Pirates are sea and river robbers that have existed for as long as navigation has existed. In the modern world, the appearance of pirates is often overgrown with romantic details, presenting them as such dashing and free conquerors of the seas, but the story says something else.
Piracy appeared at the same time as seafaring.
Despite everything, pirates still exist.
Raising a pirate flag over a ship is a serious crime these days.
Contrary to popular stereotype, pirates did not always raise a black flag with a skull and bones; more often, pirate ships did not raise the flag at all. Later, when the black flag became steadfastly associated with pirates, it was sometimes raised before an attack in order to demoralize the crew of the victim ship.
In Russia, river pirates were called ushkuiniks. However, the ushkuyniki not only pirated, but also traded.
Corsairs and filibusters were privateers, that is, "pirates with a license."
Most pirate ships have always had the most severe discipline, and alcohol was prohibited.
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The most famous ports that are loyal to pirates are Tortuga and Port Royal. Both were in the Caribbean.
The myths about pirate treasures still haunt many people.
The pirate Bartholomew Roberts captured more than four hundred ships in three years.
There are references to the famous pirate Blackbeard weaving smoldering fuses into his beard to horrify opponents.
Francis Drake is another famous pirate to whom the world owes a huge amount of geographical discoveries.
Many pirates, even very poor ones, wore precious earrings in their ears, so that in the event of the death of a pirate, they serve as a kind of payment for a normal funeral. It was also believed among pirates that pierced ears contributed to sharper vision.
British submariners from the Second World War have an unspoken tradition, returning to port after a successful military operation, to raise a pirate flag over a submarine.
September 19 is the unofficial International Pirate Day.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, piracy was considered one of the most serious crimes.
The stereotypical boardwalk is a myth.
In 2011, scientists discovered the ship of the aforementioned Captain Blackbeard, his once-terrifying ship, Queen Anne's Revenge.
Among pirates, there were indeed prosthetic legs and arms in the form of wooden sticks and steel hooks. Piracy has always been a dangerous profession, and then there were no other prostheses.
In addition to the general share after a successful attack, pirates always received additional compensation for wounds and injuries. A pirate who lost a limb, for example, could easily settle on the shore and do something for his compensation.
Most pirates used nicknames instead of names, as this helped to escape from justice.
The ship's carpenter usually received the least of all, since he did not participate in the battles. The captain of a pirate ship usually received ten times the average sailor.