Flag of the pirate: history and photos. Interesting facts about pirate flags

Modern children, just like their peers many years ago, dream of raising the pirate flag over their schooner and becoming the menacing conquerors of the deep sea. Books, films and computer games on this topic do not lose their popularity and become the basis for children's games. Why is it that "cheerful Roger", as the pirate flag is called, is considered the main symbol of the sea robbers, for what reason did this name take hold of it, when and where did it appear, and what do the symbols depicted on it mean? We will try to understand this.

Before answering the questions, let's remember who was considered a pirate, what kind of people these people were.

Who are they?

In reality, the sea robbers were not as funny as they are portrayed in the animated film "Abrafax under the pirate flag." The word "pirate" is rather ancient, and scientists believe that it arose in the 5th century BC. In Latin, it means "a sea robber who tries to be happy." Over time, there were other names: bukaner, privateer, filibuster, privatir, bukanir, corsair.

Robbery "in the Law"

Captains, filibusters, corsairs and privatists practiced pirate robbery of the ships of other powers during the war, receiving for this purpose special marque certificates - official permits from this or that royal house. For a similar license to robbery, they all deducted a certain percentage of the state, thus replenishing the treasury. When attacking enemy ships, they had to raise the flag of the country that gave them permission. But the raised black flag of pirate meant the presentation of an ultimatum requirement to surrender. In the event that the enemy was not going to do this, the marauders raised a red flag, which warned that there would be no mercy.

After the end of the wars, many hired thieves did not want to leave such a profitable business. They continued to rob merchant ships as former enemies, and their former masters.

How it all began

For the first time, "cheerful Roger" as a pirate flag, according to documentary evidence, began to use Emmanuel Vine in the late XVII - early XVIII centuries. The image we know today on his flag was supplemented by an hourglass, meaning the following: "Your time is running out." In the future, many leaders of the sea robbers developed their own unique version of the "cheerful Roger". Raising such a flag warned the captains about who they were to deal with.

The oldest surviving pirate flag, the photo of which you see below, is in the Portsmouth National Museum of the Navy of England. He was captured in battle near the African coast in 1780. And today it can be seen small bullet holes with burnt edges.

What Colour is he?

Familiar to us for movies and cartoons pirate flag of black color. However, this was not always the case. Originally, the pirates used a red canvas, which meant that everything would be destroyed, no mercy should be expected. In addition, the sea robbers could use both national flags to frighten or reduce the vigilance of their opponents, as well as the banners of other colors, denoting themselves for the Allies.

Why is it called that?

Many people think about why the pirate flag is called "cheerful Roger". Today, there are several theories trying to explain this.

The first of them says that during the plague and other infectious diseases on ships a black flag with two white stripes was raised, warning other ships of danger. Later, the bands became crossed. They were joined by a human skull, which was used by sea robbers.

Another version is based on the documented fact that in France the privateer flag was officially called Joyeux Rouge - "cheerful red". British pirates reinterpreted and heard this: Jolly Roger (cheerful Roger). Also recall the fact that at the end of the XVII century in the UK laws were passed against vagrancy - rouge laws, and the word "roger" can be understood as "swindler", "beggar", "vagabond". In addition, in the northern provinces of England and in Ireland, the "old Roger" was sometimes called the leader of the dark forces.

There is one more hypothesis: the pirate flag received its name thanks to King Roger II of Sicily (1095-1154). This ruler became famous for many victories both on the sea and on land under the red flag, on which crossed bones were depicted.

Popular Symbols

For us, the obligatory figure decorating the pirate flag (the picture is presented below) is the human skull and two crossbones on a black background.

And indeed, this symbol of death was the most widely used both in the environment of sea robbers, and on tombstones in England. No less common signs, reminding everyone that the grave is waiting, were skeletons, hourglasses, swords and spears, crossed swords and sabers, raised glasses and wings. These were popular symbols, anyone could decipher it. So, the hourglass and wings meant an elusive time, and a full glass is a toast to death. Similar images were found both separately and in various combinations.

Personal Rogers

As already mentioned, the skull with crossed bones is one of the oldest and most famous variants of the "merry Roger". It is worth noting that it was in this form used by Edward Ingland - a sea robber from Ireland, who was engaged in robbery in the Indian Ocean in the first quarter of the 18th century. Many captains tried to create their own easily recognizable figure on the flag.

Thus, the well-known Welsh captain Bartholomew Roberts, who traded in the Caribbean Sea in the 18th century , decorated himself with a pirate flag (the picture is just below) by himself, standing on two turtles over the abbreviations AMN (A Martiniquar's Head - the skull of Martinique) and ABH (A Barbadian's Head - "the skull of a Barbadian"). For some reason, this Welshman very much disliked the inhabitants of these islands, and correctly understood this hint, the ships from those edges preferred to give up without a fight.

Pirated in the Carolina area at the beginning of the XVII century, Christopher Moodin, his pirate flag, whose photo you see below, was decorated with a skull with cross bones, an hourglass with wings and a hand with a sword in it.

On the flag of Edward Thich, better known as the Blackbeard, painted a skeleton with an hourglass and a spear aimed at the bleeding heart.

Who today raises pirate flags?

Do not think that "cheerful Roger" rises today only at children's or adult parties. Introduced in the First World War, the tradition of submarine sailors to enter the port after a successfully conducted operation with a raised pirate flag is alive today in many fleets. And even during the war with Iraq, many British submarines raised the "merry Roger", returning to the base.

These flags symbolically told the history of the vessel, as well as its achievements. The crew of the submarines made the pirate flag with their own hands, supplementing it with various details after successful operations. Today's collection of modern "cheerful Rogers" in the English Museum of the underwater Royal Navy has fifteen copies, which are characterized by their own unique symbols. So, for example, red rectangles are designated by military, and white - by merchant ships. The image of the dagger indicates that the submarine took part in some sort of espionage or secret operations off the enemy shores.