Modern children, just like their peers many years ago, dream of hoisting a pirate flag over their schooner and becoming formidable conquerors of the deep 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, why did this name get attached 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, the sea robbers were not as funny as they are depicted in the animated film "Abrafax under a pirate flag." The word "pirate" is quite ancient, and scientists believe that it originated as early as the 5th century BC. Translated from Latin, it means "sea robber trying his luck." Over time, other names appeared: buccaneer, privateer, filibuster, privatir, buccaneer, corsair.

Robbery "in the 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 for robbery, they all deducted a certain percentage of the state, thus replenishing the treasury. When attacking enemy ships, they had to raise the flag of the country that gave them permission. But the raised black pirate flag meant the presentation of an ultimatum demand to surrender. In the event that the enemy was not going 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, began to be used by Emmanuel Vine in the late 17th - early 18th centuries. The image on his flag known to us today was supplemented with an hourglass, which meant the following: "Your time is running out." In the future, many leaders of the sea robbers developed their own unique version of the Jolly Roger pattern. The raising of such a flag warned the captains about who they would have to deal with.

The oldest pirate flag that has survived to this day, the photo of which you see below, is located in the Portsmouth National Museum of England. He was captured in action off the African coast in 1780. And today you can see small bullet holes with burnt edges on it.

What colour is he?

The black pirate flag familiar to us from movies and cartoons. However, this was not always the case. Initially, the pirates used a red canvas, which meant that everyone would be destroyed, 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, designating themselves for the allies.

Why is it called that?

Many people think about 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 contagious diseases, a black flag with two white stripes was raised on ships to warn other ships of the danger. In the future, the stripes became crossed. They were joined by a human skull, which was used by the sea robbers.

Another version relies on the documented fact that in France the flag of marque was officially called Joyeux Rouge - "jolly red". 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, the leader of the dark forces was sometimes called "old Roger".

There is another hypothesis: the pirate flag got 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 pattern that adorns the pirate flag (pictured below) is a human skull and two crossbones on a black background.

Indeed, this symbol of death was the most widely used among both sea robbers and on tombstones in England. No less common signs that reminded everyone that a grave awaits were skeletons, hourglasses, swords and spears, crossed swords and sabers, raised glasses and wings. These were popular symbols that anyone could decipher. So, and the wings meant elusive time, and a full glass - 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 variants 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 hunted robbery in the Indian Ocean in the first quarter of the 18th century. Many captains tried to create their own easily recognizable pattern on the flag.

So, the rather famous Welsh captain Bartholomew Roberts, who hunted in the Caribbean in the 18th century, adorned the pirate flag (the picture is just below) with himself, standing on two skulls above the abbreviations AMH (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, ships from those parts preferred to surrender without a fight.

Pirate in the Carolinas at the beginning of the 17th century, Christopher Mudin 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 with an hourglass and a spear pointing at a bleeding heart.

Who raises pirate flags today?

Do not think that the "Jolly Roger" rises today only at children's or adult parties. Introduced back in the First World War, the tradition of submariners entering the port after a successful operation with a raised pirate flag is alive today in many fleets. And even during the war with Iraq, many British submarines raised the "Jolly Roger", returning to base.

Such flags symbolically told the history of the ship, as well as its achievements. The crew of the submarines made a pirate flag with their own hands, supplementing it with various details after successful operations. Today's collection of modern "Jolly Rogers" in the English Royal Navy Submarine Museum has fifteen pieces, which are characterized by their own unique symbols. So, for example, red rectangles represent military ships, while white rectangles represent merchant ships. The image of the dagger indicates that the submarine took part in some kind of espionage or covert operations off enemy coasts.

Endless sea spaces, endless adventures and bottomless treasures! It's no surprise that a pirate party for kids is one of their favorite birthday or school date themes. Parents are also lucky: the design of the room will not take much effort and will not hit the budget, because many accessories and decorations are easy to do with your own hands.

Registration

Since it children's holiday, the entourage should be flashy-bright, cartoony and full of details. Don't be afraid to overload the room with decorations - the more, the merrier!

But don’t break your head over the forms and complex compositions - the kids don’t care how highly artistic the colorful garland is. Even better, if the decorations are rustic, as if assembled by children. Spend the free time on working out the script and preparing treats - these moments are much more interesting for the guys.

Original ideas for a pirate party for children can be drawn from dozens of themed cartoons: Treasure Planet, Treasure Island, Pirate Island Mysteries, etc.

Posters/ cartoon frames are great for wall decoration- print, cut. Figures of recognizable heroes and attributes can be assembled into garlands, cards for skewers, signs for a candy bar can be made.

To decorate a room or open space, if the party is outdoors, prepare:

• paper garlands of boats, skulls, anchors, flags Jolly Roger on the ceiling, walls;

• globes, "old" cards, cardboard pirates, guns, mountains of gems, gold;

• spyglasses, sextants, marine compasses. The real ones will certainly delight the children! But you can make fake or print photos, just to create an entourage;

Bright themed attributes for a children's pirate party can be bought. There is literally everything, from jewelry to accessories, clothes, weapons, balls, dishes.

• pirate themed balloons, stickers. It is easy to assemble palm trees, anchors, ships, skeletons from long windmills;

• cracked barrels, huge anchors, steering wheels fake, foam or cardboard;

• for draping walls/furniture and Use stylized sails, ropes and fishing nets. Hang rope ladders/ropes with knots for gripping against one of the walls or on a branchy tree if the holiday is outdoors. Don't forget to lay mats;

• it is dark in the hold or treasury without fire.… Arrange candles around the room - safe, battery-powered!

• shells, algae, fish, krakens and all sorts of octopuses. Sea monsters are not very creepy, because this is a children's pirate party. Although today's children just do not scare. But still, with horror films in moderation;

• do not forget the most important - treasures in chests. Bent spoons and other aluminum as silverware, grandmother's jewelry, dagger knives, chocolate coins, candy beads. Chests are easy to assemble from a box cut out according to a template, paint or paste over with wallpaper under a tree, hang a fake castle.

Friends will certainly not refuse to help arrange a pirate party for children - ask them for decoration toys:

• plastic boats, figurines of pirates, swords, sabers, thematic "Lego";

• talking parrots. Glue a cardboard cocked hat and an eye patch - you get a real pirate companion! Repeating parrots, shouting after the children “Break me thunder” and “Whistle everyone upstairs”, will surely amuse the children;

• floating fish, octopuses, battery turtles and other marine life. Settle them in beautiful jars with shells, sand, treasures at the bottom.

photozone

Thematic background with a pattern or tantamaresque. It is not difficult to make it with your own hands, taking a cheerful picture as a model. Draw, cut out "windows" for faces. A simple example that even an older child can repeat.

You can make a real pirate ship! Let it be made of cardboard, but with masts and sails! Do not be too lazy to paint the boat beautifully - an hour of time, and the difference is noticeable.

invitations

Ordinary invitations for such a colorful theme are unthinkable, and the guys will surely like the original “postcards”. DIY Pirate Party Invitations for Kids:

• paper boat with text on sails;

• burnt edge card, "old". Sketch out the path to your "island" or "cave" (where will you celebrate your pirate birthday?);

• encrypted message - riddles, puzzles, puzzles(simple, children's). The answer will be “I invite you to a party” or “come date-time”;

• a chest with a letter from Flint himself and chocolate treasures in golden foil. Or a black label with text inside/on the back;

• mysterious message in a bottle, wandering along the waves for a long time (decorate with shells, starfish).

Suits

Dear parents, no bigotry. After all, this is a pirate-style children's party, and kids do not like constricting clothes that are hot and uncomfortable to run and play. For example, heavy high boots or a leather hat are a nightmare for a mobile child. But absolutely newspaper accessories, assembled in five minutes, will not look too festive in the photo.

Do not try to dress a little pirate with a needle. Some mess and even a tattered costume is welcome! A girl can arrange a creative mess on her head, braid several braids with multi-colored hairpins-elastic bands. The boy tousle his hair, draw a bruise, mustache, beard.

We offer simple options on how to dress for a pirate party without spending much. Top: long T-shirt or T-shirt with stripes - blue, red, black. If the shirt is white or grey/beige. Gather fluffy cuffs and a collar on an elastic band. Bottom: dark wide trousers, loose shorts or a skirt. For a boy, you can sew a short vest or a long camisole wide open. For a girl - a dress with a corset, frills and flounces, under retro. Look at the photos of pirate costumes for rent for ideas.

The tops of boots are better to make sham, thick fabric. It is desirable that they be removed - on an elastic band, Velcro, buttons from the inside. If it is hot indoors or outdoors, after a few photos for memory, the tops can be unfastened:

Of course, the costume would be incomplete without important pirate accessories and recognizable elements:

• a wide belt (a long thin scarf will do), a belt with a gold buckle;

• fake rivets, chains, lacing;

• eye patch, hook in the sleeve, skeleton skulls (key rings, drawings, stickers on clothes, transfer tattoos);

• spyglass, saber, pistol. Surely something from the "weapon" is in the home collection. If not, make from cardboard and paint with silver/gold paint;

• bandana and/or hat. They cost a penny in party stores, but a paper hat is easy to make with your own hands (with an elastic band or two parts glued around the edges):

A real pirate cocked hat can be assembled from an old baseball cap and a wide “steering wheel” of fields.. Cut off the visor, sew on the “steering wheel”, fold and sew the fields at three points, as in the photo below. The crown will be almost invisible, but you can paint it or cover it with a fabric in the color of the hat brim. Decorate with a frill around the edges, stick a dashing feather or draw a skull. Get a hat like this:

Menu, serving

It hardly makes sense to arrange a serious feast at a children's holiday - the guys are waiting for active competitions and goodies, and not potatoes with chicken. But for parents, you can include several salads, meat and vegetable cuts in the menu. It is better to arrange all dishes in small portions, in baskets, vases.

Pirate treats will become more attractive if you beat the serve beautifully. Lay a striped or black tablecloth, decorate the "board" - anchors, helms, lifebuoys. You can throw an imitation of a fishing net on the tablecloth. Buy stylized dishes and napkins, colorful skirts and cupcake tins, make miniature cards for skewers.

Bring a country table with an umbrella. The stick on which the umbrella is attached is almost a ready-made mast for the galleon's developing sails! Or hang a sail/flag on the wall behind the table. If you are celebrating a children's birthday in a pirate style, there is no better “canvas” for congratulations. Make an inscription on the sail like this:

Captain Max
9 years on the high seas
Fly forward with all sails, adventures are waiting for you!

If you're planning on spending the day outdoors, prepare something substantial. For example, you can make a couple of salads and arrange them on plates, like a ship's cook - a ladle from a huge pan. Sausage octopus jellyfish are also quite in the subject:

But the most important thing is the pirate Candy-bar or sweet menu. This is where decorations come in handy - skewers, cards and other small things with pirate symbols. Any recipes, at your discretion - pies and cakes, shortbread cookies, biscuits, puffs. But it’s easier to buy most of it, and then decorate it.

We offer several ideas in a pirate style.

• Boats - stick a skewer with a sail into a treat. The galleon hull can serve as:
  • hot dogs, cabbage rolls (they have nothing to do with the sweet menu, but do not forget about parents, and not all children have a sweet tooth);
  • pie cut into long diamonds;
  • eclairs, tubules with cream;
  • pancakes with filling (envelopes or in a tube).
• Striped jelly. Buy bags, two colors - lemon and berry (red) or plum (blue) jelly. Cool in layers in clear glasses/vases.

• Montpensier, pour nuts in multi-colored glaze into transparent jars. The neck can be wrapped with twine or colorful ribbon, attached as a toy skeleton pendant, anchor, etc.

• Candies in colorful wrappers, lollipops, chocolate coins, arrange in chests. Some of the sweets can be packed in "pirate" papers. Unfold small chocolates, leaving the foil, and “girdle” with a strip with cocked skulls (so that the foil is visible).

• Bake cookies in the shape of pirate paraphernalia. Or decorate the rounds with mastic - an indispensable thing for decorating sweets! Food coloring or syrup will give the mastic the desired shade. Sculpting like from plasticine is not difficult at all.

• Arrange beautifully fruits, "ours" and always from a tropical pirate island - mangoes, pineapples, etc. Decorate fruits with skewers with pictures. And from bananas you can make evil and funny corsairs: glue or draw faces, tie a triangular piece of fabric in the middle, striped or peas.

• Drinks - juices, soft drinks, milkshakes. In stylized paper cups. With tubes decorated with pictures and figurines. In some glasses, you can put quarters of oranges and stick sails (the quarter is placed back to back so that it rests on the edges and does not sink). Replace bottle labels with colorful stickers.

If you are celebrating a birthday don't forget the pirate cake in the shape of a ship, a treasure chest, an island etc. Any recipe you like, it is better to have a suitable form right away. Decorations - glaze, mastic. You may need the help of a pro to bake a grand cake.

Entertainment

Perhaps, The script for a pirate party for kids is more important than colorful decor and tasty treats. Take the time to prepare bright props. Appoint the most artistic parents to lead. Pirate music will create a fun atmosphere - download soundtracks from thematic films / cartoons.

The street

If the children's holiday takes place in nature, draw a map. Schematically, on "old" paper with peeled edges. On it, the guys will go through the quest, going in search of a treasure. It is not necessary to travel far, but it is better to carry out each test away from the previous one in order to get a real trip around the map. In our scenario, we need to designate this path:

• pier (a place where a table and a seating area)
• quicksand
• swamp
• enemy camp
• entrance to the treasure
• the place where the chest is hidden. You can bury it in the sand, hide it in a dense bush, in a dark barn or on a tree (adults will help you get it). Beat somehow effectively, because this is the culmination of the party.

room

If a pirate birthday is held at home / in a cafe, there will be nowhere to move. The labels for the map according to the scenario are described above, but there can be any number of games between the journey from one point to another, at your discretion. Draw a map and tear it into as many pieces as you have prepared for contests and tasks. For completing each task, give the young pirates another piece of the map.

Since the children do not have a map at first, the leader instead of "What's next on the map, let's see ..." says something like this: “Oh, we got into the sands”, “The path is blocked by a swamp”, etc. And the chest can be slowly taken out and placed behind the guys while the young pirates glue all the pieces together.

Scenario

The name of the presenter for the example is Pretty Katie or Captain Hook (hereinafter referred to as KK).

QC: I see the whole brave team is assembled? Glad, very glad! I greet you, um, ahem ... And what is your name, in fact? Masha? Vasya? This will not work! The pirate must have a nickname so that they cannot figure him out by his real name.

The guys choose pirate names for themselves. Prepare cards - red and blue, with names for girls and boys. Whoever wants to, can come up with a nickname for himself. You can make badges, hang up and call the guys pirate nicknames for the whole party. Frisky Joe, Ragged Ear, Miss Mary, One-Eyed Bill and stuff like that.

QC: Phew, figured it out! Have you thought of a team name yet? Have you chosen a captain? How not? Let's-let's! Those in whom you will inspire fear and horror must somehow call you!

Come up with a name, choose a captain. You can give this honor to the birthday man. And if you don't have a birthday, then, like true pirates, decide the issue by drawing lots. For example, take chocolate coins out of the bag. Whoever gets the special one (in foil of a different color) will be the captain.

QC: What noses hung? Don't be discouraged - the captain's share is not at all as sweet as a birthday cake. And who is a captain without his team? Every pirate on a ship and in battle is important! Let's fill the holds (we'll eat and drink), but for now I'll go for gifts. I like you, a thousand devils! How can such brave pirates not be pampered?

QC: Got drunk? Well done! Only now, a sea urchin in my liver, someone stole the gifts!

It turns out "someone" - the villain, the assistant presenter.

QC: Oh you torn jellyfish! Well, give me my chest!

Assistant: Here's another! They just came, they didn’t really show themselves, and you immediately hand over treasures to them? Well, I do not! I hid them on the other side of the island and drew a map. Let them go in search of treasure. And we'll take a look at their pirate skills. Maybe they are not pirates at all, but…

QC: Guys, let's show this toad burp what we are worth? Shall we get our treasures?
- Yes Yes!

QC: Then go ahead! Through the quicksands deep into the island!

• A large yellow sheet with holes of different diameters and at different distances. Holds two or four adults. You can cut the sheet lengthwise and sew it so that you get a long strip. The guys must quickly go through the "quicksand", stepping only in the holes.

QC: Well done, everyone did a great job! But, according to the map, there is an enemy camp ahead. Let's practice swinging sabers. And then they will stop us halfway ...

• Foam, inflatable or cardboard sabers. Thin long board on the floor. The two have a duel. The goal is to stand on the board (you can on the bench if the children are of school age). Step on the floor - give way to the next. And so on until everyone who wants to play enough.

• Give the children two small pieces of Jolly Roger boards or cartons of the enemy galleon. Organize a swamp: scatter pieces of green cloth or paper on the floor. Children must cross the swamp, standing on only one of the "wreckage". You stand on one, put the second in front of you, climb onto it, and shift the freed “fragment” in front of you. And so to the finish line.

While the children are moving through the swamp, the villain-assistant is quietly taken aside (so that the children do not see). And they cling to him about 30 pieces of clothespins-fish, on clothes.

QC: You did great - the swamp devil did not drag anyone to the bottom! Well done! And where is our pest, drowned or what?

An assistant in clothespins comes out, hanging his head.

QC: Aha ha ha, anchor down my throat, that's what you want! How will you go further?

Assistant offended: But no way! And I'll hide the chest so that Flint himself won't find it! Let's unhook these toothy reptiles. But wait… It's a great chance to check on our pirates… Let's see how attentive you are. KK, blindfold them, let them cope by touch. And don't you dare tickle me!

• Blindfolded children unhook clothespins. You can compete - who can unhook the most piranhas.

Assistant: Well, thank you! For this, I will reveal a secret to you - there is an ambush ahead. I know for sure, because these fragments are familiar to me, on which you climbed through the swamp ... Looks like my enemies crashed on the rocky coast of our island ... Oh, it will be hard for you! Get ready!

QC: Damn medusa, here they are!

• While the children were blindfolded, the presenter prepares the props for the accuracy contest. Depending on the age of the children, you can throw darts at the target-faces, knock down enemy paper figures with soft balls, extinguish candles (with face-bands) from water pistols.

QC: Phew, it looks like everyone was sent to feed the fish ... Let's eat before we stomp further.

QC: Karamba, we're almost there!

Assistant: Don't rush, or you'll make it. First you need to get the key. So that I can scrub the deck all my life if I give it away for that!

• The key can be hidden in a large piñata (ship, skull, kraken). Or pour serpentine and sweets into several balloons, and put a key in one.

QC: All right, there is a key. Go for the treasure!

Assistant: Look, they fled like crabs at the sight of my boot! Of course, you are smart and brave, and everyone around you is tanned ... And what about your little mind? Didn't cheat Calypso? If you do not blunder here, so be it - I will give up the chest.

• Quiz on the marine / pirate theme, riddles, charades, puzzles. You can prepare several questions or a test with humorous answers. At your discretion and according to the age of the guys, so that most of the young guests of the party will not be bored.

QC: Well, how, sinister, did the team cope?

Assistant: I admit - the real pirates have gathered! And bold, and smart - as a selection! I like such treasure hunts - a feast for the eyes! Explore your treasures. Yes, look, do not fight, otherwise you will spoil the whole impression. You are a friendly team, with you at least for a monkfish, at least for boarding!

Completion of the quest: grand opening of a chest with the most valuable treasures - sets of gifts packed in themed bags or boxes. Toys, movie tickets, coloring books, jigsaw puzzles – by budget and by age. It is better to collect the same sets so that no one leaves offended. And attach something to remember - medals or certificates of real pirates.

QC: Dismantled treasures? Now welcome to the table! Our cook has prepared a wonderful surprise for you!

They bring in a surprise - a pirate cake. We eat, we have fun in free mode. Happy holiday to you!

The editors of the site today decided to recall and prepare for you a selection of symbolic works of some of the most famous pirate captains.

Blackbeard's flag

Edward Teach (Blackbeard) was an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean from 1716-1718. The astute and prudent captain avoided the use of force, relying on his formidable image. Not a single evidence of the murder or torture of prisoners on his ship has been preserved. After his death, Teach was romanticized and served as a prototype for many works about pirates in various genres.

Its flag depicts a skeleton holding an hourglass (a symbol of the inevitability of death) in its hands and preparing to pierce a human heart with a spear. The flag was supposed to warn oncoming ships of the danger of resistance to pirates - in this case, all the prisoners were expected to die cruelly. For some time, instead of a skeleton, a pirate was depicted on the flag.

One of Black Bart's flags

Bartholomew Roberts is a Welsh pirate, real name John Roberts, also known as Black Bart. He traded in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Captured over four hundred ships. Distinguished by extravagant behavior. One of the most famous pirates in the history of piracy.

Roberts is credited with being the first to refer to the pirate flag as the "Jolly Roger". How true this is is unknown. His own flag was not the usual skull and crossbones. It featured a pirate with a drawn saber standing on the heads of defeated enemies, the Governor of Barbados (ABN, "A Barbados Head") and the Governor of Martinique (AMN, "A Martinique's Head"). Roberts hanged the governor of Martinique from a yardarm when he captured a warship with the governor aboard.

Flag of the "Gentleman Pirates"

There are different versions of this flag. Heart and spear mean danger and violence

Steed Bonnet is an English pirate, sometimes referred to as the "gentleman of the pirates", mainly because of his origin - he is a nobleman, received a good education. Before he took up robbery, he served as a major in the colonial militia on the island of Barbados. The reasons that forced him to engage in piracy are not entirely clear. Quite popular in the 18th century was gossip about a slight insanity as a result of an unsuccessful marriage to Mary Ellamby, which allegedly prompted the former officer to go into pirates. Another version was the scandalous nature of his wife, which he could not stand and decided to engage in piracy. It is also worth noting that Bonnet was the only pirate who paid the sailors a salary.

Calico Jack Flag

Jack Rackham, nicknamed Calico Jack, is a famous pirate of the early 18th century. Rackham was called Calico Jack (for smuggling calico fabric, which was imported from Calicut during the ban on its import, as well as for the fact that he constantly wore wide trousers made of this fabric). He was not known as a cruel or successful pirate. He became famous due to the fact that in his team there were two women dressed in men's clothes - Ann Bonnie and Mary Read. Both were partners with the captain. Their courage and courage made the team famous.

It was his flag that served as the prototype for one of the classic types of pirate flag, known to everyone from pirate novels and films. Skull and crossbones flags could have either black or red panels. Again, there were several variants of the flag, the most popular theme being a pirate drinking wine with death. This flag really turned out to be prophetic. Rekem and his pirates were drunk when they were captured.

Flag of Edward England

Edward England - famous pirate of the African coast and the Indian Ocean from 1717 to 1720. He sailed on the ships Pearl (renamed Royal James by England) and Fancy, for which he traded Pearl in 1720. Its flag was the classic Jolly Roger with a skull above two crossed femurs on a black background. The flag was made famous in Robert Lewis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. Now this flag is considered the main type of pirate flag, although, as you have already understood, it was only one of many options.

Alleged Tew Flag

Thomas Tew, also known as the Rhode Island Pirate, was an English privateer and buccaneer. Based in Newport, where he was extremely popular. Although he only made two major voyages and died during the second one, this was the first time he sailed the route known later as the Pirate's Circle. Many famous pirates, including Henry Avery and William Kidd, sailed this route after Tew.

Tew's personal flag reportedly featured a white hand holding a sword on a black field. According to the general opinion, this meant "we are ready to kill you." There is no contemporary evidence for this flag.

Flag of the Archpirate

Henry Avery, nicknamed The Arch-Pirate and Lanky Ben, is a pirate nicknamed "one of the most successful buccaneers and gentlemen of fortune." He was one of the most successful pirates of the Indian Ocean, however, according to some sources, he lost everything by the end of his life and died a beggar, and according to others he went bankrupt, returned to Britain, bought new documents and soon set off on new voyages, where he died.

Supposedly served as a prototype for the book by Daniel Defoe "The Life and Adventures of the Glorious Captain Singleton", on the basis of which Charles Johnson later wrote the comedy "The Lucky Pirate".

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The exact date of the appearance of the pirate flag is unknown, although its history can be traced with some certainty. Determining the possible manifestation of the 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 relevant. Historically, the first ships bearing the symbols of their nationality were large warships that are part of the Royal Navy. 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 symbols were used for merchant and single ships. Later, when national flags and coats of arms became generally accepted, the special coloring of the sails began to be used on all ships. But on long voyages, the equipment often fell into disrepair, and armorial sails were not cheap, and stern flags, which could be huge, 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 with the substitution of the flag for the enemy. 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 in conjunction with state pennants. So, in 1694, the English Admiralty introduced a mandatory sign to designate English corsair ships - a red flag, named by analogy with the national flag of Great Britain "Red Jack". At that time, in maritime terminology, a red pennant meant a warning of danger, and in this case it signaled to an oncoming ship that resistance was useless. But at the same time, pirates who are not in the service of any state also began to use signal pennants as a measure of intimidation of the enemy. The black flag raised by them meant an order to immediately stop and immediately capitulate. Much less often, yellow flags were used, which symbolized a deadly disease or the madness of the crew.. After the end of Spanish expansion at sea, many corsairs who left public service simply retained their flags, continuing to engage in sea robbery. Surprisingly, according to some reports, the themes of the American red and white flag and the red flag of the revolutions of the 20th century were borrowed from the corsair pennants.

According to the maritime notation system in force at that time, a black pennant meant that the attacked ship should stop resisting 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 vagabonds and crooks themselves were called Rogers in the jargon. 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” itself 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 the generally accepted opinion, the pirate flag should have 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 the "classic" pirate flag comes from the French pirate Emmanuelle Wynne in 1700, who used an image of a skull with bones crossed underneath with an hourglass on a red or black background. The flag of the pirate Henry Every was about the same, but the skull on it was turned in profile. This meant that the owner of this flag was no longer a hired corsair, but became a free pirate. Similar in meaning emblems on a black or red background soon began to appear among many pirates, with the most common symbolism being the image of skulls, bones and skeletons as symbols of death. These images were supposed to put additional psychological pressure on the enemy, evoke a sense of imminent mortal danger and the senselessness of resistance, moreover, similar signs were often present on the tombstones of that time. In addition, signs of the inexorably flowing time, strength, madness and courage were used.

All these images of hourglasses, sabers, wings in various combinations were found on pirate flags. So, the signs on the flag of Bartholomew Roberts (“Black Bart”) symbolized contempt for death (“drinker for death”), ruthlessness and strength (a skeleton with a spear), and all pirate flags usually carried a shade of fatalism. In addition, pirates actively maintaining contacts with various states often used two flags at once - such as, for example, Charles Vane, who, on his 1718 voyages, raised a red pirate flag on the foremast, a black one on the mainsail, and an English cross on the stern flagpole . Images on pirate flags were very crude, since they were usually made by simple crew members who wielded a needle and thread. Often, flags could simply be bought at the port tavern for a bottle of brandy, so most of the ship's symbols were not distinguished by great elegance and invention.. So, on one of the flags of the same "Black Bart", when he sailed around the island of Martinique and Barbados, a pirate was depicted standing on the heads of a Barbadian (ABN - "A Barbadian's Head"), and a Martinican (AMN - "A Martiniquan's head"). The threat was clear - the sailors of these colonies could not expect any mercy if they tried to put up the slightest resistance. If the pirate could intimidate the enemy into winning without resistance, then the danger to the pirate crew would be eliminated and the victim's ship would be captured intact, thus retaining its value. The image on the flag was often associated with a known pirate and therefore his reputation, which caused a more obvious threat.