Pirates.

The mere mention of the word conjures up visions of dashing sea captains like Laura Renken’s Talon Drake in My Lord Pirate. Magnificent ships in the midst of battle, treasure, and exciting choreographed sword fight scenes are woven into the fabric of a story to send our senses reeling! Were the pirates in history so appealing and honorable? Perhaps not, but their lives were ones that send our imagination on a wild adventure.

The word "pirate" is taken from the Latin word pirata, meaning "one who robs or plunders on the sea." Although we are most familiar with the pirates in the Tudor times of Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish Armada (1500s), piracy dates back to the ancient Greeks where robbery at sea was a frequent occurrence. Piracy was practiced throughout the Mediterranean during the Roman Republic into Europe where the Vikings’ piratical expeditions "ravaged the northwestern coasts for over 200 years." Piracy still existed in some parts of the world until 1850 and in China until World War II.

The pirate’s life on a ship was similar to any sailor at sea. Bedtime was early, typically 8:00 p.m., and he slept in a hammock below deck. His living quarters were "airless, cramped, and often overcrowded" with little privacy. Meals were eaten in the Great Cabin below deck with the captain. Food consisted of dried or salted meat and biscuits. Heavy drinking was always part of the meal and provided a distraction from the "harshness and boredom of life at sea." Another source of passing the time at sea was dancing and singing to the music of a fiddle.

The tales of buried treasure are compelling, but in reality is a myth. If true, there are very few examples left in the annals of history. The lure of treasure, however, compelled pirates to take the risk of obtaining it. "The gold and silver from the Americas was a rich prize for pirates." Gold bars, gold coins, silver pieces of eight, doubloons from Spain, fine jewelry and gold chains were all fine items to be obtained while looting a ship.

The purpose of the pirate’s flag waving ominously in the wind was to instill terror into the minds of their intended victims. Various colors and types of pirate flags existed. A black flag "signified death and red signified battle." The best known of the pirate flags is the skull and crossbones, also known as the Jolly Roger. "In the 1700s, it [Jolly Roger] was the most common of the pirate flags flown. Famous pirates such as Blackbeard, Thomas Tew, and Jack Rackham all had different emblems on their flags. Blackbeard had a full length skeleton with an hourglass that told victims their time was nearly up. Thomas Tew displayed an arm holding a scimitar, and Jack Rackham’s flag showed a pair of crossed cutlasses and a skull.

The real world of the pirate was dangerous and filled with hardship at sea, financial reward if lucky, and a nasty end if caught. For the romance reader, however, the pirate still remains an intriguing character whose exploits, personal agendas, and integrity create a wonderful tale of love and adventure. May our favorite authors continue to bring us the pirates we love to love!

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