![]() Ching Shih – from Prostitute to Pirate Lord.The Lioness of Brittany and her Black Fleet of Pirates.Port Royal and the Real Pirates of the Caribbean.Grace O’Malley, the 16th Century Pirate Queen of Ireland.Still others believe that the words Jolly Roger were derived from the French “ jolie rouge ,” meaning "pretty red.” In 1724, Charles Johnson published a book called “A General History of the Pyrates.” This is where the phrase “Jolly Roger” is said to have originated, as Johnson cites not one, but two pirates who called their flag the Jolly Roger: Bartholomew Roberts in June of 1721 and Francis Spriggs in July of 1723. It is debated why the pirate flag is called the Jolly Roger, with uncertainty as to where the phrase came from. (Public Domain) Why is it Called the Jolly Roger? The solid red or black flag was originally referred to as the Jolly Roger, before the name came to be associated with the skull and crossbones.ġ725 woodcut of Stede Bonnet with a Jolly Roger. The purpose of the flag was to instill fear in those being attacked, giving the pirates even more power. However, upon resistance the flag would be changed to a solid red flag indicating that no mercy would be shown. This would indicate that, so long as no one resisted the attack of the pirates, all would be given quarter. ![]() Historically, a pirate ship which was attacking would fly a solid black flag. To the same extent, pirate ships would fly certain flags to communicate a message, or even to trick nearby ships into believing the pirate ship was an ally and give the pirate ship an advantage in subsequent attacks. For example, private ships would fly a different flag than naval ships. Throughout maritime history a ship would display a particular flag to convey a message, mainly to indicate where a ship’s allegiance laid. The use of pirate flags in general mimics the use of flags on other ships. ( CC BY SA 3.0 ) The Significance of Pirate Flags The traditional "Jolly Roger" flag of piracy. It was meant to instill fear and to demonstrate that those onboard were extremely powerful. As a symbol, the Jolly Roger was flown on pirate ships to convey a message to their targets. However, the most commonly recognized symbol of piracy throughout the years has been the black flag with the skull and crossbones design – the Jolly Roger. ![]() There are many objects of piracy that are used as symbols of the practice today – walking the plank, a wooden leg, an eye patch, a hook for a hand, and a single gold hoop earring. Traveling by sea, pirates would attack and plunder, killing with disregard. However, centuries ago, pirates were very real criminals, one of the first examples of organized crime. Pirate lore is a popular topic among many today, with romanticized tales involving adventure on the high seas, camaraderie, and treasure hunting. ![]()
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