Portal:Piracy

The Piracy Portal

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Piracy is a robbery committed at sea, or sometimes on the shore, by an agent without a commission from a sovereign nation. The Golden Age of Piracy occurred mostly in the Caribbean, the American coast, the Indian Ocean, and the western coast of Africa. As British imperialism spread across Europe it brought about many drastic structural changes due to which many sailors and privateers found themselves unemployed. Factors contributing to piracy included the rise in quantities of valuable cargoes being shipped to Europe over vast ocean areas, the weakness of European navies in peacetime, the training and experience that many sailors had gained as conscripts in European navies (particularly the Royal Navy), and the weakness of European government in overseas colonies.

Seaborne piracy against transport vessels remains a significant issue (with estimated worldwide losses of US$13 to $16 billion per year), particularly in the waters between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, off the coast of Somalia, and in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, which are used by over 50,000 commercial ships a year. A recent surge in piracy off the Somali coast spurred a multi-national effort led by the United States to patrol the waters near the Horn of Africa to combat piracy. While boats off the coasts of North Africa and the Mediterranean are still assailed by pirates, the Royal Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard have nearly eradicated piracy in U.S. waters and the Caribbean.

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John Rackham (c. 1682 – November 18, 1720) (often spelled Rackam or Rackum in contemporary documentation), known also as Calico Jack, was an English pirate captain during the early 18th century. His nickname was derived from the calico clothing he wore.

Captain John "Calico Jack" Rackham was a Caribbean pirate towards the end of the era known as the golden age of piracy from 1717–1720. A few of the things that have brought him fame are the allowance of women aboard his ship, something unheard of at this time, and also his flag, the Jolly Roger (The Skull-and-Crossbones insignia), which is one of today’s most popular symbols for piracy. "Calico" Jack is not known as a "particularly ruthless or bloody pirate" in fact many times he would capture ships he would offer the crew to join him, however there are a few reasons in particular why he is still studied today.

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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found. Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character portrayed by Johnny Depp, introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). He appears in the back-to-back sequels, Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007), as well as in a future film, On Stranger Tides (2011). He is the main protagonist in all the films. He is also the subject of a children's book series, Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow, which chronicles his teenage years, and the character's image was introduced into the theme park ride that inspired the films when it was revamped in 2006. The character has also appeared in numerous video games. Sparrow is one of the Brethren Court, the Pirate Lords of the Caribbean Sea and can be treacherous, surviving mostly by using wit and negotiation rather than weapons and force; although he will fight if necessary, he tries to flee most dangerous situations. Sparrow is introduced seeking to regain his ship, the Black Pearl from his mutinous first mate Hector Barbossa, and attempts to escape his blood debt to the legendary Davy Jones while battling the East India Trading Co. (more...)

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“

Come all you brave Boys, whose Courage is bold,
Will you venture with me, I'll glut you with Gold?
Make haste unto Corona, a Ship you will find,
That's called the Fancy, will pleasure your mind.

Captain Every is in her, and calls her his own;
He will box her about, Boys, before he has done:
French, Spaniard and Portuguese, the Heathen likewise,
He has made a War with them until that he dies.

”

— A Copy of Verses, Composed by Captain Henry Every (1696)

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...that in 2011, pirates were reported as raiding along the Danube River in the center of Europe?

...that there is only one account of walking the plank?

...that English pirate Henry Every, who was sometimes known as Long Ben, was one of the few major pirate captains to retire with his loot without being arrested or killed in battle?

...that red Jolly Roger flags were the most feared of all; all prayed they never encountered the "Bloody Red," which boldly declared that no mercy would be shown and all victims would be killed?

...that in the Golden Age of Piracy, the word "pirate" was often spelled "pyrate" or "pyrat"?

...that, while it is unknown if pirates actually kept parrots as pets, it is thought that at least some captains kept cats aboard to keep populations of rats and other vermin down?

...that, unlike traditional Western societies of the time, many pirate clans operated as limited democracies, demanding the right to elect and replace their leaders?

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Image credit: G. H. Maynadier's The Works of Daniel Defoe

Captain Avery captures the Great Mogul's grand-daughter, an early twentieth century painting depicting a scene from Henry Every's capture of the Mughal trading vessel Ganj-i-sawai in 1695. Every retired from piracy after successfully evading the world's first worldwide manhunt, and his exploits served as a potent source of inspiration for later pirates. Few imitators were able to replicate Every’s successes, however, and Ganj-i-sawai remains one of the richest prizes ever taken by pirates.

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