Ten facts about pirates
to start your day
30th September 2024
Authored by Weirdsmiths
Though piracy in some form has existed for over 3000 years, the “golden age” of piracy is probably the one most recognised in pop-culture and literacy. This era, between the 17th and 18th century, saw more than 5000 pirates active in the seas, pillaging, plundering and transporting goods all throughout the known world. It was during this time that the usage of the iconic jolly roger flag came about, the rises and falls of some of the worlds most famous pirates, and, perhaps most importantly, a wide array of tropes that are both too good to be true; as well as some that are just simply true.
1. Buried Treasure
Though there are cases of it happening, pirates didn’t really bury treasure all that much. One known case of a pirate burying their treasure is William ‘Captain’ Kidd, who supposedly buried some of his treasure near Long Island, likely as an attempt to protect it during his trial for piracy.
2. Pirates did keep parrots as pets
Amongst other birds, it was often a staple of status and wealth to be accompanied by a parrot as a pirate. More specifically, the trade of exotic birds to the wealthy classes of Europe saw generous profits to pirates. Due to the intelligence of the birds, and while most of them were treated as cargo and kept in cages, some pirates would sit parrots on their shoulders and on perches nearby for entertainment on long voyages.
3. Rum was the drink of choice
As depicted in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, rum was indeed the alcohol of choice for most pirates. It really comes down to the geography of where piracy was common and the trade of the area, with sugar plantations forming a large export for British ships out of the Caribbean. Rum formed a part of the Royal Navy’s rations and, as such, when their ships were looted the rum was taken in kind. Given it’s longevity of life versus other perishables, the drink was also used as a currency and show of wealth.
4. Pirates were experienced sailors
More often than not, pirates would be deserters of British, French or Spanish navies. Equally, some pirates would have originally started their sea-faring life as merchants or privateers, subsequently changing to a life of piracy for the riches and freedom it promised. Because of this, most pirates were very skilled sailors and understood the harsh conditions well, making them formidable foes for even the most experienced government armies.
5. They weren't just in the Caribbean
While a huge chunk of early 18th century piracy took place in the Caribbean, the golden age began with pirates sailing around India and the Red Sea, in the modern day Middle East. This area was particularly popular for piracy due to the huge volume of maritime trade from the then British India and Eastern Arabia. The Persian Gulf became so treacherous for pirates that it became known as the Pirate Coast to British ships.
6. There were female pirates too
While most pirates were male due to the fact that government navies wouldn’t allow female sailors, there are plenty of examples of female pirates throughout history. While many of these women would have held subpar positions on ships, there are accounts of those as leaders and commanders, including the famed female Chinese pirate Zheng Yi Sao. With a fleet of over 400 ships and up to 60,000 pirates in her command, Sao was a feirce rival to the East India Company, the Portuguese Empire and even the Qing Dynasty.
7. The age of pirates lasted until the mid 19th century
Despite piracy still existing in some capacity, the popularity of it ran out in roughly the mid 19th century, with Pax Britannica (the relative peace between the super powers of the world) working to police the waters and prosecute pirates. With the rise of the United States, it became much harder for pirates to operate in the Caribbean, and the height of the Commonwealth made it difficult elsewhere.
8. The term pirate is pretty loose
While we may depict a pirate to be a swashbuckling drunkard with a pointy hat and slurred speech, the actual definition has been both varied and disputed throughout all of history. It is often shrouded by criminality and lack of loyalty to one government or monarch, but even then there is a grey area. For example, Sir Francis Drake was seen as a naval hero to the British, but branded a pirate by the Spanish, as he often acted on his own as he plundered their Armada long before war was declared between the two nations.
9. Eye patches weren't for injury
While you may think a pirate wore a patch to cover a missing / damaged eye from battle, it is most likely that they were used to help pirates fight and navigate in the dark. By only exposing one eye to the light during the day, at night a pirate could switch their eye patch and use the eye that has only known darkness, allowing them to take in far more light in the dark, and adjust quicker, than those who did not use the patches.
10. They did in fact wear eyeliner
While it may be a bold fashion choice for 2024, pirates often lined their eyelids with blackened makeup as a way to help divert the sun away from their eyes. There are accounts of warpaint being used as a symbol of fear in a similar way to Viking warriors, however it was mostly to aid them in their seafaring in a similar way to the eye patch. While they wouldn’t have had access to the many makeup brands we do now, it was mostly a combination of grease and soot that made them look so menacing on the sea.
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