in order to plunge opponents into horror.
Francis Drake is another famous pirate, to whom the world owes a huge amount of geographical discoveries.
Many pirates, even very poor, wore precious earrings in their ears to serve as a kind of payment for a normal funeral in the event of the death of a pirate. Also among pirates there was an opinion that pierced ears contribute to a more acute vision.
British submariners from the Second World War have an unspoken tradition, returning to the port after a successful military operation, to lift a pirate flag over the submarine.
September 19 is the unofficial International Day of the Pirate.
In the 17-18 centuries piracy was considered one of the most serious crimes.
A stereotype “walk on the board” is a myth.
In 2011, scientists managed to find the ship of the above-mentioned captain of the Black Beard – his once horrifying ship “Queen Anne’s Revenge”.
Among the pirates, there were indeed prosthetic feet and hands in the form of wooden sticks and steel hooks. Piracy has always been a dangerous profession, and there were no other prostheses then.
In addition to the general share after a successful attack, the pirates always received additional compensation for injuries and injuries. The pirate, who lost his limb, for example, could quite easily settle on the shore and do some work.
Most pirates used nicknames instead of names, as it helped to hide from justice.
The ship’s carpenter usually received less than all others, as he did not participate in battles. The captain of a pirate vessel usually received ten times more than a normal sailor.
