Pirate symbols (nicknames, ship names, flags, tattoos, Jolly Roger, amulets) - Secrets of history. Pirate "symbols"

Symbols of the Jews Not long ago, the Egyptian historian Abdel-Rahman Reyhan said that archaeological finds prove that the six-pointed star is a Muslim symbol, and the seven-branched menorah was borrowed from the Romans. Israeli historian and archaeologist Mikhail Shenkar

PIRATE TREASURE AND SHIP SAFES Island of Lost Ships On one of the busiest routes of the Atlantic, on the way from Hamburg to New York, 250 kilometers east of the Canadian port of Halifax, ships are faced with a dangerous trap: a huge one, usually hidden in thick fog.

“Why is our flag black? Black is a shade of negation. The black flag is the negation of all flags. It is a denial of statehood that places the human condition against itself and denies the unit of all humanity. Black is the mood of anger and arbitrariness in all heinous crimes against humanity, committed in the name of loyalty to one state or another."

Howard J. Ehrlich (ed.)-Reinventing Anarchy, Again.

The exact date of the pirate flag's appearance is unknown, although its history can be traced with some certainty. Determining the possible hostility of oncoming ships has been a difficult problem for many centuries. In the 16th century, with the development of naval artillery, the need to identify ships became especially urgent. Historically, the first ships to carry symbols of their nationality were large warships that were part of the royal navies. The British began to use sails with a rose - the emblem of the royal house of Tudor, the Spaniards - a red Catholic cross. At the same time, no symbolism was used for merchant and single ships. Later, when national flags and coats of arms became generally accepted, special sail colors began to be used on all ships. But on long voyages, the equipment often became unusable, and armorial sails were expensive, and stern flags, which could be of enormous size, were increasingly used to indicate the ownership of ships. This was due not only to the need to ensure a high range of determining the ownership of the ship, but also in connection with the generally accepted phenomenon at that time of replacing the flag with an enemy one. The best strategy then was to assume that all oncoming ships were hostile.

The corsairs that appeared at that time did not have the right to use national flags, and therefore they began to use special symbols together with state pennants. Thus, in 1694, the English Admiralty introduced a mandatory sign to designate English corsair ships - a red flag, named by analogy with the British national flag “Red Jack”. At that time, in naval terminology, a red pennant meant a warning of danger, and in this case signaled to the oncoming ship that resistance was futile. But at the same time, pirates who were not in the service of any state also began to use signal pennants as a measure of intimidation of the enemy. The black flag they raised meant an order to stop immediately and immediately capitulate. Yellow flags were used much less frequently, symbolizing a fatal disease or the madness of the crew.. After the end of Spanish expansion at sea, many corsairs who left government service simply retained their flags, continuing to engage in maritime robbery. Surprisingly, according to some sources, the themes of the American red and white flag and the red flag of the 20th century revolutions were borrowed from corsair pennants.

According to the naval designation system in force at that time, a black pennant meant that the attacked ship should cease resistance and stop immediately. If the victim continued to move, a red flag was raised, symbolizing the impossibility of showing mercy. Around the same time, the name of the pirate flag appeared. Presumably it came from the French phrase “Jolie Rouge” - “Red Sign”, which in English transcription turned into Jolly Roger - “Jolly Roger”. In addition, the law on vagrancy in force in England at that time was called Rouge, and the tramps and swindlers themselves were called Rogers in slang. In Holland, corsairs operating in the English Channel were called privateers, or sea beggars, which could also have influenced the appearance of the word “pirates” and the name of their flag. Another possible interpretation comes from the fact that the devil was sometimes referred to as "Old Roger", and thus the flag symbolized the devil's wrath.

According to generally accepted opinion, a pirate flag should depict a skull and crossbones or swords. In fact, each ship had its own unique sign and these signs were very diverse. The first mention of a "classic" pirate flag was by the French pirate Emmanuelle Wynne in 1700, who used a skull crossbones with an hourglass on a red or black background. The Henry Every pirate flag was roughly the same, but the skull on it was in profile. This meant that the owner of this flag was no longer a hired corsair, but became a free pirate. Emblems of similar meaning on a black or red background soon began to appear among many pirates, and the most common symbolism was the image of skulls, bones and skeletons as symbols of death. These images were supposed to exert additional psychological pressure on the enemy, to evoke a feeling of imminent mortal danger and the futility of resistance; moreover, similar signs were often present on tombstones of that time. In addition, signs of inexorably passing time, strength, madness and courage were used.

All these images of hourglasses, sabers, wings in various combinations were found on pirate flags. Thus, the signs on the Bartholomew Roberts flag (“Black Bart”) symbolized contempt for death (“drinking to death”), ruthlessness and strength (skeleton with a spear), and all pirate flags usually carried a tinge of fatalism. In addition, pirates who actively maintained contacts with various states often used two flags at once - such as Charles Vane, who, in his voyages of 1718, raised a red pirate flag on the foremast, a black one on the mainsail, and an English cross on the stern flagpole . The images on the pirate flags were very crude, since their production was usually carried out by ordinary crew members wielding a needle and thread. Often, flags could simply be bought at a port tavern for a bottle of brandy, so most ship symbols were not very elegant or inventive.. So, on one of the flags of the same “Black Bart”, when he sailed in the area of ​​​​the islands of Martinique and Barbados, a pirate was depicted standing on the heads of a Barbadian (AVN - “A Barbadian’s Head”) and a Martinican (AMN - “A Martiniquan’s” Head"). The threat was clear - the sailors of these colonies could expect no mercy if they tried to offer the slightest resistance. If a pirate could intimidate an enemy into defeat without putting up a fight, then the danger to the pirate crew would be eliminated and the victim's ship would be captured intact, thus retaining its value. The images on the flag were often associated with a famous pirate and therefore his reputation, which caused a more obvious threat.

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The imagination of the robbers was quite mundane, but rich, and pirates, alien to pretentiousness, willingly gave their brothers all sorts of simple nicknames. A variety of people could be hiding behind nicknames. Some preferred to keep their real names secret, others mdash; special favorites of the pirate world mdash; they proudly wore nicknames as honorary titles, and some pirates had such unusual physical features that it was simply impossible to ignore them.

Nicknames were often given based on geography. It is not difficult to understand where Ghassan Veneiano, the famous Algerian corsair of the 16th century, came from. The legendary Jean François Nau, known as Olone and famous for his cruelty, was born in the town of Sables and Olone. The nicknames of Pierre the Picardian, Miguel Le Basque, Roque the Brazilian or Bartolomeo the Portuguese also betray their nationality or remind of the countries with which these people were in one way or another connected.

Nicknames associated with the physical characteristics of their bearers hardly need any special explanation. For example, Long Ben, Pierre Long, Handsome, Teach Blackbeard, two red-bearded brothers Urouj and Hayraddin, who went down in history as Barbarossa I and II. The nickname Wooden Leg was widely used. 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 Spanish Maine mdash; Frenchman François Leclerc and Dutchman Cornelis Helu. In other cases, the pirates' imagination was more sophisticated. If the nickname of the filibuster leader Alexander the Iron Hand suggests that its bearer had an all-crushing powerful blow and enormous physical strength, then Pierre Legrand (French grand; mdash; big;, great;) was probably just a tall man, or maybe , and had a great mind. A certain West Indian freebooter bore the nickname Strong-toothed, and another was known as Light-footed. It is difficult to determine what qualities the pirate nicknamed Fair Wind 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, and perhaps he earned the nickname because of his constant readiness to take part in a glorious fight and a dashing drinking session. An obviously humorous nickname was coined by one famous Algerian robber mdash; 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 differences; World of the Caribbean has retained some fairly typical mdash monikers; for example, Slick or Storm of the Tides. The most famous nickname was the Exterminator, received by the Chevalier de Montbard 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 Bridgeman, 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 (English, every; mdash; 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 surname or became Sampson Marshall or James Gilliam. It is impossible to determine with accuracy at what stages the reincarnation of this trickster 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 set sail for the west coast of Africa on a slave trading ship. Here the ship was captured by captain Yankee's pirates, and Kelly decided to become a robber. For several years he robbed in Spanish Main, moving from one ship to another. He eventually ended up on John Cook's pirate ship. In the spring of 1683, the ship arrived on 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 the later famous William Dampier and Ambrose Cowley, who left notes about this voyage. Cook's ship set sail in April. In the Atlantic, he intercepted a Dutch merchant ship. Cook's crew liked its draft and strength, and the pirates moved onto it, taking valuable cargo (sixty black slaves) and leaving their ship to the Dutchman in exchange. Now the ship on which Kelly sailed began to be called Bechelos Delight; (A bachelor's delight;). The pirates set sail for the Pacific Ocean, but after passing Cape Horn they encountered a terrible storm. After difficult trials in the southern latitudes, they finally reached the Chilean coast. Here they met other pirate ships, and a reputable Anglo-Franco-Dutch company continued their joint hunt for the Spanish galleons. No major success was achieved, the crews fell out and the community fell apart. Kelly found himself in a group under the command of Edward Davis (Cooke had died by this time) that went back to the Caribbean. Here Kelly went to Jamaica and accepted the amnesty of William I, becoming a privateer. However, he soon grew tired of the official status and returned to piracy. Having captured the sloop Diamond; (Diamond;), Kelly, already as a captain, headed 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 with Kelly, under the name of Marshall, with the crew of the famous Robert Culliford coming to the island of Sainte-Marie. Here he met Captain Kidd and returned with him to the West Indies, but under the name 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 for the authors of the nicknames, all nicknames carried a certain psychological load, adding mystery and unusualness to pirate life. Sometimes these nicknames turned into a kind of calling cards, from which potential victims of their owners shuddered with fear.

The names of pirate ships played an important role in influencing the enemy psychologically. Maritime robbery researcher M. Rediker, having analyzed the names of forty-four pirate ships, found: in eight cases (18.2%) the word revenge was mentioned; (remember Teach’s famous brig Queen Anne’s Revenge; or Stead Bonnet’s ship Revenge;), in seven (15.9%) the word tramp is present; (ranger;) or wanderer; (rover;), in five cases the ship's name refers to royalty.

The most famous symbol of piracy is the ominous Jolly Roger flag; (Jolly Rodger;). It was first recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary; in 1724. It became very widespread and was known in various variants. On the black field was the favorite sign of sea robbers mdash; a skull with crossbones or a full-length skeleton. Various paraphernalia of sea life, weapons and other items were used, depending on the imagination and preferences of the team. In most cases these were mdash weapons; from boarding blades and swords to knives and arrows. For example, a black flag fluttered over the ship of Captain Spriggs, in the middle of which was a white skeleton. 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 ship that it met 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 standing on two skulls, underneath which were the letters AVN; and AMN; . Of course, the authorities of the islands of Barbados and Martinique, sworn enemies of Roberts, knowing about these letters under the death heads, could not forget about their special affection; robber to their possessions.

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

With Jolly Roger; There are many controversial issues involved. Firstly, it is known that this name was not the only one for pirate flags. Black Flag;, 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 color black dates back only to 1700, and the flag of the French pirate Emmanuel Dune had this background.

Previously, black color (as well as black scarves) was widely used by Spanish pirates. One of the rules defining the procedure for registering hearses for the funeral of the Spanish king states: 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(our discharge), as a flag used on pirate ships. Therefore, we should limit ourselves to a flag of dark violet or cardinal purple;

Perhaps the Spanish robbers did not only mock the mdash monarch; The flags of Spanish military squadrons were also black (including those on the Invincible Armada;). In addition, the black suit of the Spanish aristocrat served as a distinctive sign of belonging to the upper classes and a sign of high fashion; XVI century It is not surprising that the pirates wanted to join in; to high society.

However, the favorite of the bandits (especially the British and French) was the red, or bloody, flag, the color of which, apparently, symbolized bloodshed, the willingness 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 alarm and later became the flag of uprisings. Captain Massersie's logbook gives a story about how a detachment of filibusters met Indians on the side of the Spaniards on the road to the city of Capone in Western Mexico: When they saw us, they were afraid; We immediately lowered the white flag and raised the red one with a white skull and crossbones;. Let us also recall the famous 1680 attack on Panama by the First Pacific wave of buccaneers. Five of the seven detachments flew under red flags: the vanguard (first detachment) of Captain Bartholomew Sharpe under a red flag with white and green ribbons; mdash main forces; Richard Sawkins's second squad under a red flag with yellow stripes, the third and fourth squads (Peter Harris' teams) under green flags, the fifth and sixth squads under red flags; rearguard (seventh division) of Edmond Cook under a red flag with a yellow stripe, a naked hand and a sword.

The red flag of the robbers repeated the bloody battle flag of the military fleets. Order No. 1 of the Lord of the Admiralty in 1596 established for the duration of the battle, raise a red battle flag instead of a permanent nasal flag; In the novel by D. Defoe Robinson Crusoe; the hero recalls one clash with the enemy and says that at first a white flag of negotiations was raised on his ship, and with the beginning of the battle a red flag hoisted from the mast. Close to red was the light orange color in which Tich Blackbeard’s cloth was painted.

Note that in the 17th century. sea ​​robbers preferred to sail under their national flag or use the flag of the state that granted them a marque license. But if, upon meeting with the enemy, a bloody banner was raised 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. Thus, Captain Richard Hawkins, captured by pirates in 1724, said that if pirates fight under the Jolly Roger, they seem to give the intended victim the opportunity to consider whether to resist, and are ready to accept voluntary surrender, but if a red flag appears, then , things have reached the extreme point, and the fight will be life and death. The bloody flag played the same function, for example, in Avery. This robber swam under the cross of St. George using mdash's 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 flew up the flagpole, the crew of the merchant ship should have prepared 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 overtones. 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.

Third, the question remains open about the origin of the name Jolly Roger;. If this is due to the ferocious grin of the skull, then it is likely that the pirates (jokingly;) could call this creepy monster cheerful;. But what does Roger have to do with it? 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 emphasized the final vowel, adding the sound e;. The English filibusters brought their own interpretation to the name, and in the course of the evolution of joli; turned into jolly;, a rouge; became Roger;. Moreover, all this came together in a black flag. According to another version, the term originated in the Indian Ocean. The leader of the local pirates who sailed under the red flags had the title Ali Raja. He was called the king of the sea;. The English who came here have the word Raja; turned into Roger;, and Ali became an accessory of any Roger mdash; Ally, Old or Jolly. However, it is possible that the English roger; etymologically related to the word rogue; (rogue;, tramp;) and marked the beginning of an independent vagabond life.

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

The use of symbols and attributes of a personal nature gave a special flavor to piracy, without which it is impossible to imagine the robber world of the sea. Is it possible to talk about a sailor without talking about a tattoo? Sea signs, talismans, symbols, mysterious letters, mdash letters; sophisticated imagination 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 masters applied tattoos that allowed their owners not only to show off in front of other crew members, but also to hello; to hide from justice. The fact is that the tattoo is mdash; the sign of belonging to the maritime caste, in addition to the aesthetic, psychological connotations, had an additional function: with its help, the robbers hid the eternal, indelible traces of justice mdash; stigma of shame; (as defined by Cardinal de Richelieu), mark. The lilies and crowns applied with a hot iron were impossible to erase and destroy mdash; and then the criminals hid them among 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 ones; brands

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

A most interesting example is demonstrated by the tattoo in Fig. 5 mdash; the Spanish mark (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. In Fig. 6 and 7 depict characteristic tattoos of sea robbers of the 17th century; XVIII centuries In the first case (Fig. 6) mdash; this is a tattoo that brings good luck (wind rose, heart, anchor and two magic triangles); in the second (Fig. 7) mdash; tattoo promising good luck (sun above the ship).

Any robber, not too educated, superstitious person also associated hope for fortune, rich booty, a happy voyage and good luck in battle with the presence of amulets, various talismans, sacred totems and the practice of magical cults. The mdash test is known; a kind of rite of passage, initiation, mdash; which Teach Blackbeard held for new team members. They were placed in a cramped room (as a rule, in the hold) and fumigated with sulfur, determining how strong the sailor was based on the time that the sailor could withstand; newcomer. One can also recall the enchanting effect of lunar sharpenings; mdash; sharpening of bladed weapons on the moonlight, which usually took place on the eve of military campaigns. Stupefied with narcotic potions (peyote was most often used; mdash; a narcotic substance extracted from a cactus), the robbers with drawn blades gathered in a circle and waited for the moon to rise; when the light fell on the weapon, they inflicted slight wounds on each other and did not wipe the blood off the blade. Prohibitions based on superstitious beliefs were also widespread; spitting overboard while sailing, shaving or trimming hair while sailing, taking food and drink with the left hand.

In the same row are amulets inseparably associated with sea robbery. Their number is infinite. Here are some examples (XVI mdash; XVIII centuries):

1) An amulet that protects against a treacherous shot. Made from a lead bullet, flattened on a shell or 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) An amulet that guarantees a happy return home, mdash; bear tooth (earth sign).

4) Navigation amulet, promising good sailing, mdash; Neptune's anchor.

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

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

7) Amulet against witchcraft, deception and evil spells mdash; gypsy amulet in the form of sechin.

8) An amulet that ensures victory in battle, mdash; battle hatchet with a magical pentagram.

9) Safe Navigation Amulet in the Southern Hemisphere mdash; shellfish shell with burnt signs of the Moon and the Southern Cross.

10) Amulet that removes witchcraft widespread in the Mediterranean.

11) An amulet that guarantees the wife's fidelity and good luck in love affairs, mdash; a tuft of black goat hair.

12) Amulet against wounds and death from firearms mdash; bow with a string (must be woven from the hair of someone killed in battle).

13) An amulet that brings grief to the enemy, mdash; a piece of coral in the shape of a human head (the material could not be processed).

1. An amulet that protects those killed from vengeance, mdash; a skull with the owner’s zodiac signs (in the picture mdash; Pisces) and a point symbolizing injury.

15) An amulet that ensures victory in a shootout mdash; Fire sword.

16) mdash security amulet; figurine of the devil, carved from a piece of ebony.

Let's name a few more magical talismans and amulets. A fragment of a bladed weapon (knife, dagger, stiletto, rapier, etc.), removed from a wound, guaranteed victory in battle (it was worn in a leather pocket near the belt). Yemeni pirates had a common talisman in the shape of the hand of Fatma; (curiously, in Morocco it was a female talisman), among the Moorish pirates mdash; lion fangs, from Algerian pirates mdash; leopard ears.

In conclusion, let us recall another amulet, which, in our opinion, clearly characterizes the specific character of the pirate community. This is the so-called sister amulet. The sister pirates, having made incisions on the left forearm, collected a few drops of blood into vessels made from a hollowed out cactus, and added a little earth to them 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 affairs and go to the aid of his brother-friend.

Gloomy symbolism was the means by which robbers terrified their victims. The flag of death, revenge, ferocity and doom, waving over the seas, challenged the whole world. Such attributes were an integral part of the pirate world, an independent world that dared to challenge civilized society. Piracy as an isolated system, trying to isolate itself on its own exclusivity, turned into a society of doomed people, united by relationships 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 hanged at crossroads and on 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 fatal destructive force lurked in the depths of human society. Defenders of justice, these pirate Robin Hoods, frightening their enemies without accepting the system, seemed to be deliberately dooming themselves to destruction. But they themselves looked at life with different eyes. Rejecting a society based on nobility and wealth, the pirates painted for themselves a fundamentally different picture of the structure of their closed society. On pirate ships and in robber settlements, their own rules reigned. Taking upon themselves the mission of revenge 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, a kind of attempt to erect a society of social alternative. Its components were the democratic principles of democracy and egalitarian ideas of property distribution. The white flag of Libertalia fluttered above the new building.

Libertalia

White flag of purity and freedom with the inscription For God and freedom; first soared over the French ship Victoire; (Victory;). This happened in the early 90s of the 17th century. during the French War against the League of Augsburg. In the battle with the English privateer ship Winchester; in the Victoire region of Martinique; prevailed.

A high price was paid mdash 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, the young Italian monk Caraccioli, he approached the sailors with an offer to become pirates. But this will not be a simple robbery, said the rebel, intellectual Misson, we will carry around the world the light of the ideas of equality, human brotherhood and rid humanity of the power of gold. Caraccioli echoed him: We are not pirates. We, free people, are fighting for the right of man to live according to the laws of God and nature. We have nothing in common with pirates, except that we are looking for happiness at sea;. The stunned sailors agreed. The pirate ship set off on a liberation voyage. On the ships that the robbers captured along the way, they could not recover from amazement. The pirates did not rob; they only took the equipment and food they needed. Gold found on captured ships went to the treasury of the future state. Only the Dutch ship carrying a cargo of slaves mdash was seriously damaged; 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 Indian Ocean, until in 1694 it entered the deserted, deserted bay of Diego Suarez, located on the northeastern tip of the island of Madagascar. On the rocky shores of the bay, pirates built a village and announced the newly-minted republic of justice, Libertalia (Land of Freedom). A world of equal people, racial equality, a fair society in which the strong will not beat down the weak; mdash; such reasonable laws; guided by its creators. The free city sent its ships to the ocean and invited all pirates to go to the kingdom of justice. Calls from Libertalia did not go unanswered. So, the crew of the pirate Kidd abandoned their 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 Liberians. Private property was abolished. The city had a common treasury, replenished through piracy. From here the funds necessary for the development of the surrounding area, urban construction and provision for the disabled were drawn. There was no money in circulation. According to legend, Libertalia citizenship was granted regardless of nationality or race. The British, the Dutch, the French, the Africans, and the Arabs lived here in equal conditions. Gambling, drunkenness, swearing and fighting were prohibited. The city was governed by the Council of Elders, re-elected every three years. The Guardian mdash was placed at the head of the state; Misson, Caraccioli was chosen as Secretary of State, and Grand Admiral, Commander of the Naval Forces of the Republic, mdash; Tew. 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 wonderful dream came to an end when the Libertalia fleet, led by Misson, went on another raid. Warlike local tribes suddenly attacked the city, plundered it, seized the treasury and massacred all the inhabitants, leaving smoking ruins in place of the commune. Only a handful of Liberians managed to escape 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 all over again. But on the way their ships separated. Misson's sloop crashed off the Cape of Good Hope and the entire crew drowned. Tew sailed for several more years and was a well-known figure in the world of pirate business. We don’t know for certain how his life ended mdash; according to one version, he died off the coast of Arabia in a battle with the ship of the Great Mogul, according to another mdash; 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 unknown what formed the basis of the legend of the pirate state, mdash; 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, 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 led the way out of a society of inequality and private property mdash; criminal society; mdash; to a society of criminals, enemies of the laws governing respectable people. The injustice of modern civilization pushed thousands of adventurers in search of the truth; Robust piracy under the black flag of intimidation has become a terrible scarecrow for the whole world. But was the white flag of the vigilante robbers a warning to the world of private property?

From the book The Golden Age of Sea Robbery;

Notes

Modern children, just like their peers many years ago, dream of raising a pirate flag over their schooner and becoming formidable conquerors of the depths of the sea. Books, films and computer games on this topic do not lose their popularity and become the basis for children's games.

Why is the “Jolly Roger,” as the pirate flag is commonly called, considered the main symbol of sea robbers, for what reason was this name assigned to it, when and where did it appear, and what do the symbols depicted on it mean? Let's try to figure this out.

Before answering the questions posed, let's remember who was considered a pirate, what these people were like.

Who are they?

In reality, sea robbers were not as funny as they are portrayed in the animated film “Abrafax under the Pirate Flag.” The word "pirate" is quite ancient, and scientists believe that it originated in the 5th century BC. Translated from Latin, it means “sea robber trying his luck.” Over time, other names appeared: buccaneer, privateer, filibuster, privateer, buccaneer, corsair.

Robbery "in law"

Privateers, filibusters, corsairs and privateers practiced pirate robberies of ships of other powers during the war, receiving special letters of marque for this - official permission from one or another royal house. For such a license to rob, they all paid a certain percentage to the state, thus replenishing the treasury. When attacking enemy ships, they were required to raise the flag of the country that gave them permission. But the raised black pirate flag meant the presentation of an ultimatum to surrender. If the enemy did not intend to do this, the privateers raised a red flag, which warned that there would be no mercy.

After the end of the wars, many hired robbers did not want to leave such a profitable business. They continued to rob the merchant ships of both their former enemies and their former masters.

How it all began

For the first time, the “Jolly Roger” as a pirate flag, according to documentary evidence, was used by Emmanuel Vine at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. The image we know today on his flag was supplemented by an hourglass, which meant the following: “Your time is running out.” Subsequently, many leaders of sea robbers developed their own unique version of the “Jolly Roger” design. Raising such a flag warned the captains about who they were dealing with.

The oldest surviving pirate flag, the photo of which you see below, is in the Portsmouth National Museum of England. He was captured in battle off the African coast in 1780. And today you can see small bullet holes with burnt edges on it.

What colour is he?

The pirate flag, familiar to us from movies and cartoons, is black. However, this was not always the case. Initially, the pirates used a red cloth, which meant that everyone would be destroyed and no mercy should be expected. In addition, sea robbers could use both state flags to intimidate or reduce the vigilance of their opponents, and banners of other colors, identifying themselves to their allies.

Why is it called that?

Many people wonder why the pirate flag is called the “Jolly Roger”. Today there are several theories trying to explain this.

The first of them says that during the plague and other infectious diseases, a black flag with two white stripes was raised on ships, warning other ships of the danger. Later the stripes became crossed. They were joined by a human skull, which is what the sea robbers used.

Another version is based on the documented fact that in France the privateer flag was officially called Joyeux Rouge - “jolly red”. The British pirates rethought and heard this: Also remember the fact that at the end of the 17th century in Great Britain laws were passed against vagrancy - rouge laws, and the word “roger” can be understood as “swindler”, “beggar”, “tramp”. In addition, in the northern provinces of England and Ireland, “Old Roger” was sometimes called the leader of the dark forces.

There is another hypothesis: the pirate flag received its name thanks to King Roger II of Sicily (1095-1154). This ruler became famous for his many victories both at sea and on land, under which crossed bones were depicted.

Popular symbols

For us, the obligatory design that adorns the pirate flag (the picture is shown below) is a human skull and two crossed bones on a black background.

Indeed, this symbol of death was the most widely used, both among sea robbers and on tombstones in England. No less common signs that reminded everyone that a grave awaited everyone were skeletons, hourglasses, swords and spears, crossed swords and sabers, raised glasses and wings. These were popular symbols that anyone could decipher. So, wings meant fleeting time, and a full glass meant a toast to death. Similar images were found both individually and in various combinations.

Personal Rogers

As already mentioned, the skull and crossbones is one of the oldest and most famous versions of the “Jolly Roger”. It is worth noting that it was in this form that it was used by Edward England, a sea robber from Ireland who engaged in robbery in the Indian Ocean in the first quarter of the 18th century. Many captains tried to create their own easily recognizable design on the flag.

Thus, the rather famous Welsh captain Bartholomew Roberts, who traded in the Caribbean in the 18th century, decorated the pirate flag (the picture is just below) with himself, standing on two skulls above the abbreviations AMN (A Martiniquar's Head - “Martinican skull”) and ABH (A Barbadian's Head - “Barbadian skull”).

For some reason, this Welshman very much disliked the inhabitants of these islands, and, correctly understanding this hint, the ships from those parts preferred to surrender without a fight.

Christopher Mudin, who pirated in the Carolina area at the beginning of the 17th century, decorated his pirate flag, the photo of which you see below, with a skull and crossbones, an hourglass with wings and a hand with a raised sword.

The flag, better known as Blackbeard, features a skeleton holding an hourglass and a spear pointing at his bleeding heart.

Who raises pirate flags today?

Don’t think that the “Jolly Roger” is raised today only at children’s or adult parties. Introduced back in the First World War, the tradition of submarine sailors entering the port after a successful operation with the pirate flag raised is still alive today in many fleets. And even during the war with Iraq, many British submarines raised the “Jolly Roger” when returning to base.

Such flags symbolically told the history of the ship, as well as its achievements. The submarine crew made the pirate flag with their own hands, adding various details to it after successful operations. Today's collection of modern "Jolly Rogers" in the English Museum of the Royal Navy includes fifteen copies, which are characterized by their own unique symbols. For example, red rectangles represent military ships, and white rectangles represent merchant ships. The image of the dagger indicates that the submarine took part in some kind of espionage or secret operations off enemy shores.