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The typical pirate crew was an unorthodox mixture of former sailors, escaped convicts, disillusioned men, and possibly escapee or former slaves, among others, looking for wealth at any cost; once aboard a seafaring vessel, the group would draw-up their own ship- and crew-specific code (or articles), which listed and described the crew's ...
The origins of the name are unclear, and many theories have been put forth, including an actual David Jones, who was a pirate on the Indian Ocean in the 1630s; [51] a pub owner who kidnapped sailors and then dumped them onto any passing ship; [52] the incompetent Duffer Jones, a notoriously myopic sailor who often found himself over-board; [53 ...
The pirates ran their affairs using what was called the pirate code, which was the basis of their claim that their rule of New Providence constituted a kind of republic. [13] According to the code, the pirates ran their ships democratically, sharing plunder equally and selecting and deposing their captains by popular vote . [ 14 ]
Bartholomew Roberts (17 May 1682 – 10 February 1722), born John Roberts, was a Welsh pirate who was, measured by vessels captured, the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy. [2]
Pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy were organized criminals. As well as having crew members assigned certain duties, pirates found a way to reduce conflict among themselves and maximize profits. They used a democratic system, spelled out by written " articles of agreement ", to limit the captain's power and to keep order on board the ship.
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Most pirates in this era were of Welsh, English, Dutch, Irish, and French origin. Many pirates came from poorer urban areas in search of a way to make money and of reprieve. London in particular was known for high unemployment, crowding, and poverty which drove people to piracy. Piracy also offered power and quick riches.
Pirates were viewed as godless individuals, and yet "the closest thing to" a "pirate constitution" was New England "puritan church 'covenants,'" just without the acceptance of the divine. [33]: 80 "God-fearing people" claimed that pirates were "devils" "bound for hell." Some pirates, such as Blackbeard, embraced this belief by inverting "the ...