Stories about the adventures of pirates impressed people in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Even 300 years later the stories about long John Silver, captain Hook and Jack Sparrow are still popular as ever. But whether these fictional characters are just like real pirates.
Whether buried treasure marked with an “X” on the map, and the wind fluttered a black flag with a skull and crossbones?
If the officers of the Royal Navy and the leaders of the pirates were fighting in deadly battles against each other?
It turns out, Yes.
But in reality, the life of pirates was even more amazing than the one you saw on the big screen.
I – a gentleman of fortune and catch her
Henry Avery was a sailor on Board a merchant vessel and knew firsthand about the hardships of the life of ordinary sailors. The captains and owners of merchant ships are very badly treated by the sailors. They were given meager rations, they were deceived in the payment of wages, often fed spoiled food.
Further so could not proceed. In 1694 Avery are gathered around other sailors, promising them freedom, wealth and fame. Landed the captain and several of his supporters on the Dinghy team captured the ship and went to sea, under a pirate flag.
Soon they met at sea, the ship, owned by the Indian Emperor. On the ship the team found a lot of gold, silver, jewels and ivory. Avery caught the tail of luck, and every member of his team received at one time as much money as they would have received for 20 years of service aboard a merchant vessel.
Naval forces of the world hunted for pirates, but Avery bribed the Governor of the Bahamas, left him his ship and the smaller ship returned to Europe.
Landed ashore in Ireland, he said goodbye to the team. Further traces of it are lost in history, but rumors and myths about his future a lot.
The fate of the pirates and the pirate flag
Authorities in every way fought against piracy and spread everywhere the news of the terrible fate that has befallen many pirates. Stories about the apprehension and punishment of pirates was full of gruesome details. This was done specifically to intimidate people to discourage them to become pirates. It was also necessary to destroy the aura of romanticism surrounding pirates. But some of these horror stories were not exaggerated.
“Black Sam” Bellamy, for example, was a rising star in the world of pirates of the “Golden age”. He called himself the “Robin hood of the seas” and earned a reputation as invincible. Already at the age of 26 he was the captain of my own ship and the most terrible man who was the terror of all who sailed in the waters around North and South America.
In 1717 in the area of Cape cod, Bellamy was caught in a storm. His ship was carried to the shore and run into the shallows, he turned over and sank with all the treasure on Board. About 160 people were killed, including the captain. In the newspaper of those days claimed that God punished him because he became a pirate.
There is even the infamous story of Jack Rachel. How Jack was rather unfortunate. He was captured quite easily in 1720 and hanged. But his flag had a different fate. This flag with a skull and crossbones, Jolly Roger, still know as the symbol of piracy. The black flag with the attributes of death was terrifying, and many of the ships surrendered without a fight at the mercy of the pirates.
Women pirates
Rackham famous for the fact that his team had two women – Mary read and Anne Bonny, the only known female pirates of the era.
Women on sailing ships of that time could be just passengers, but women sailors were extremely rare, as it was believed that the woman on the ship is in trouble.
Reid and Bonnie were also convicted of piracy and hung. But knowing that pregnant women are not sent to the gallows, the two women seduced the guards, when they were in captivity, and became pregnant, escaped the common fate of the team.
Blackbeard
Edward teach, nicknamed Blackbeard was an English pirate, in robbery in the Caribbean sea area in the years 1713-1718.
Blackbeard was not the most successful pirate, but he knew how to inspire terror by its very menacing look. He has woven in his beard glow wicks and during the battle, rushed on Board the captured ship literally in the fire and smoke. At the sight of such a monster many sailors surrendered immediately.
Blackbeard died in a fierce fight with the British Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
There is a mystery associated with the name of Black Beard – the disappearance of his ship’s log, where the captain recorded all the important events – the names of the robbed ships and information about the captured treasure.
Who knows, maybe the magazine even was a map with the mark “X” indicating the place where treasures are hidden.
But those who secretly took possession of the magazine is long dead, and dead men tell no tales.
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