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When a pirate's flag was seen, it struck fear into the hearts of prospective victims. Many gave up as soon as they saw the flag. The early pirates flew a red flag, presumably as a warning not to oppose or fight back. This was known as the Bloody Flag and it was flown along with the national flag of their country. Pirates raised the black flag if the vessel under attack showed resistance and it sent out a clear warning that "no quarter would be given".
Pirates used symbols as part of their strategy to instill fear. Skeletons, flaming swords, and hourglasses were among their favorite symbols. The most popular was the "Jolly Roger", a white skull-and-crossbones on a black background. This was probably derived from the French flag known as "Jolie Rouge" or "rouge laws" in England which were meant for dealing with thieves and vagabonds. The word Roger could have originated from this. Or, the name could have even come from the very macho concept of the raging bull as Roger was a name commonly given by the English to their stud bull.
The skull-and-crossbones symbol was the symbol of death. Associated symbols like the raised glass could have meant that the pirate was toasting death, while dancing skeletons meant flirting with death. Sometimes, two or three symbols were used together.
The much-feared Blackbeard flag had a horned skeleton holding an hourglass and a spear next to a bleeding heart. Along with the skull-and-crossbones flag, Bartholomew Roberts had a complex flag showing a pirate holding an hourglass alongside a skeleton clutching a spear. These symbols could have reflected the feelings of the pirates as well as the fear they wished to evoke.
Today the Jolly Roger has become a symbol of adventure and possibly the most recognizable symbol of piracy. But behind the mask of adventure on the high seas, lies many a tale of horror and bloodshed!
Ships were altered to make space for guns, and the expression "making her flush," meant removing and adjusting the ship to make room for fighting. Extra guns were fitted by piercing the hull, while timber made the ship stronger to handle the extra weaponry. Swivel guns were mounted on gunwales for easy operation.
Modern pirate ships are swifter and outfitted with high-tech equipment. It is suspected that they use satellites to spy on cargo ships and tankers. They have modern artillery, and accessories like scooters and smaller vessels that allow them to attack and get back to the main ship. They are quieter and do not announce their coming, much unlike a 17th century ship that proudly set up sail that made ships surrender out of fear!
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