Pirate ships are real. Ship names

Maynard ordered the surviving sailors to take cover on the lower deck and began to dump everything they could overboard in order to lighten the ship. The other two ships were hastily relieved as well. Maynard set up two ladders by which his sailors could quickly climb up. Blackbeard thought the enemy still outnumbered him. A shot from a swivel gun shot down a jib on the Adventure. The pirate ship was firmly aground. Meanwhile, Jane managed to refloat and moved towards the pirate ship. Blackbeard ordered hand grenades to be thrown. But the losses were minimal, as the English sailors were in hiding. The pirates threw their boarding hooks and tried to board the sloop. At that moment, covered sailors jumped out of the hold. In the ensuing skirmish, Blackbeard himself and ten of his sailors perished. The rest of the pirates were taken prisoner. With the death of Blackbeard, the threat of piracy in the region disappeared.

Finally, in early 1721, the pirate Bartholomew Roberts captured the large frigate Onslow, which belonged to the Royal African Campaign. In The Life of Captain Roberts, Johnson reports how he remade the captured trophy for Roberts:

“Pirates adapted Onslow to their needs. They demolished the superstructures, leveling the deck, making the ship suitable for sea robbery. The pirates named the ship Royal Fortune and armed it with 40 guns.

Thus, we got a fairly intelligible idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat the conversion of the ship by pirates was. Firstly, the pirates demolished all temporary superstructures in which additional cargo was transported. The large free deck made it possible to place more artillery on it. During that period, merchant ships usually carried cannons only on the upper deck. Pirates cut through additional gun ports in the sides. Pirates who espoused ideas of equality also demolished the bulkheads of most of the cabins, leaving a single captain's cabin aft. The lack of cabins also increased the interior space of the ship at the bow and stern.

Pirates could go for an even more radical alteration. Roberts and Lowther made their ships "straight from bow to stern". That is, they cut off the forecastle and poop, making it so that the deck of the ship went exactly from bow to stern. Even on small sloops and brigantines, not to mention frigates, the aft superstructure occupied most of the deck. All elements of decorations that had no practical value were also removed from the ship. As a result, the deck of the ship was adapted to carry powerful artillery and a large boarding team. Pirates transferred all the artillery from the old ship to the new one. On the Onslow/Royal Fortune, the guns were on both the main deck and the cleared upper deck. As a result, a large ship turned into a formidable combat unit. Smaller ships such as the Pearl/Royal James and Gambia Castle/Delivery were not armed on the lower deck, but gun ports were added on the upper deck. Several guns were placed in the direction forward and backward along the way, since the absence of superstructures made it possible to do this.

Fight between an English pirate ship (left) and a Spanish galleon, 1670s Notice how different these two ships are.

The English pirate ship Sgnet of the late 17th century carried direct sailing weapons. It was armed with 12 large and 6 swivel guns and a crew of 150.

Finally, from the survey reports of captured pirate ships, it follows that the pirates also changed the rigging of the ship. The purpose of the redesign was also to increase the speed of the ship and free up space. Latin sails were changed to straight ones, the mizzen mast was often cut down, while moving the main mast further aft. For example. brigs and shnyavs differed from brigantines in direct sailing, which was preferred by pirates. The pirates did not feel a lack of materials; everything they needed, they could capture at sea.

Thus, Johnson reports that Bartholomew Roberts captured the London ship Samuel, finding on it "sails, cannons, gunpowder, ropes, and 8,000 or 9,000 pounds of selected goods."

Entrance to Lake Maracaibo, 1699 Brigantine (left) and two-masted yacht (right). In 1669, Henry Morgan took the fight here. Judging by the sails, the wind is blowing towards the shore.

The death of the Spanish flagship in the battle of the shallows of Maracaibo, 1669. Although fireships were rarely used in the New World, Morgan took this unusual step, since he had several captured ships and gunpowder at his disposal.

As we have already said, most pirates started their careers with small ships. The smallest vessels in the waters of the New World at that time were pinnaces, longboats, flat-bottomed vessels. Many of them have been known in the Caribbean since the 16th century. The term pinas has two different meanings. Firstly, a pinnace is usually understood as a semi-barge - an open single-masted vessel with a displacement of not more than 60 tons. Secondly, larger deck vessels with a displacement of 40-80 tons were also called pinas. Later, pinas reached a displacement of 200 tons, turning into three-masted ships capable of carrying artillery. In different countries, the same term could have different meanings, in addition, the meanings of terms changed over time.

Initially, pinas were called rowboats, which also had one mast with a latin or gaff sail. Usually the longboat had a length of no more than 10 m and was used for auxiliary purposes on large merchant ships and warships. Although maritime historians are still arguing on this topic, it seems that the term sloop most likely meant the same pinnace, but with a direct sailing rig. The Spaniards called the pinnaces "long launches", the Spanish launch carried direct sailing weapons. The Dutch used the word pinge, which meant any small merchant ship with a displacement of up to 80 tons, encountered in the Caribbean during the 17th century. At the end of the XVII century. pirates actively used all these small vessels in their criminal trade.

In another meaning, "pinas" meant an independent vessel with a displacement of 40-200 tons. Pinas could carry any number of masts; in the period we are describing, three-masted pinas were most common. Three-masted pinnaces could carry any rig, most often a combination of straight and latin sails. The armament of the pinas consisted of 8-20 guns. At the end of the XVII century. pirates like Henry Morgan used large pinnaces as the main ships of their pirate fleets, although the flag was kept on larger ships. The term flyboat usually meant a flat-bottomed trading vessel, usually Dutch, with the Dutch language having a special term fluyt. By the end of the 17th century, flyboats began to be understood as small vessels intended for coastal navigation. The Spaniards called such ships the word balandra. The Dutch and Spaniards actively used flat-bottomed flyboats to patrol the coast, reconnaissance, transport manpower, and also as small warships and raiders. The smallest ship in the Caribbean in the XVII century. was an Indian canoe. Canoes could be of various sizes. The smallest canoes could not carry even four, while the largest canoes could carry a mast, guns, and a large crew. Canoes were also actively used by pirates.

Ships sailing in the Caribbean at the end of the 16th century. From left to right: flyush, pinas and barge, sloop, ping, long barge, periag, canoe, yawl.

In the last decade of the 17th century, the terms "pinnace", "longboat" and "flyboat" fell into disuse. It cannot be said that the old types of Caribbean ships have abruptly given way to new types. Rather, ships now began to be classified by sailing armament and the number of masts, rather than by hull size and purpose.

Names of pirate ships from the thematic section (website) "Jolly Roger" (from the pirate site Spiral):

"Brig" Black Ghost” . Once belonged to a famous pirate. Merchants were afraid of this ship like fire. He is famous for appearing out of nowhere and carrying out his attacks.

pirate frigate "Le peritone"(peryton)

The mighty flying deer peryton could, perhaps, be compared with the Greek Pegasus. As ancient legends testify, the beast had one distinctive feature.
It cast a human shadow, thanks to which scientists believed that the peryton is the spirit of travelers who died far from home. Winged deer were often seen in ancient times on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and near the Strait of Gibraltar. It was believed that perytons feed on people. They all herd attacked the bewildered sailors and devoured them. No weapon could stop the mighty and terrible beast.

"El corsario descuidado" In Spanish - "Careless Corsair". The young owner of this most beautiful red-sailed brig never knew defeat. He won battle after battle as he rose higher and higher in the financial ladder. He was hunted - each of the powers wanted to get the head of a corsair.
One day, a young pirate, after another successful robbery, filled the hold of his ship to capacity. The ship moved slowly and constantly sank. Yes, and a leak in the stern of the brig was not by the way ...
The Careless Corsair came to an abrupt halt and staggered. "What happened?" thought the young pirate. Looking overboard, he realized that the end of his exploits had come. The bottom of his ship was torn to pieces by reefs. Spare boats have already managed to dismantle the team.
The young pirate stood at the prow of his ship, not believing what was happening. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his head drooped. "From what?!" - The pirate raised his hands to the sky. - "For what?"
"For carelessness" - the boatswain standing nearby answered, not wanting to leave his captain.
The ship was sinking.

Frigate "Omnipresent Death" It's a storm in the Caribbean. An unknown pirate who walks on it plundered all the colonies of the new world. When meeting this ship at sea, merchants simply pray to stay alive, which does not happen. Since there is no money in the colonies, now he is heading for the waters of Madagascar to a paradise for pirates
most romantic name
corvette "Violet" - named after the captain's daughter. This name was given to her by her father in honor of the most magnificent flower
the most majestic name
batlishp "Peter I" is a thunderstorm from the Russian State for Britain. This is the flagship of the squadron containing 6 other ships.

Corvette "Victoria Bloody Baroness"- the ship is named after a pirate girl who is known for her quick temper and incredible cruelty. She sailed on this ship herself. Graceful, fast as the wind, corvette, with white sails and incredibly beautiful. But, as always expected, justice prevailed - the pirate was executed, and the ship itself was given to the Spanish governor.

Frigate "Black Revenge" the horror of all sailors, his captain is a real devil, his ship develops unprecedented speed, and the hull is impenetrable for nuclei, according to rumors, the boatswain on the ship can break a small ship with 1 blow ...

Corvette "Luck Prize" it was ridden by an unknown pirate who
was lucky. His Corvette was quite powerful and fast. To catch up and break.

Frigate "Bad Girl"
This is the popular name of the ship, since no one knows its exact name ..
A certain captain appeared in the waters of the Caribbean archipelago, who robbed ships, leaving only two witnesses: one without eyes, the other without a tongue ... Apparently in order to terrify people ... I must say that the "couples" succeeded in this with a vengeance ... From the words of the "lucky ones" a picture of the attacks was drawn up.
Everything happened in cloudy weather, in the early morning before sunrise, when there was still fog over the water ... The dead silence was broken by girlish laughter penetrating to the bones. It was heard from everywhere, now from one side, then from the other ... From this sound, people's eardrums burst, blood flowed, some of them, unable to endure it any longer, were thrown overboard, while others from panic fear could not move from their place. The frigate approached silently, without firing a single shot. The team of the "girl" took away the cargo, the surviving people, and also quietly set off, leaving two witnesses ... No one saw more captured people and did not hear anything about them ...
Apparently, the pirate captain made a deal with Lucifer himself, who got the souls of people ..

the most majestic name
battleship "Sentence"
The captain of this pirate ship was a man of honor, so he always gave his victims a choice - to surrender, and then they would be given life, or to fight and then let the Devil judge them ... By their actions, people themselves signed the Sentence

Most profound title
Bombardier ship "Bell"
The motto of this ship is: "Ringing it is not for him"
The ship was created specifically to fight against coastal fortifications, equipped with the most powerful and long-range guns.
When a "ringing" was heard from one of the sides of this ship, it could mean only one thing - for a long time the fateful volley would echo in the ears of the survivors.
the name of the ship was given by Peter I during the construction of the Azov fleet

Frigate "Cerberus".
For a long time, the pirate island of Bermuda has been a haven for corsairs. But this skeleton did not have a strong defense in the form of a fort or other fortifications. Its only protection was numerous rocks and reefs. But over time, maps of this island were drawn up and in calm weather these natural obstacles no longer posed a danger. A large number of pirate ships were sunk off the coast of Bermuda by English and Spanish squadrons. The corsairs were in deep despair and even wanted to leave this island forever. And in these most difficult times for them, the black frigate under the banner of the Jolly Roger single-handedly began to resist all the ships trying to attack the Pirate Settlement. Like a ghost, he emerged from the mist and crushed his enemies. This ship has always stood guard over the island of Bermuda, like a watchdog, it did not let any enemy near the island. The crew of this ship was numerous, characterized by incredible rage and bloodlust. At the head of the team was their captain and two lieutenants loyal to him. For this, the corsairs dubbed the black frigate the name "Cerberus" in honor of the three-headed dog with a snake's tail, and on the back of the head of snakes. Just like the mythical dog guarding the exit from the kingdom of the dead Hades, so this frigate stood guard over the pirate island.

Battleship "Shakespeare".
This battleship is the flagship of the English squadron of Jamaica Island. In the entire Caribbean Sea, and indeed beyond its borders, there is not a single ship that could compare with it in terms of firepower or speed. He was named "Shakespeare" after the English playwright William Shakespeare. Each of the battleship battles was a work of art, and "Shakespeare" was the author of these works. When you watch his fight, one of William's dramatic plays immediately comes to mind. Just as sad, but still great.

Schooner "Black Widow".
After the death of a famous pirate in an unequal battle with Spanish battleships, his wife, being the daughter of a captain and familiar with maritime affairs firsthand, is a desperate and brave woman, having sold her house and all property, buys a schooner, and having hired a team of brave men, goes to sea to take revenge murderers of her husband

Schooner "Alkonavtika".
This name was given to the ship for the wild addiction of its captain and crew to rum, wine, ale, well, by the way, to all liquid substances that have alcohol in them. It was impossible to see the personnel of this ship without drinking. Not a single corsair can remember when at least one member of the crew of the Alkonavtika ship was sober, or at least hungover. Even the ships of England or Spain do not attack them when they meet them on the high seas. For the friendly attitude of these pirates to others, they became welcome guests on all the islands that pirates were allowed to swim on.

Brig "Horizon".
Being a philosopher, the captain of this ship often liked to meditate on board his ship, looking at the sea stretching across the horizon. He said that at the most inopportune moment, a ship belonging to any nation could appear on the horizon. Whether he was friendly or hostile to the captain was not known. And this circumstance did not depend on anyone except God alone. For the mystery and unpredictability that the horizon combined, it was decided to call this brig "Horizon" by that name.

Frigate "Zodiac"

No one knows where he came from and where he was built, since his mizzen wore slanting sails, which made him even faster. Attacking exclusively at night and even in a storm, he did not leave anyone a single chance for salvation. Rumor has it that after his appearance, Morgan himself began to feel uncomfortable in the archipelago.

Corvette "Angels tears"
It got its name after the tragic story that happened to one corsair
For a long time, one fearless, daring and noble corsair on his corvette "Sword of the Apocalypse" terrified the entire Spanish coast of the New World. From Belize to Kumana, in every city, in the squares and in the taverns, there were signs with the promised reward on his head. But they could not catch this "El Diablo" in any way. And yet somehow he fell into a trap arranged for him. Having withstood a terrible battle with superior forces and miraculously remained afloat, the Sword of the Apocalypse, almost completely broken, with the remnants of the team, headed to its lagoon to lick its wounds, but a fierce storm broke out along the way. With the last of their strength, struggling with the elements, the already wounded team did everything possible to save their beloved ship. Realizing that all efforts were in vain, the captain ordered: - Everyone in the boats! Leave the ship! - The team rushed to fulfill the order, and soon the boat with the surviving sailors began to move away from the sinking corvette. And only after moving a certain distance, the sailors suddenly noticed that the captain was not with them. And the captain, standing on the bridge, looked at the sea and, together with the ship, plunged into the water. Soon the sea completely swallowed the ship.
- A real captain never leaves his ship - said the boatswain. - But we must survive.
They managed to get to the land and for a long time in the taverns the surviving sailors retold this story and swore that when the last klotik disappeared through the water, they saw an angel in the sky.

Longboat "Daring and Beautiful". The captain of this ship considers himself the most daring pirate of the Caribbean, and his longboat - the most beautiful ship of all times and peoples. I thought ... Until one day I ran into the open sea with the Golden Fleet of Spain. The pirate was daring. The boat was beautiful.

Manowar "Leviathan". This masterpiece was built by the British at the shipyard of the city of Portsmouth. The best shipbuilders of the state participated in its creation. A huge amount of money has been invested. The construction of the ship was very difficult and slow. And the result ... fully justified itself. And Leviathan was born. A vessel of unprecedented power and beauty. Manowar was sent to the Caribbean to reinforce the British naval forces. And soon became the strongest ship in these waters. It's not even a ship, it's a force of nature that degrades a person. Sea monster. Leviathan.

Corvette "Shaving Water". This ship belongs to one of the most dangerous pirates in the Caribbean. A man called Raven. No one knows the true history of this ship, except for the captain himself. It is known that the Shaving Water is the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Not one ship can match it in speed. When people see how a corvette plows the sea, it seems that the ship is shaving the water. Like a sharp razor it cuts through the waves.

Frigate "Beloved". The captain of this ship, Nicholas, was a privateer in the service of France. He honestly and devotedly served his power, carrying out the most difficult assignments of the governor of island N. At one of the audiences with the governor, he met his daughter, charming Jacqueline. Soon the girl was kidnapped. But Nakolas found and snatched Jacqueline from the clutches of scoundrels. Nicholas and Jacqueline fell in love and wanted to get married. But Jacqueline's strict father forbade the wedding until Nicholas became rich and famous. Nicholas accepted these terms. And thanks to his determination and courage, he soon received the title of baron and the rank of admiral of the French fleet. And the governor had no choice but to marry his only daughter to a privateer. And there was a wedding. No one in the Caribbean has ever seen or heard such a wedding. Even the famous Versailles faded. And in honor of this event, the governor gave his son-in-law a magnificent frigate. Without thinking twice, Nicholas named it "Beloved" in honor of his beloved wife.

Caravel "Circle of Life". Lions are predators. They eat antelope. Antelopes are herbivores, they eat grass. The lions die and grass grows in that place. The antelope eats this grass. And this means that all life is closed in a circle. Circle of life. Back in the 17th century, this was noticed by a scientist and researcher who studied the nature of South Africa. And on the same day, he named his caravel "Circle of Life".

"Pandora" Possessing the divine flame stolen by Prometheus, people ceased to obey the celestials, learned different sciences, and got out of their miserable state. A little more - and they would have won complete happiness ...
Then Zeus decided to send punishment on them. The blacksmith god Hephaestus fashioned the beautiful woman Pandora from earth and water. The rest of the gods gave her: some - cunning, some - courage, some - extraordinary beauty. Then, handing her a mysterious box, Zeus sent her to earth, forbidding her to remove the lid from the box. Curious Pandora, barely having come into the world, slightly opened the lid. Immediately all human disasters flew out of there and scattered throughout the universe.

So the appearance of my "Pandora" on the horizon promised only grief and disaster to careless merchants

Corvette "Black Scorpio" (Black Scorpio)
Powerful and swift, he appears from nowhere and disappears into nowhere, like a scorpion, he hunts down his victims and attacks like a ghost, leaving them no chance. When they realize what is happening, it is already too late - their fate is sealed...
This ship and its captain appeared in the Caribbean to take revenge... To take revenge on a beautiful girl whose life ended so quickly, cut off in the dungeons of the Holy Inquisition. The unquenchable thirst for revenge enveloped the soul of the young captain so much and enslaved his mind that he stopped seeing the world in any other colors than black and killed ... He killed without looking back, and indiscriminately, killed in order to kill. His ship, a magnificent corvette - swift as a panther, powerful as a lion and dangerous as a scorpion... Black Scorpion...

Schooner" Weightlessness"
At that time, weightlessness was not known, ships did not fly into space, but there were magnificent sailboats, an endless ocean and endless love, the fire of which swelled even more under the fresh sea breeze. Two people, two halves of one heart were now in the same captain's cabin, and their ship, as if on wings, as if weightless, rushed into the sea, towards infinity ...

Frigate " dead water"
A terrible pirate ship that seems to have gathered on board the most notorious thugs from all over the Caribbean archipelago. The captain of the ship, devoid of any compassion, and his heart must have long ago turned into a hard, cold as marble, stone. At the sight of this ship on the horizon, sailors preferred to jump into the sea before meeting it face to face.
After themselves, these pirates do not leave a single living soul, and dump all the bodies into the sea... The water in these places will remain dead for a long time...

Manowar "Judas"
It was a huge manowar, which was part of the Spanish punitive expedition in the New World. He brought many troubles to the enemies of the Spanish crown. This powerful ship has become a terrible weapon in the hands of the Holy Inquisition.
But once, sailing away to carry out another assignment to Bermuda, "Judas" never returned ... What happened to him, no one knows to this day ...

Frigate " transcendentis" ("Overflowing") lat.

The ship lived up to its name, instilling confidence in its crew and terror in the opposing team.

Corvette" Grin"- a huge wolf's head with a terrible grin was made on the bow of the ship.
Only her appearance terrified cowardly merchants and made even experienced warriors tremble.
In combination with excellent performance and a team shifted to the full head, led by the captain, for a long time sowed terror throughout the archipelago.

Frigate " black revenge", the horror of all sailors, huge guns and a bunch of skeleton pirates who survived their lives. Both lugger and battleship fear him. He takes a speed of 19 knots in seconds, 2 hundred guns of 48 caliber, well, how not to be afraid of him? .. "

These ships have long been burning in the furnaces of the underworld. All because the most evil pirates carried out their most terrible plans on them.

"Adventure" (Adventure Galley)

Favorite ship of William Kidd. This is a Scottish sailor and an English privateer, who became famous thanks to a high-profile trial - he was accused of crimes and pirate attacks. The results are disputed to this day.

“Adventure” is an unusual frigate galley equipped with straight sails and oars. Due to the latter, it was very maneuverable - both against the wind and in calm weather. Weight - 287 tons, armament - 34 guns. 160 crew members could easily fit on board. The main goal of the "Adventure" is the destruction of the ships of other pirates.

Source: wikipedia.org

"Revenge of Queen Anne" (Queen Anne's Revenge)

The flagship of the legendary Captain Edward Teach. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean in 1703-1718.

Tich loved "Revenge" for armament - 40 guns. The frigate, by the way, was originally called "Concord" and belonged to Spain. Then he moved to France, and then he was captured by the Blackbeard. So the “Concorde” became the “Revenge of Queen Anne”, which sank dozens of merchant and military ships that got in the way of the famous pirate.

Source: wikipedia.org

"Ouida" (Whydah)

The “master” is the pirate Black Sam Bellamy, one of the most famous pirates of the Golden Age of sea robbery. The Ouida was a fast and manoeuvrable vessel, capable of carrying many treasures. But a year after the start of the pirate robbery, the ship fell into a terrible storm and was thrown ashore. Bottom line: the entire team (except for two people) died.

Source: wikipedia.org

"Royal Fortune" (Royal Fortune)

It was listed in the possessions of Bartholomew Roberts - the famous Welsh pirate (real name - John Roberts), who hunted in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Captured, by the way, more than 400 ships. Distinguished by extravagant behavior.

So, Roberts was crazy about the 42-gun 3-masted "King's Fortune". On board, he met his death - in battle with the British warship "Swallow" in 1722.

Source: wikipedia.org

"Fantasy" (Fancy)

The owner is Henry Avery, aka the Arch-Pirate and Lanky Ben, a pirate nicknamed “one of the most successful buccaneers and gentlemen of fortune.” Fantasia was originally the Spanish 30-gun frigate Charles II. Her crew successfully robbed French ships. But then a riot broke out on it, and power passed to Avery, who served as the first assistant to the captain. The pirate renamed the ship and continued to rage on it (and with it) until death separated them.

Source: wikipedia.org

“Happy Delivery“ (Happy Delivery)

A small, but no less beloved ship of George Lowther, an English pirate of the 18th century, who “worked” in the Caribbean and the Atlantic. Lowther's chip is a ramming of an enemy ship with a simultaneous lightning-fast boarding. Often a pirate did this on the “Delivery“.

"Rising Sun" (Rising Sun)

The ship was part of the estate of Christopher Moody, one of the most ruthless thugs - in principle, he did not take anyone prisoner, he quickly and efficiently released everyone to the next world. So, the “Rising Sun” is a 35-gun frigate that terrified everyone, especially Moody's enemies. True, this continued until the thug was hanged. The bright and then painfully recognizable flag of Moody deserves special attention.

Talking about piracy, one cannot ignore the ships on which the pirates sailed, although, of course, almost any ship could act as a pirate ship. To a certain extent, piracy contributed to the progress of shipbuilding, since pirates needed the most advanced and fastest ships. Since my essay is still not about ships, but about people, I will describe very little and focus only on the most common types of ships, while a separate book can be written about each of them.

In ancient times, the fleet was exclusively rowing; only one mast was installed on the ship with a sail, which was used only with a fair wind. Thus, the main driving force was the power of man. It is known that it is approximately equal to 1/10 horsepower (hp). Consequently, to obtain a power equal to 100 hp, about a thousand rowers were needed. The desire to increase the number of rowers on a relatively short vessel prompted them to sit in two or more rows one above the other. So, after unirems - ships with one row of oars - biremes, triremes (triremes), etc., appeared, respectively, with two, three or more rows of oars.

Gradually, however, the sail received more and more widespread use. Vessels that sail only under sail began to appear: naves and cogs.

The development of the sailing fleet proved the irrationality of using propeller-sailing ships, since with an equal displacement with a sailing ship, the weight of a gun salvo of a galleass was several times less, and the crew was much larger. Their construction stopped after the 17th century.

A characteristic feature of the ships of Western European countries in the Middle Ages was the decoration of sails with drawings of coats of arms, figures of people, crosses, so that the sails looked more like large banners. Ship flags sometimes reached such large sizes that their ends were dragged along the water.

Not only the desire to explore the globe pushed the sovereigns of Europe to equip sea expeditions. There was also a more prosaic reason - enrichment through the seizure of foreign lands, gold, silver, spices and slaves. Therefore, the expeditions of Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Fernando Magellan, like many others, can be classified as pirate. Following the discoverers, hundreds and thousands of ships rushed in search of new lands and riches. The era of the Great Geographical Discoveries began.

In addition to European pirates, the pirates of Muslim countries, whose main bases were the coasts of Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, became widely known.

Pirates of the barbarian coast of Africa - Turks, Arabs, Moors - attacked every European ship that they could master. They were less bloodthirsty and more practical than European pirates, they did not kill people, but took them prisoner and sold them in the markets of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Turkey; in addition, they themselves needed healthy young men to replenish the team of forced rowers. Young white women were highly valued in the eastern market, they were willingly bought for harems, and pirates took a good ransom for the children of wealthy and noble parents.

During the entire period of the Middle Ages and New History, pirates had a safe haven and a strong organization in North Africa. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Mediterranean basin became the scene of a fierce struggle between the Christian powers and Muslim Turkey. Barbarian pirates played an important role in the wars at sea, and, in particular, the pirate state in North Africa, led by the sultan brothers Barbarossa.

The main weapon of ships in antiquity was ram, mounted on the stem. At first, they broke the oars of an enemy ship, depriving it of maneuverability, and then, having made a turn, they hit the side or (sometimes) the stern.

In addition to the ram, the Greeks armed their ships with heavy metal cargo, which was shaped like a dolphin, which was called that - dolphin. It was hung on a yardarm or arrow and dropped when approaching an enemy ship. The cargo pierced the deck or bottom of the attacked ship.

Thanks to excellent maneuvering, Greek ships achieved great skill in ramming. When in the III century BC. the Romans entered the maritime arena, possessing the best ground forces in the world, but inexperienced in maneuvering ships, they won their first victory over the Carthaginian fleet in the battle of the Lipari Islands (260 BC) through the boarding bridge invented by them, called crow.

"Raven" consisted of an arrow, hinged on the bow of the vessel. A platform 5.5 meters long and 1.2 meters wide was installed on the boom. At the upper end of the arrow, a heavy pointed metal weight was suspended through a block, shaped like a raven's beak. When approaching an enemy ship, an arrow with a platform descended on it, and the load, sticking its tip into the deck, connected the ships. Roman soldiers in two rows, shielding themselves with shields, moved to the attacked ship, and the outcome of the battle was decided, as on the shore, in hand-to-hand combat.

With the development of throwing machines, they began to be used on ships. Installed on the bow of the ship, they were intended to prevent boarding. However, ancient naval artillery was not widely used due to the fact that damp sea air softened springs made from animal veins or horse hair.

According to their design, throwing machines were divided into two-arm - eututons, or catapults, and single-arm - polyntons, or ballistas.

Catapults represented a bow of very large size. They consisted of a long trough with a strong transverse frame in front, on the sides of which a vertical bundle of tightly twisted veins was strengthened. A lever was inserted into the middle of each bundle, the rear ends of which, connected by a bowstring, sought to disperse. The middle of the bowstring was attached to a slider with a nest for an arrow, log or stone. The slider, with the help of a gate or a screw mechanism, pulled back the bowstring, which, after removing the stopper, straightened and sent the projectile forward. The catapult fired a projectile at a distance of up to 1000 meters, giving it an initial speed of up to 60 m / s. Their practical range was about 300 meters. Guy Julius Caesar, in his notes on the Gallic war, said that these machines threw arrows at such a speed that they sparkled from friction when sliding and were not visible in flight.

Catapults were used to destroy fortifications and ships. The chained log released by the machine pierced four rows of palisades along a gentle trajectory. The string was pulled by several warriors and took from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Europeans also got acquainted with firearms from the Arabs. They were called madfaa, which means "hollowed out" in Arabic. And in the XIV century, firearms spread throughout Europe.

The first historically established case of the use of a firearm in European wars took place on the Italo-German border in Friol in 1331 during an attack on the city of Cividale by two knights of Kreutzberg and Spangenberg. Judging by the text of the chronicle, the guns were of small caliber and did no harm to anyone.

In 1340, during the siege of the fortress of Terni, the papal troops used "thundering pipes" that threw bolts, and in 1350, during the siege of the Sauerolo castle, bombards fired round bullets weighing about 0.3 kg.

The French first used cannons during the siege of Puy-Guillaume in 1338.

In field warfare, guns were first used by the British against the French at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and again at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. Both battles were won by the British and, presumably, the cannons complemented the fire of the English archers well.

In subsequent years, not a single major battle took place without the roar of artillery. In 1399, in the Battle of Worksla, the combined Russian-Lithuanian troops under the command of Prince Vitovt used cannons against the Tatars. And in 1410, in the Battle of Grunwald, the German knights used cannons already against the combined troops of Lithuania, Poland and the Smolensk principality. Although the side using artillery was defeated in both battles, the armies of all Europe were in a hurry to acquire artillery.

The era of naval firearms began from the very day when the Aragonese king don Pedro IV, being besieged in 1359 in Barcelona by the Castilian king, he armed one of his ships with a large bombard and fired the first shot. According to an eyewitness, the royal bombard with the help of fire and "artificial gunpowder" began to throw shells and knocked down the loophole and the mast of the enemy ship in two shots.

To install firearms in the hulls of ships, they began to make cutouts in the areas where guns were placed. In the campaign, these cutouts were covered with canvas, but this did not create impenetrability of the freeboard. Invention in 1500 by a French shipbuilder de Charges lockable "cannon port" opened a new era in shipbuilding and navigation. The closed cannon port made it possible to increase the number of guns on the ship by installing them not only in superstructures and on the upper deck, but also on the lower decks. This also created the opportunity to place heavier guns on the lower decks, and this increased the stability of the vessel.

However, due to the lack of experience and the lack of theoretical calculations during the construction of the ship, they were punched incorrectly on the slipway and often placed so low from the water that, at the slightest heel, the ships scooped up water and sank. So the karakka "Magu Kose" died in 1545 on the Sneathhead raid before the start of the battle with the French, drawing water from ports open for battle, separated from the water by only 16 inches (40.6 cm).

Subsequently, the sizes of ports and the distance between them began to be chosen depending on the diameter of the core; the center-to-center value between two adjacent ports should have been approximately 25 core diameters, and the length and height of the port should have been 6 and 6.6 diameters, respectively. The lower jamb of the port was above the deck at a height approximately equal to 3.5 core diameters.

The first living quarters on ships appeared in the 15th century. At first, the room occupied the entire space of the aft superstructure, later, when the superstructure became much longer and became multi-tiered, it was divided into a number of cabins and a large saloon near the aft wall. The cabins were located at the sides, and their number increased with the growth in the number of command personnel. The cabins were separated by simple wooden bulkheads, and only the aft saloon, which housed the captain of the ship, had decorative interior trim.

A significant slope of the walls and deck determined the interior and exterior decoration of the ship's hull. The rear wall of the superstructure, hanging over the stern, began to be decorated with galleries, which overlooked the saloon windows. Bars with small panes were inserted into the windows. The frames were decorated with carved columns and arches. At the end of the XV century. a set of hulls protruding into the interior of the cabin began to be sheathed with well-fitted boards; furniture also appeared - benches under the windows, chests and carved cabinets.

However, the living conditions on the ships of that time were very difficult. Usually ships (caravels, carracks, etc.) did not have a continuous deck, and in stormy times the crew often struggled without sleep and rest against water getting into the hold, pumping it out with primitive pumps built into the ship's hull. The beds were the privilege of the elite living in the cabins, that is, the highest command staff: the captain, the ship's skipper, the navigator and the doctor. Hanging beds, the prototype of which was an Indian hammock, appeared on ships only in the 16th century after the discovery of America. Until that time, the crew slept side by side, in incredible cramped conditions in the hold and in deck superstructures on boxes, barrels, boards, spreading their own dress under them. The sailors, who had defended a four to five hour watch, in wet clothes, took up places that had just been left by their comrades. (fig.10)

According to the system adopted in the XV-XVIII centuries, all ship firearms were divided into the following main types:

• bombards (mortars) - large-caliber guns of small length;
• Cannons - large-caliber guns of medium length;
• culverins - medium-caliber guns of great length;
• Howitzers - guns of medium caliber of small length. (fig.12)

In addition to those listed, half-cannons and double cannons, semi-culverins and other guns were installed on the ships, which differed from the main type in barrel length.

When mounted on a ship, large-caliber guns were hung by trunnions (tides on the barrel) on special goats (machine tools) made of strong beams. Gun mounts could be mobile and stationary. Mobile machines were attached to the board and deck of the vessel with lashings (cables).

Small-caliber guns were mounted on swivels (metal pins with a fork for trunnions), which were inserted into holes on board the ship.

Cannonballs were first made of stone, and later of cast iron or forged iron. In order to break the rigging, the Swedes were the first to use double shells ( knippel), connected by a chain and fired simultaneously from two adjacent guns. During the siege of Rhodes in 1552, the Turks used a new type of shells for mortars - incendiary, stuffed with a combustible mixture. At the end of the 16th century there appeared buckshot with spherical lead bullets.

Since 1540, the design dimensions of guns, depending on the diameter of the core, began to be determined according to the calibration scale proposed by the Nuremberg mechanic Georg Hartmann.

Until the 16th century, there were no instruments for aiming guns, and aiming was done by eye. Famous Italian mathematician Nicolo Tartaglia(1500-1557) invented the quadrant, with which they began to measure the elevation and declination of guns.

However, the rate of fire of the artillery of that time still left much to be desired. How little they counted on the second salvo can be seen from the following example. In 1551, the French captain Paulin met with the Spanish squadron. Given the difference in artillery, he went to the trick and ordered to raise the flag of Emperor Charles V, who was also the Spanish king, on his ship. In addition, he said that he was taking a relative of the emperor to Spain and demanded that a salute be fired from all the guns. Unaware of deception, the Spanish admiral ordered a salute. Before the smoke cleared, Paulin and his ships rushed forward and boarded the Spanish ships before the Spaniards had time to reload their guns.

Pirates also generally preferred boarding skirmishes. There is a description of the tactics of the battle of pirate ships, compiled by the amnestied pirate Henry Mainwaring. He wrote that, pursuing prey, pirate ships followed a caravan of ships, and as soon as one of them or an escort ship fell behind, the pirates quickly overtook him. Approaching the attacked ship, they tried to approach from the stern and from the leeward, since in this case only a few stern guns came under fire. Having overtaken the victim, the pirates tried to secure the bow of their ship to the stern of the attacked one with the help of boarding hooks. At the same time, the pirates jammed the rudder with a wooden beam in order to deprive the defending ship of the ability to maneuver. Grenades and vessels with flammable liquid were thrown onto the deck of an enemy ship. Then the pirates boarded, using boarding sabers and pistols.

Despite their weaknesses, naval artillery is gradually ceasing to be only an auxiliary weapon during boarding. Its tasks include preparing for boarding or preventing it, depending on the conditions of the battle.

The fantasy of the robbers was quite mundane, but rich, and the pirates, alien to pretentiousness, willingly endowed their fellows with all sorts of unpretentious nicknames. Behind the nicknames could hide people very different. Some preferred to keep their real names secret, others - special favorites of the pirate world - proudly bore nicknames as an honorary title, and some pirates had such unusual physical features that it was simply impossible to ignore them.

Often, nicknames were received on a geographical basis. It is not difficult to understand where Gassan Veniiano, the famous Algerian corsair of the 16th century, comes from. The legendary Jean Francois No, known as Olone and famous for his cruelty, was born in the town of Sable d "Olonne. The nicknames of Pierre Picard, Miguel Le Basque, Rock Brazilian or Bartolomeo the Portuguese also give out their nationality or remind of the countries with which one way or another they were these people are connected.

It is unlikely that special explanations are needed for nicknames associated with the physical characteristics of their carriers. For example, Long Ben, Pierre Long, Handsome, Tich Blackbeard, two red-bearded brothers Aruj and Khairaddin, who went down in history as Barbarossa I and II. The nickname Wooden Leg was widespread. The well-known pirate John Silver from Treasure Island may owe his appearance to the fame of two real-life heroes of pirate battles in the Spanish Main - the Frenchman Francois Leclerc and the Dutchman Cornelis Elu. In other cases, the pirates' fantasy was more sophisticated. If the nickname of the filibuster leader Alexander the Iron Hand suggests that his carrier possessed an all-destroying powerful blow and tremendous physical strength, then Pierre Legrand (French "grand" - "big", "great") was probably just a tall man, and maybe he had a great mind. A certain West Indian filibuster was nicknamed Hardtooth, and another was known as Easy on the Foot. It is difficult to determine what qualities the pirate nicknamed Tailwind became famous for. It may well be that for his comrades he was something of a talisman, and his presence on the ship promised the right direction of the wind, or perhaps he earned the nickname because of his constant readiness to take part in a glorious fight and dashing booze. An obviously playful nickname was coined by one famous Algerian robber - Dead Head. His completely bald head resembled a waterless dead desert, where there was no place for living vegetation.

More intricate nicknames were given for special "distinctions". The world of the Caribbean has retained a few fairly typical nicknames, such as the Slick or the Storm of the Tides. The most famous was the nickname of the Exterminator, received by the Chevalier de Montbar for his all-consuming passion for the extermination of the Spaniards.

Finally, there were also mysterious pseudonyms. These include the name taken by the famous pirate Henry Avery, or John Avery. His real name was Bridgman, and he came from a family of honest, law-abiding sailors. In order not to tarnish his relatives, he came up with a strange Avery for himself (English, "every" - "any, everyone"). It is not easy to recognize by such a nickname what the real name of its owner is.

The example of the pirate James Kelly is very indicative. Throughout his turbulent life, filled with adventures and voyages, he changed his name several times and either acted under his own name, or became Sampson Marshall or James Gilliam. It is impossible to determine with accuracy at what stages the reincarnations of this dodger took place. His activities in the field of piracy and privatization lasted almost twenty years. It began in 1680, when a young Englishman left his native country and sailed on a slave ship to the west coast of Africa. Here the ship was captured by Captain Yankee's pirates, and Kelly decided to become a robber. For several years he robbed in the Spanish Main, moving from one ship to another. He ended up on John Cook's pirate ship. In the spring of 1683, the ship came to the shores of Virginia in Chesapeake Bay, where a crew was recruited and provisions were purchased. Note that among the new members of the team were later famous William Dampier and Ambrose Cowley, who left notes about this voyage. In April, Cook's ship set sail. In the Atlantic, he intercepted a Dutch merchant ship. Cook's team liked its draft, fortress, and the pirates moved to it, taking a valuable cargo (sixty black slaves) and leaving their ship in exchange for the Dutchman. Now the ship on which Kelly sailed became known as the Bechelos Delight (Bachelor's Delight). The pirates went to the Pacific Ocean, but, having passed Cape Horn, they got into a terrible storm. After hard trials in the southern latitudes, they finally made it to the Chilean coast. Here they met with other pirate ships, and a solid Anglo-French-Dutch company continued to jointly hunt for the Spanish galleons. No great success was achieved, the crews fell out, and the community fell apart. Kelly was in a group under the command of Edward Davis (Cook had died by this time), which went back to the Caribbean. Here Kelly made his way to Jamaica and accepted the amnesty of William I, becoming a privateer. However, he soon got tired of the official status, and he returned to piracy. Capturing the sloop "Diamond" ("Diamond"), Kelly, already as a captain, went to the Indian Ocean, where he disappeared for several years. It is believed that he spent a lot of time on the island of Madagascar, and possibly was in captivity. It ended up that Kelly, under the name of Marshall, with the crew of the famous Robert Culliford, came to the island of Sainte-Marie. Here he met with Captain Kidd and returned with him to the West Indies, but under the name of James Gilliam. But Kelly did not stay in America, but returned to England and settled in London with his family. He died as a respectable gentleman surrounded by love and respect.

Whatever the reasons the authors of the nicknames were guided by, all the nicknames carried a certain psychological burden, giving the pirate life a mystery and unusualness. Sometimes these nicknames turned into a kind of business cards, from which the potential victims of their owners shuddered with fear.

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An important role of psychological impact on the enemy was played by the names of pirate ships. The researcher of sea robbery M. Rediker, after analyzing the names of forty-four pirate ships, found that in eight cases (18.2%) the word “revenge” was mentioned (remember the famous Tich brig “Queen Anne’s Revenge” or Stead Bonnet’s ship “Revenge”), in seven (15.9%) have the word "tramp" ("ranger") or "wanderer" ("rover"), in five cases the name of the vessel mentions royalty.

The most famous symbol of piracy is the ominous Jolly Roger flag. It was first recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary in 1724. It was very widely used and was known in various versions. On a black field was placed a favorite sign of sea robbers - a skull with crossbones or a full-length skeleton. Various paraphernalia of marine life, weapons and other items were used, depending on the imagination and passions of the team. In most cases, these were weapons - from boarding blades and swords to knives and arrows. So, for example, a black flag fluttered over the ship of Captain Sprigss, in the middle of which a white skeleton was depicted. In one hand he held an arrow piercing the heart, from which three drops of blood flowed, in the other there was an hourglass indicating to the meeting ship that the hour of death had struck. Previously, the same flag, but called "Old Roger", was recorded by the pirate John Quelch, who came to Brazil in 1703. Bartholomew Roberts had a creepy skeleton on top of two skulls, under which the letters "ABN" and "AMN" were drawn. Of course, the authorities of the islands of Barbados and Martinique, sworn enemies of Roberts, knowing about these letters under dead heads, could not forget about the special “attachment” of the robber to their possessions.

There is a report of a black flag with a skeleton holding a bowl of punch in one hand and a sword in the other. Sometimes the colors varied, and then a black skeleton appeared on a white field.

There are many controversial issues connected with the Jolly Roger. First of all, it is known that this name was not the only one for pirate flags. Both the "Black Flag", and "Roger", and the already mentioned "Old Roger" were used. Secondly, the color of the pirate flag was not always black. Actually, the first mention of the black color refers only to 1700, and the flag of the French pirate Emmanuel Dune had such a background.

Earlier, black color (as well as black scarves) was widely used by Spanish pirates. In one of the rules that determine the order of registration of hearses for the funeral of the Spanish king, it is written: “A black flag should not be hung either at the top or on any of the floors of the mourning tower. Despite being the sign and color of the king, this flag is disgraced(discharge is ours), as a flag used on pirate ships. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the flag to dark violet or cardinal purple.

Perhaps the Spanish robbers mocked not only the monarch - the flags of the Spanish military squadrons also wore black (including they were on the Invincible Armada). In addition, the black suit of the Spanish aristocrat served as a hallmark of belonging to the upper classes and a sign of "high fashion" in the 16th century. It is not surprising that the pirates wanted to "join" the high society.

However, the favorite of the bandits (especially the British and French) was a red, or bloody, flag, the color of which, apparently, symbolized bloodshed, the readiness of the one who threw this flag to shed blood and be in constant combat readiness. It is no coincidence that the red flag was a signal of danger, announced the alarm and later became the flag of uprisings. The ship's log of Captain Massersey gives a story about how a detachment of filibusters met on the road to the city of Capone in Western Mexico with Indians who were on the side of the Spaniards: “When they saw us, they got scared… We immediately lowered a white flag and raised a red one with a white skull and crossbones.” Let us also recall the famous 1680 offensive against Panama by the First Pacific wave of buccaneers. Five of the seven detachments marched under red flags: the vanguard (first detachment) of Captain Bartholomew Sharp under a red flag with white and green ribbons; the main forces - the second division of Richard Soukins under a red flag with yellow stripes, the third and fourth divisions (teams of Peter Harris) under green flags, the fifth and sixth divisions under red flags; rearguard (seventh detachment) of Edmond Cook under a red flag with a yellow stripe, an image of a naked hand and a sword.

The red flag of the robbers repeated the bloody battle flag of the navies. By order No. 1 of the Lord of the Admiralty in 1596 it was established "for the duration of the battle, instead of a permanent bow flag, raise a battle flag of red color." In D. Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe, the hero recalls one encounter with the enemy and tells that at first the white flag of negotiations was hoisted on his ship, and with the start of the battle, a red flag was hoisted on the mast. Close to red was the light orange color, in which the cloth of Tich Blackbeard was painted.

Note that in the XVII century. sea ​​robbers preferred to sail under their national flag or used the flag of the state that granted them a marque license. But if, when meeting with the enemy, a bloody banner soared up on the mast, then its appearance indicated that there would be no mercy for anyone (the same on land). The uncompromising, totally hostile nature of the red flag was recorded by witnesses. So, Captain Richard Hawkins, captured by pirates in 1724, said that if the pirates fight under the Jolly Roger, they kind of give the intended victim the opportunity to think about whether to resist, and are ready to accept voluntary surrender, but if a red flag appears, it means that things have reached an extreme point, and the fight is not for life, but for death. The bloody flag played the same function, for example, with Avery. This robber swam under the cross of St. George, using his own symbolism - four silver chevrons on a red field. The appearance of this flag meant that Avery was ready to enter into negotiations for surrender, but when a simple red flag was flown on the flagpole, the crew of the merchant ship had to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. It is possible that the black flag, used, like the red one, to intimidate the enemy, carried some kind of peace-loving connotation. The symbolism of the choice could be based on the fact that black was considered the color of mourning, sorrow and death, while red was seen as the color of rebellion and rebellion, a sign of merciless war and death.

Thirdly, the question of the origin of the name "Jolly Roger" remains open. If this is due to the ferocious grin of the skull, then it is likely that the pirates ("jokingly") could call this terrible monster "fun". But what about Roger? Researcher Patrick Pringle has offered several explanations. One of them notes the fact that the French filibusters and buccaneers called the red flag "joli rouge". When pronouncing the first word, the pirates deliberately accentuated the final vowel, adding an “e” overtone. English filibusters brought their reading to the name, and in the course of evolution, "joli" became "jolly", and "rouge" became "Roger". And all this was combined into a black flag. According to another version, the term originated in the Indian Ocean zone. The leader of the local pirates sailing under red flags had the title of Ali Raja. He was called the "king of the sea". Among the English who came here, the word "Raja" turned into "Roger", and Ali became the property of any Roger - Ally, Old or Jolly. However, it is possible that the English "roger" is etymologically connected with the word "rogue" ("rogue", "tramp") and denoted the beginning of an independent vagrant life.

As for the skull, its appearance on the flag, apparently, goes down in the history of the distribution and use of this sign as a symbol of death. And it was not the invention of pirates at all. The skull as an emblem of death was adopted long ago and spread in the European armies of the 16th century. The captains of merchant ships used the skull and crossbones when making entries in the ship's logs, stating the death of one of the crew members.

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Piracy was given a special flavor by the use of symbols and attributes of a “personal character”, without which it is impossible to imagine the predatory world of the sea. Is it possible to talk about a sailor and not talk about a tattoo? Sea signs, talismans, symbols, mysterious letters, letters - a sophisticated fantasy suggested thousands and thousands of different variations. On the port streets of the Old and New Worlds, the East Indies, sailors found special "salons" where the masters applied tattoos, allowing their owners not only to show off in front of other members of the team, but also ... to hide from justice. The fact is that the tattoo, a sign of belonging to the marine caste, in addition to aesthetic, psychological overtones, carried an additional function: with its help, the robbers hid the eternal, indelible traces of justice - the “stigma of shame” (as defined by Cardinal de Richelieu), the stigma. It was impossible to erase and destroy the lilies and crowns applied with red-hot iron - and then the criminals hid them among the many tattoos and drawings (skulls, skeletons with braids, sabers, knives, crosses, monograms of Christ, Madonna), applied to the shoulders and forearms.

Here are a few examples of such "retouched" stamps.

Rice. 1 - 3 illustrate the options for hiding the signs of French justice - Bourbon lilies. On fig. 1 "royal" flower is covered with a beam of lightning, personifying fearlessness and power (XVII century). The brand on the left shoulder (second quarter of the 18th century) is hidden: in fig. 2 - applied skulls; in fig. 3 - the image of a naked beauty. On fig. 4a - 4b shows the transformation that the stigma of the Spanish Inquisition underwent (the letter "P", from "praedo" (lat.) - "robber", "pirate", "robber", crowned with the sign of the royal crown), burned on the right side of the chest, - the resulting sad composition consists of a gallows with a hanged man and a bird sitting on it.

The most curious example is demonstrated by the tattoo in fig. 5 - the Spanish brand (the old coat of arms of the Kingdom of Castile), supplemented at the bottom with an anchor, turned into the coat of arms of the 17th century. Spanish Admiralty. On fig. 6 and 7 depict characteristic tattoos of sea robbers of the 17th - 18th centuries. In the first case (Fig. 6) - this is a tattoo that brings good luck (wind rose, heart, anchor and two magic triangles); in the second (Fig. 7) - a tattoo promising good luck (the sun over the ship).

Any robber, not very educated, superstitious person, also associated hope for fortune, rich booty, happy sailing and good luck in battle with the presence of amulets, various talismans, sacred totems and the administration of magical cults. A test is known - a kind of rite of passage, initiation - which Tich Blackbeard conducted for new team members. They were placed in a cramped room (usually in the hold) and fumigated with sulfur, finding out, by the time that the sailor could endure, how “strong” the newcomer was. One can also recall the enchanting action of “lunar sharpenings” - sharpening cold weapons against moonlight, which usually took place on the eve of military campaigns. Intoxicated with narcotic potions (peyote, a narcotic substance extracted from a cactus, was most often used), robbers with drawn blades gathered in a circle and waited for the moon to rise; when the light fell on the weapon, they inflicted light wounds on each other and did not wipe the blood from the blade. Prohibitions based on superstitious ideas were also widespread - spitting overboard while swimming, shaving or cutting hair while hiking, taking food and drink with your left hand.

In the same row are the amulets, inseparably connected with sea robbery. Their number is infinite. Here are a few examples (XVI-XVIII centuries):

1) An amulet that protects against a treacherous shot. Made from a lead bullet flattened against a shell or a metal part of the rigging: it was set in silver or gold and worn on a neck chain.

2) astrological, with owner's horoscope.

3) Amulet that guarantees a happy return home,- bear tooth (sign of the earth).

4) navigation amulet, promising a good voyage, is the anchor of Neptune.

5) Amulet of Friendly Spirits- lava circle with heraldic and astrological signs and letters.

6) Amulet that protects against Indian and Negro charms,- jade turtle with the sign of the cross; worn on a cord woven from horsehair (an ancient amulet of the conquistadors).

7) Amulet from witchcraft, deceit and evil spells- a gypsy amulet in the form of a sequin.

8) Amulet that provides victory in battle,- a battle ax with a magic pentagram.

9) Sailing Safety Amulet in the Southern Hemisphere- a shell of a mollusk with the signs of the Moon and the Southern Cross burned out.

10) Amulet that removes witchcraft common in the Mediterranean.

11) An amulet that guarantees the fidelity of the wife and good luck in love affairs,- A bunch of black goat hair.

12) Amulet against wounds and death from firearms- a bow with a bowstring (should be woven from the hair of the fallen in battle).

13) An amulet that brings grief to the enemy - a piece of coral in the shape of a human head (it was impossible to process the material).

1. An amulet that protects the slain from vengeance,- a skull with the signs of the owner's zodiac (in the figure - Pisces) and a point symbolizing a wound.

15) Amulet that ensures victory in a firefight,- Fire sword.

16) Amulet of Security - figurine of the devil, carved from a piece of ebony.

Let's name a few more magical talismans and amulets. A piece of edged weapons (knife, dagger, stiletto, rapier, etc.), extracted from the wound, guaranteed victory in battle (it was worn in a leather pocket at the waist). Yemeni pirates had a talisman in the form of a “hand of fatma” (it is curious that in Morocco it was a female talisman), Mauritanian pirates had lion fangs, and Algerian pirates had leopard ears.

In conclusion, let us recall one more amulet, which, in our opinion, vividly characterizes the specific nature of the pirate community. This so-called twin amulet. Pirates-sisters, having made incisions on the left forearm, collected a few drops of blood in vessels made from a hollowed out cactus, and added to them a little earth from the place where the whole procedure took place. The vessels were covered with wax, and the "brothers" exchanged talismans. If ever one of them received such a vessel, he had to drop all his business and go to the aid of a twin friend.

The gloomy symbolism was the means by which the robbers frightened their victims. The flag of death, revenge, ferocity and doom, fluttering over the seas, challenged the whole world. Such paraphernalia was an integral part of the pirate world, an independent world that dared to challenge a civilized society. Piracy as a separate system, trying to lock itself in its own exclusivity, has turned into a society of doomed people, united by relations unusual for civilization. The savagery, ferocity, cruelty and doom of these outcasts were combined with their awareness of their criminal exclusivity, a certain chosenness of people who went against the accepted laws of the society that gave birth to them. And, realizing this, the civilized, respectable world declared a ruthless war on the robbers: the corpses of those hung at the crossroads and on the embankments aggravated the gloomy tone of the pirate trade, recalling the irreconcilable confrontation between the two worlds.

The underworld rose like a dark ghost over the seas. He carried a warning about what a fatal destructive force lurked in the bowels of the human community. "Defenders of justice", these pirate Robin Hoods, intimidating their enemies without accepting the "system", seemed to deliberately doom themselves to destruction. But they themselves looked at life with different eyes. Rejecting a society based on nobility and wealth, the pirates drew a fundamentally different picture of the structure of their closed society. On pirate ships, in robber settlements, their own rules reigned. Taking on the mission of vengeance for injustice, the pirates did not limit themselves to calls for destruction. The pirate ship became a symbolic cauldron in which a special social product was boiled down, a kind of attempt to erect a society of social alternative. Its components were the democratic principles of democracy and egalitarian ideas of distribution of property. The white flag of Libertalia flew over the new building.

Libertalia

The white flag of purity and freedom with the inscription "For God and Freedom" flew for the first time over the French ship "Victoire" ("Victory"). It happened in the early 90s of the XVII century. during the War of France against the League of Augsburg. In the battle with the English private ship "Winchester" in the area of ​​Martinique, "Victoire" won.

A high price was paid for the victory - almost all the officers and about half of the crew were killed. Only one noble officer from Provence, Lieutenant Misson, survived. With his friend, a young Italian monk Caraccioli, he turned to the sailors with a proposal to become pirates. But this will not be a simple robbery, said the rebel, the intellectual Misson, we will carry the light of the ideas of equality, human brotherhood around the world and save humanity from the power of gold. Caraccioli echoed him: “We are not pirates. We, free people, are fighting for the human right to live according to the laws of God and nature. We have nothing in common with pirates, except that we seek our fortune at sea." The stunned sailors agreed. The pirate ship headed for a liberation voyage. On the ships that the robbers captured along the way, they could not recover from amazement. The pirates did not "rob", but only took away the equipment and food they needed. The gold found on the captured ships went to the treasury of the future state. Seriously suffered only a Dutch ship with a cargo of slaves - slaves from Africa. All captured valuables were divided equally, the liberated blacks were declared free, dressed in the clothes of the murdered Dutch and taken to their homeland. The pirates let everyone who was dissatisfied with the strange order go home. The ship of freedom wandered for a long time in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, until in 1694 it entered the deserted desert bay of Diego Suarez, located on the northeastern tip of the island of Madagascar. On the rocky shores of the bay, the pirates built a village and announced the newly-minted republic of justice, Libertalia (Country of Freedom). A world of equal people, racial equality, a fair structure of society in which "the strong will not beat the weak" - such "reasonable laws" were guided by its creators. The free city sent its ships to the ocean and invited all pirates to go to the realm of justice. Appeals from Libertalia did not go unanswered. So, the crew of the pirate Kidd left his captain and went to Madagascar. One of the leaders of the new state was the Caribbean pirate Thomas Tew, who arrived in the city of Liberty with his ship.

The inhabitants of Libertalia called themselves libers. Private property was abolished. The city had a common treasury replenished by piracy. From here the funds necessary for the development of the surrounding area, urban construction and provision for the disabled were drawn. The money had no circulation. According to legend, citizenship of Libertalia was granted regardless of nationality or race. The British, the Dutch, the French, the Africans, and the Arabs lived on equal terms here. Gambling, drunkenness, swearing and fighting were banned. The city was governed by the Council of Elders, re-elected every three years. The Guardian, Misson, was placed at the head of the state, Caraccioli was chosen as secretary of state, and Tew was chosen as grand admiral, commander of the naval forces of the Republic. The "Filibuster Republic of Equality" gradually established itself on the island. The attack of the Portuguese squadron was repulsed, the material well-being of the city grew due to successful robberies and successful colonization of the surrounding area. However, the beautiful dream came to an end when the fleet of Libertalia, led by Misson, went on another raid. Militant local tribes suddenly attacked the city, plundered it, seized the treasury and slaughtered all the inhabitants, leaving smoking ruins in place of the commune. Only a handful of Liberians managed to slip away and, sailing away on a small boat, reached the squadron and told about the disaster. Misson and Tew (Caraccioli died in the attack on Libertalia) went to America to start everything over again. But on the way, their ships parted. Misson's sloop was wrecked off the Cape of Good Hope and the entire crew drowned. Tew sailed for a few more years and was a well-known figure in the world of pirate business. We do not know for certain how his life ended - according to one version, he died off the coast of Arabia in a battle with the Great Mogul ship, according to another, he was hanged by the British.

The story of the utopian pirate republic of Libertalia was told to us by the mysterious Captain Johnson. It is not known what formed the basis of the legend of the pirate state - a talented hoax inspired by social problems and hopes for the renewal of human civilization, or real events that led to the creation of a society that seemed to embody the ideals of justice and equality. One way or another, but the principles of piracy, the ideas of sea robbers about the social ideal could well turn into an attempt to create such a "society of harmony".

The sea routes ran the road from a society of inequality and private property - a "criminal society" - to a society of criminals, enemies of the laws governing respectable people. The injustice of modern civilization has driven thousands of adventurers in search of the "truth". Robbery piracy under the black flag of intimidation has become a terrible scarecrow for the whole world. But did the white flag of the avengers become a warning to the world of private property?

D. N. Kopelev

From the book "The Golden Age of Sea Robbery"

Notes

In other cases, place names ("Lancaster"), female names ("Mary Ann"), animal names ("Black Robin" - "Black Robin"), etc. were used. The mention of bachelor life is also curious - the previously encountered Bechelos Delight (Bachelor's Delight) and Bechelos Adventure (Bachelor Adventure). There is nothing strange in this, since most pirates do not have a personal life. Dozens of pirate ships with similar names left the merchants with no hope of impunity. The ferocious warnings rushing from the sides of the pirate ships turned the ocean into a real hell inhabited by gloomy avengers.

ABN (A Barbadians Head - Head of a Barbadian; AMN (A Martinician Head) - Head of a Martinican.

On the issue of the origin of black flags, researchers also do not have unity. It is unlikely that this is due to the black sails of Theseus' ship, which was returning from Crete after the victory over the Minotaur - it is doubtful that the pirates studied ancient Greek myths and knew the secret of the hero's agreement with the king of Athens. Most likely, in our opinion, the assumption that the black color allowed the robbers to disguise themselves in cloudy weather and at night.

In the 17th century officials of the French kingdom faced situations when there was simply nowhere to put the stigma - the entire body of the condemned was covered with intricate ornaments and tattoos. It was no coincidence that they considered whether to put a brand on their foreheads. In fairness, we emphasize that in the Muscovite state such a problem was not faced by justice, and a branded criminal always revealed himself when he “beat with his forehead” (took off his hat).