There’s so much mythology surrounding pirates thanks to modern entertainment.
Yet these swash-buckling, rum-drinking criminals of the sea are far more than what films made them out to be (yes, they still exist, but in a different form).
Pirates had traditions, superstitions, and even a code of law that varied from captain to ship. Make no mistake about it, pirates did indeed steal and kill to survive.
Read on to learn more thing you probably didn’t know about these sea bandits.
1. Pirate earrings protected their hearing
It was a tense atmosphere, especially when they encountered another ship.
So pirates would hang wads of wax from their earrings which they could then stuff in their ears to muffle any loud sounds.
2. Pirates were insured
The idea was that everyone would have a fund they could depend on when injured. It all depended on how much they were willing to give in the first place.
We’re pretty sure it didn’t always work this way, but there’s written evidence that it took place on some ships.
3. Earrings served as part of the insurance policy for burial
They may spend their lives on the water but not a single one wanted to sink to the bottom when death came. Not in Davy Jones’ Locker.
As it turns out, those shiny earrings served as insurance which could be used to pay for a casket and other burial expenses, with some even preferring to be buried in their homeland.
4. They practiced gay marriage
Pirates lived their lives surrounded by other men so it’s no surprise that some of them got intimate and shared feelings towards each other.
Pirates made same-sex relations legal with a practice called matelotage. It’s a French word possibly connected to the root of the greeting “Ahoy mate.”
The two men would share their loot, even receiving death benefits.
5. The “Bloody Red” flag
Ships used flags to communicate with other ships. Yet not even the baddest pirate wanted to see that red flag.
That meant that no mercy was to be given to enemies and prisoners. That was a sign for captives to abandon ship – if they could.
6. Pirates also made money by taking hostages
Even Julius Caesar was once held ransom by pirates!
His ransom was 20 talents, even though the Roman VIP insisted he was worth 50! Eventually, Caesar got his revenge, crucifying his captors for the glory of Rome.
7. Blackbeard’s facial hair needed hemp
Edward Teach had the reputation as the baddest of them all. And hemp was part of his image (yep, you read that right).
His ship was the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and the way he terrorized other ships made him the stuff of legend.
But part of his ploy to look scary was to weave hemp into his beard and under his hat, which he’d then light on fire, making smoke billow from his face. That was before he’d draw a pistol or sword.
8. Eye patches helped with night vision
It is true that some pirates would lose an eye. Living such a dangerous life full of illegal activities would eventually cost a pirate. But some wore patches for another reason.
Pirates would cover one eye to help them see at night. Adjusting from light to dark and back could mean the loss of loot or death.
And if you’ve had enough rum before, you might notice that closing one eye makes things less blurry.
9. They drank to try and avoid disease
Naturally, the pirates copied the formula, this time adding lemon and sugar. It tasted better and made their lives a bit more bearable at sea. (And the lemon helped them avoid scurvy.)
10. Treasure wasn’t always buried
William Kidd hid his loot off the coast of Long Island. But a former ally found his loot, dug it up, and used it as evidence against his former friend.
11. Earrings and superstitions
Pirates loved their earrings and were quite superstitious about their hoops. And there were lots of myths and tales about those hoops.
From curing bad eyesight to preventing seasickness, pirates even believed gold earrings prevented drowning.
Of course, none of their tall tales ever proved to be true.
12. They preferred stealing liquor and weapons
Pirates stole necessities and whatever else helped them survive. Food, alcohol, and weapons, wood, clothes, and even kitchenware were of practical use, so any ship they came across was fair game if it looked well-stocked.
Only one shipwreck revealed real riches. The Whydah Gally is the world’s only authenticated pirate ship, and it was found off the coast of Cape Cod in 1984, 260 years after it went missing to be exact. And it was full of coins.
13. There were lady pirates
Women had swords and sailed ships out on the seas as well.
Anne Bonny and Mary Read sailed on the ship Revenge in 1720. Anne Bonny served as the first mate while Mary Read dressed as a man to hide her identity.
But they were eventually captured and sent to jail. There, Bonny blamed the captain, Calico Jack, telling him, “Sorry to see you there, but if you’d fought like a man, you would not have been hang’d like a Dog.”
He was executed, but she earned a stay of execution because she was pregnant. There is no record of her execution.
14. Famous pirates weren’t that successful
Museum curator David Moore made a great point: the famous pirates are the ones who got caught.
The whole point of their criminal affairs was to escape and live off of others loot. Moore says, “The reason many [pirates] became famous was because they were captured and tried before an Admiralty court. Many of these court proceedings were published, and these pirates’ exploits became legendary. But it’s the ones who did not get caught who were the most successful in my book.”
15. The Jolly Roger had many variations
The skull and crossbones might be the most famous pirate flag, but there are other versions of that banner.
Blackbeard himself had his own version, featuring a skeleton toasting the devil while spearing a bleeding heart.
Other pirates had red skeletons, hourglasses, or even men standing on skulls. Some had multiple skulls, others had more detailed swords, or even a cup.
16. Marooning was real
Pirates did leave enemies and prisoners on small lands in the middle of nowhere as punishment.
Marooning meant a slow, agonizing death. Disgraced pirates who violated the ship’s rules or attempted to betray the captain were marooned.
All they were left with was clothes, some water, and a weapon.
Suicide was an option, but it was considered cowardly. It was rare for a marooned pirate to be rescued.
17. Some pirates were part of normal society
Sure, they were pretty much crooks on ships preying on innocent sailors and villages. But pirates could still participate in land activities requiring social interactions with innocent folk. Some of them at least.
Scholar Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos found records of prominent pirates, contributing as “prominent members of Colonial society.”
One such pirate was Captain Kidd, who helped found Trinity Episcopal Church. He even had a personal pew for himself and his family.
18. The plank was mostly a myth
It’s mostly Hollywood that’s responsible for that idea that pirates made people walk the plank. They had many other methods of torture. And if an execution was in order, it was done swiftly.
The most common method of torture was keelhauling. The victim would be thrown in the water and dragged underneath the boat with a rope. If the person didn’t die, they were sure to be maimed.
19. Hooks and wooden pegs were the real deal
Those makeshift appendages could also be a sign of loyalty, often being given to them by the captain or crew as compensation for loss of limb.
20. Maps were as precious as treasure
Pirates would take anything and everything they could find, but maps were really valuable to them. A Spanish atlas from 1680 was “extremely valuable pirate booty” that “overjoyed” pirates when they took it. This was written about in detailed journals.
Maps, charts, and descriptions of different places filled the manuscript. And for pirates at sea, that information was equivalent to today’s Google Maps.
21. Pirates had a special diet
Food onboard had to last them for a long time, so pirates relied on cured meats and fermented vegetables. There certainly weren’t any animals to provide them with milk, eggs, or fresh meat.
22. Pirates had rules to follow
Most rules are related to disciplinary practices and the splitting of loot.
What’s more surprising is a curfew. Captain Bartholomew “Black Bart” Roberts drafted a code saying, “the lights and candles [are] to be put out at eight o’clock at night; if any of the crew, after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they were to do it on the open deck.”
23. Ships had forms of entertainment
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