Pirates and their Flags

One of the most important things associated with pirates are their flags. The flag was also a very personal thing to a pirate, usually designed by him (or her) self to symbolize what they thought of themselves, their crews and their life in general.

Pirate Flags were used to intimidate the ships or ports they were attacking, and most flags were designed to create fear. Anyone who saw these flags recognized the implied threat of death without mercy and it gave the pirates a psychological advantage, particularly when it was a recognized “ruthless” pirate such as Blackbeard.

Here are a few of the more famous pirate flags, and the pirates that flew them.

No doubt the most widely recognized pirate flag in history belonged to Edward England.

Edward England began his career as a legitimate sailor. His ship was captured by pirates in 1717 and taken to the Bahamas. England chose to join the pirates, and set out on his own as a pirate captain in 1718, sailing to West Africa when Governor Woodes Rogers drove all the pirates from New Providence. England captured several ships on the west coast of Africa, then sailed into the Indian Ocean seeking prizes there. In 1720, England captured the English ship Cassandra following a heavy sea battle. The Cassandra’s crew beached their battered ship and fled into the Madagascar jungle after the battle, only surrendering to the pirates after ten days on the run. England released his opponents unharmed as a reward for their bravery in battle. In retaliation for England's kindness, his crew revolted, and marooned England on an island off Madagascar. England eventually reached Madagascar and was reduced to begging for food; he died a pauper soon afterward.

The most popular flag in "Hollywood"  history was flown by Jack Rackham. (too bad he can't collect the royalties)

"Calico" Jack Rackham was a small-time pirate who largely preyed on coastal shipping. He served first under Charles Vane, being elected as Vane's quartermaster in 1719. Following a quarrel, Rackham replaced Vane as captain. Rackham was captured in May 1719 and pardoned; it was during this time that he met Anne Bonny and Mary Reade on New Providence Island. Bonny was the wife of a seaman-turned pirate; Reade had been raised as a boy, dressed as a man and had served in the British Army and as a pirate. Rackham returned to piracy in August 1719. His crew included Anne Bonny and Mary Reade. His prizes included mostly local craft around Bermuda, Hispaniola and Jamaica. His ship was surprised in late 1720 off the coast of Jamaica. Rackham and his crew were apparently too drunk to fight; only Reade and Bonny fought to defend the ship. Rackham and his crew were taken to Port Royal and hanged in 1721. The two women were reprieved when it was discovered that they were both pregnant. A mediocre pirate, "Calico" Jack Rackham is best known for his relationship with the two female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Reade.

The most violent and ruthless of them all; Blackbeard.

Blackbeard was also known as Edward Teach, Thatch, or Thatch. He probably began as a privateer in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14), then turned pirate. In 1716-18 he preyed on shipping and coastal settlements of the West Indies and the Atlantic coast of North America, becoming notorious for cruelty. Blackbeard captured a French slave ship that he rearmed with 40 guns and renamed the Queen Anne's Revenge. His initial base was in the Bahamas; he moved to the Carolinas after Governor Woodes Rogers ran all the pirates out of the Bahamas. The governor of North Carolina shared some of the booty, and provided Blackbeard some immunity from prosecution. For a period, Blackbeard sailed with Stede Bonnet, perhaps with Bonnet as his prisoner. In May 1718, Blackbeard blockaded the port of Charleston, capturing eight vessels. He returned to North Carolina but lost the Queen on a sandbar at Beaufort Inlet. In November 1718 the governor of Virginia sent two Royal Navy ships commanded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard to hunt Blackbeard down. Maynard chased Blackbeard down near Ocracoke Inlet, and Blackbeard's boarded Maynard's ship. A fierce hand-to-hand battle ensued and Blackbeard was killed. A charismatic leader, Blackbeard was also noted for his cruelty and larger-than-life image, enhanced by his wild beard and smoking slow matches sticking out from under his hat. Legend has romanticized Blackbeard; his ship the Queen, found near Beaufort, N.C., in 1996, is key to a tourist "Pirate's Trail."

Pirate,  Patriot or Politician? Well known Rum to be sure; Captain Morgan.

In his youth Henry Morgan went to the West Indies, eventually joining the buccaneers there. On the death of Edward Mansfield, Morgan took his place as commander of the buccaneers. He operated as a privateer, being commissioned in his activities by the British authorities. Morgan never had a "pirate" flag due to the fact that he clearly  saw himself as a patriot, out to defend the English Crown against the depredations of its most deadly enemy, Spain. He sailed as a privateer. But his behavior was at times indistinguishable from that of the most mercenary pirate. For example, when returning from his successful assault on the city of Panama in I67I, he left most of his faithful followers behind in Chagres, without ships or food, while he slipped off in the night with most of the booty to Jamaica. His operations were always marked by brutality and debauchery, but were sometimes executed with skill against great odds. Sent in 1672 as a prisoner to England on complaints of piracy, he soon became a hero, was knighted in 1673, and was made lieutenant governor of Jamaica, where he spent the rest of his life. He had a hero’s funeral in Port Royal, and left a sizable amount of money and property to his wife and family.

Another pirate story with a happy ending; Henry Every

Henry Every began his pirate career in 1694 when he gave up slave-trading for the pirate life. He served as the first mate on a privateer in the Bahamas, then led a mutiny against his captain when the captain was drunk. Every then sailed his ship to the west coast of Africa, then moved east to prey on shipping in the waters north of Madagascar. Every quickly captured four ships, three of them English. In 1695 he sailed into the Red Sea and lay in wait there for the annual treasure fleet that sailed from India to Arabia and back. Every intercepted the fleet, and captured two ships, Fateh Mohammed and Gang-I-sawai . These were the fleet’s main treasure ships, and the take was equivalent to $105,000,000.00. With this mighty treasure divided up among the crew, Every set sail for the Bahamas. From there Every disappeared, and it is thought that he retired into obscurity. If so, he was one of very few successful pirates that ended his days due to natural causes, and with his fortune intact, the most successful pirate of them all.

Two  Flags are better Than one!

 Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart) favored one of two flags: a man and a skeleton, who held a spear or dart in one hand, holding either an hourglass or a cup while toasting death or an armed man standing on two skulls over the letters ABH and AMH.  The latter warned residents of Barbados and Martinique that death awaited them, for these islanders had dared to cross Black Bart.  Roberts began his career as a mate on Howell Davis' ship. When Davis was killed, Roberts was elected captain, and began a very successful pirate career. Roberts began his hunting off the coast of Brazil, moving north to Newfoundland in 1720. Sailing back down the American coast, he reached the Caribbean in the summer of 1720, capturing 15 British, French and Dutch vessels. By the spring of 1721 Roberts left the West Indies behind, following a six-month spree during which he captured over 100 ships. Arriving at the West African coast, Roberts preyed on slave ships. In February 1722, British warships closed on Roberts' ships, capturing one and engaging Roberts' flagship Royal Fortune in battle. Roberts was killed instantly in a broadside of grapeshot, and his crew threw his body overboard to avoid the corpse being captured. The surviving pirates surrendered after a three hour battle. Most were hanged at Cape Coast Castle.