Pirate Life

Various pirate info and facts, pirate ships, and features

The crew structure, code of conduct, life at sea, wealth and plunder, pursuit and punishment, and pirate havens characterized pirate life. While the pirate life has been romanticized in books, movies, and other media, it was a harsh, dangerous, and often short-lived existence for those who chose it. Here you can read everything about pirate culture and lifestyle. What makes them so interesting and how they are affecting today's society. This section covers everything from pirate ships to pirate drinks.

Edward Teach - Early Life of Blackbeard

Edward Teach was born around the year 1680 in Bristol, England. Although not much is known about the early life of Edward Teach, that part of his life played an important role in shaping him into Blackbeard, the most feared pirate on the Caribbean seas.

Blackbeard's Death

Events that occurred during the last day of Blackbeard's life. These are some facts about one of the biggest sea battles in Caribbean history.

Blackbeard's Flag

Blackbeard's flag repesented a skeleton spearing the bleeding heart with one hand, and toasting the devil with another. Motives for flying such a flag was meant to intimidate enemies. This flag is often called the "Jolly Roger."

Picture Of Queen Anne's Revenge - Benjamin Hornigold's La Concorde

Blackbeard's Ship - Queen Anne's Revenge

Queen Anne's Revenge, originally named Concord, was a frigate, most famously used as a flagship by the pirate Blackbeard. Even he used the ship for less than a year he captured numerous prizes. Read more about Blackbeard's ship here.

Mary Ormond - Blackbeard's Wife

Mary Ormond was the only official wife of famous pirate captain Blackbeard, although it is believed that he had 14 wives during his life. It is not much documented about Marry Ormond, which suggest that she was not part of Blackbeard pirate life.

Interesting Facts about Blackbeard

Blackbeard is without the doubt one of the most popular pirates of all time, and because of that his life and exploits were put under largest spotlight throughout the history. Here you can find many interesting facts about Blackbeard.

Flogging

Flogging is method of punishment by beating the human body with particular implements such as lashes, whips, switches, rods, etc. Flogging was one of the most common punishments Navy sailors from many countries received during the Age of Sail. Since many of the pirates served in the Navy, they tended to avoid flogging as punishment during their pirate service.

Picture Of Flag Of Pirate Edward England

Jolly Roger Flag

The age of pirates is today remembered by the romanticized pirate battles, their gear and almost always by the ominous black flags they proudly showcased during their pirate raids. Here is the full history of the Jolly Roger flag.

Keelhauling

Keelhauling represent a method of punishment or execution, once practiced out to sailors at sea. Every pirate and Navy sailor feared the most horrific, brutal and sadistic torture technique that ever existed in the Age of Sail.

Letters Of Marque

Article about written permissions, which allowed capturing and destroying property belonging to a certain group or nation.

Sea Shanties

Pirate Shanties have become an integral part of a modern pirate myth, but historical records tell a much different tale that spans the time from between mid-16th all the way up to mid-20th century. Read more about pirate songs.

Walking the Plank

Walking the plank is a popular term that represent a method of torture and execution on sea ships. Out of many forms of torture and execution that modern public associates with the pirate age, none is more popular than “walking the plank”.

Picture Of Pirates Fighting To Be The Captain

Who is Who on the Ship?

What are the roles and positions on pirate ships? Here you can read about duties and the commands chain used on most pirate ships.

Pirate Code

To fully become members of the pirate crew, new recruits had to sign a document and swore an oath of allegiance. This piece of pirate history was actually true, and pirate code was used on almost every pirate ships during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Pirate Costumes

Pirate costumes in modern pop culture do not represent how pirates looked when they were hunting their prey on the seas of Atlantic, many centuries ago. Their often subdued and rugged clothes were more flamboyant than regular naval crews worn during that time but was nowhere near close to the fashion style that is today closely connected with pirate lifestyle.

Pirate Drinks

Article devoted to pirates favorite alcoholic drinks.

Pirate Flags

Article reveals why pirates flags were called Jolly Roger, why pirates used them and some examples of real pirate flags.

Pirate Myths

In this article we will try to extract some popular myths and facts from fiction about pirate and pirate life.

Pirate Names

The most famous pirates are known by their descriptive names. Many pirate nicknames often incorporated a physical trait or characteristic of their personality. Find out why pirates adopted nicknames and read about some interesting origins of fictional pirate names!

Pirate Slang

Want to talk like a pirate? Learn a few basic phrases from this text.

Davy Jones

"Truth" behind the name of Davy Jones.

Pirate Features

Basic information about pirate features.

10 Most Successful Pirate Captains

Find out who were most successful pirate captains in History of Piracy.

Famous Pirate Ships

Find out which pirate ships were most famous in History of Piracy

Pirate Ships - Info

Information about pirate ships during 17th and 18th century.

Ideal Pirate Ship

How pirates acquired ships, and which type of ships they preferred.

Rigging

Article describes basic ways that pirate ships were rigged.

Ship Parts

Parts of the typical pirate ship.

Pirate Ships - Types

Different types of pirate ships during 17th and 18th century.

Bark

Pirate Ship - Bark, pictures and main characteristics.

Brig, Brigantine

Pirate Ship - Brig, pictures and main characteristics.

Caravel

Pirate Ship - Caravel, pictures and main characteristics.

Carrack

Pirate Ship - Carrack, pictures and main characteristics.

Dutch Flute

Pirate Ship - Dutch Flute, pictures and main characteristics.

Frigate

Pirate Ship - Frigate, pictures and main characteristics.

Galleon

Pirate Ship - Galleon, pictures and main characteristics.

Galley

Pirate Ship - Galley, pictures and main characteristics.

Schooner

Pirate Ship - Schooner, pictures and main characteristics.

Ship of the Line

Pirate Ship - Ship-of-the-Line, pictures and main characteristics.

Sloop

Pirate Ship - Sloop, pictures and main characteristics.

Snow

Pirate Ship - Snow, pictures and main characteristics.

Pirate Weapons

Different types of weapons used by pirates during 17th and 18th century.

Types of Pirate Weapons

Pirate warfare in 16th and 17th century evolved many types of pirate weapons and ammunition types, ranging from small hand weapons to the largest cannons that could even attack fortified structures on land.

Cutlass

A cutlass is a short sword or sabre, which has a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge. Historically, the cutlass was without any doubt the most popular bladed weapon that was used in the age of sail, by merchants, navy sailors, and pirates. Learn more about its history and usage here.