Pirate code: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Code of conduct for governing pirates}}

[[File:Pg 154 - So the Treasure was Divided.jpg|thumb|300px|Treasure being divided among pirates in an illustration by [[Howard Pyle]].]]

A '''pirate code''', '''piratePirate articles''', or '''articles of agreement'''{{efn|The term "Pirate Code" was not used during this period and is a modern invention.}} were a [[code of conduct]] for governing ships of [[pirate]]s, notably between the [[17th century|17th]] and [[18th century|18th centuries]], during the so-called "[[Golden Age of Piracy]]". The typical pirate crew was an unorthodox mixture of former [[sailor]]s, [[Convict|escaped convicts]], disillusioned men, and possibly escapee or former [[Slavery|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 policies surrounding pirate behavior (such as drunkenness, fighting, and interaction with femaleswomen) and the associated disciplinary action, should a code be violated. Failing to honor the codeArticles could get a pirate [[marooning|marooned]], whipped, beaten, or even executed (such as one article described, for merely allowing a femalewoman aboard their ship). For less serious violations, a pirate may have been temporarily denied equal food rations, or made to clean or maintain parts of the ship for a time. Primarily, these articles were designed to keep order aboard the ship, avoid dissension or [[Mutiny|mutinies]], and ensure the crews' loyalty, all of which was crucial to the group's mutual survival.

==History==

[[File:Pyle pirate marooned.jpg|thumb|300px|A painting depicting a [[Marooning|marooned]] pirate, according to [[Howard Pyle]].]]

TheWhile legend has it that the first set of the "Pirate's Code"pirate wascodes supposedlywere written by the Portuguese buccaneer [[Bartolomeu Português]] sometime in the early 1660s,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Piracy|first=Golden Age of|title=Buccaneers {{!}} Bartholomew Portugues|url=https://goldenageofpiracy.org/buccaneers/bartholomew-portugues.php|access-date=2022-01-22|website=Golden Age of Piracy|language=en}}</ref> but the first formal recorded set belonged to [[George Cusack]] who was active from 1668 to 1675.<ref name="Fox Dissertation" /> These early buccaneer articles were based on earlier [[maritime law]] and privateer codes such as the 12th century [[Rolls of Oléron]].<ref name="Berger">{{cite web |last1=Berger |first1=Klaus Peter |title=The Lex Mercatoria (Old and New) and the TransLex-Principles |url=https://www.trans-lex.org/the-lex-mercatoria-and-the-translex-principles_ID8 |website=www.trans-lex.org |access-date=21 October 2021 |language=de}}</ref> They were later used by buccaneers and pirates such as [[John Phillips (pirate)|John Phillips]], [[Edward Low]] and [[Bartholomew Roberts]].

[[Buccaneer]]s operated under a [[ship's articles]] that, among other things, governed conduct of the crew. These "articles of agreement" became authority independent of any nation, and were variously called the ''Chasse-Partie'', Charter Party[[Charterparty]], [[Custom of the Coastsea]], or Jamaica Discipline. These In retrospect, theseretroactively became known (in the modern era) as the Pirate's Code as well. Pirate articles varied from one captain to another, and sometimes even from one voyage to another, but they were generally alike in including provisions for [[discipline]], specifications for each crewmate's share of treasure, and compensation for the injured.

Each crew member was asked to sign or make his mark on the articles, then swear an [[oath]] of allegiance or honour. The oath was sometimes taken on a [[Bible]], but John Phillips' men, lacking a Bible, swore on an axe.<ref>Johnson, Charles (1724), ''A General History of the Pyrates'', p. 398 {{OCLC|561824965}}.</ref> Legend suggests that other pirates swore on crossed [[pistol]]s, [[sword]]s, on a [[human skull]], or astride a [[Naval artillery in the Age of Sail|cannon]]. This act formally inducted the signer into the pirate crew, generally entitling him to [[vote]] for officers and on other "affairs of moment", to bear arms, and to his share of the plunder. The articles having been signed, they were then posted in a prominent place, often the door to the captain's cabin.<ref>Little, Benerson (2005), ''The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate Tactics and Techniques'', Potomac Books, Inc., {{ISBN|1-57488-910-9}}, p. 34.</ref>

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=== Establishment of pirate codes ===

== Myths ==

The pirate articles were not codes of chivalry, they were established to keep things running smoothly and peacefully onboard the ship. The first and most important step after a pirate crew formed was to draft the code under which it would sail. The codes were considered to be legally binding, and there were swift and severe consequences for those that broke them. There was, however, no official hierarchy, and every vote carried equal weight in establishing these codes. The captain’s authority was not absolute, though the articles might have been influenced by his leadership style and the crew’s goals and experiences. The captain’s primary duties included navigation and deciding when to engage in naval warfare., Thebut the quartermaster was responsible for overseeing daily operations. The Jolly Roger, theincluding skull and crossbones on a black flag, provided a symbol that connectedinterpreting the pirates under a single brotherhoodArticles.<ref name=":1" />

Over the years, the pirate life has been romanticized in fictional works of literature and film. From parrots sitting on sailors’ shoulders, and treasure maps leading to buried treasure with “X” marking the spot, pirates have been the inspiration for many nautical tales. Scholars have attempted to dispel common pirate myths, some of which are listed here.

Pirates established articles of conduct which were more democratic than those of naval or merchant marines, though the punishments for violating them were brutal. A common form of punishment was being marooned. Execution by hanging was another common practice. Pirate Articles also stated that goods taken from another ship during a raid were to be fairly distributed among the crew. Some Pirate articles dictated that no women were permitted aboard ships, and violating this code could be punishable by death.

=== Establishment of pirate codes ===

The pirate articles were not codes of chivalry, they were established to keep things running smoothly and peacefully onboard the ship. The first and most important step after a pirate crew formed was to draft the code under which it would sail. The codes were considered to be legally binding, and there were swift and severe consequences for those that broke them. There was, however, no official hierarchy, and every vote carried equal weight in establishing these codes. The captain’s authority was not absolute, though the articles might have been influenced by his leadership style and the crew’s goals and experiences. The captain’s primary duties included navigation and deciding when to engage in naval warfare. The quartermaster was responsible for overseeing daily operations. The Jolly Roger, the skull and crossbones on a black flag, provided a symbol that connected the pirates under a single brotherhood.<ref name=":1" />

=== Walking the plank ===

Pirates established articles of conduct which were more democratic than those of naval or merchant marines, though the punishments for violating them were brutal. A common form of punishment was being marooned. Execution by hanging was another common practice. Walking the plank was seldom used, as it was seen as an elaborate, but impractical and unnecessary display of theatrics. ''A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates'', written by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724, contains many accounts which influenced the modern-day perceptions of pirates, and the act of walking the plank is only briefly mentioned.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Finnegan |first=Edward |title=Debunking Pirate Myths |date=4 May 2024 |publisher=eBookIt.com |isbn=9781456643072 |edition=1 |publication-date=11 December 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Buried treasure ===

Pirate codes stated that goods taken from another ship during a raid were to be fairly distributed among the crew. The ambition of piracy was to become rich, and pirates accumulated wealth through cash and goods plundered from other ships. Precious commodities like tobacco, wine, spices and textiles could be resold at higher prices, while other supplies, such as tackle and food, were kept to maintain the ship and its crew. Occasionally they found jewels, gold, and other precious metals. While pirate life was dangerous, and crews were constantly on the move to avoid capture, little historical evidence suggests that they buried their treasure. Of course, there might have been a few exceptions, such as needing to hide or stash loot somewhere safe, quickly, with the intent of returning later to retrieve it, if they were being pursued; however, burying treasure was too risky, and pirates were more apt to quickly spend their cash or sell their loot to buy provisions. The myth of buried treasure likely stemmed from the adventures of Captain Kidd, who was rumored to have buried his treasure.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

=== Lack of women ===

Pirate code dictated that absolutely no women were permitted aboard ships, and violating this code was generally punishable by death. However, female pirates, such as [[Anne Bonny]] and [[Mary Read]], refute the myth that only male pirates ever existed. These women also wore male clothing not to conceal their gender, but to allow for more freedom of movement and more nimble one-on-one combat.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Richard Braithwaite and hydrarchy ==

Scholars Peter Linebaugh and Marcus Rediker examine and discuss hydrarchy, which was a term devised by writer Richard Braithwaite to describe two significant changes which were the formalization of maritime law or “maritime state from above,”<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Linebaugh |first=Peter |title=The many-headed hydra: sailors, slaves, commoners, and the hidden history of the revolutionary Atlantic |last2=Rediker |first2=Marcus |date=2000 |publisher=Beacon Press |isbn=978-0-8070-5006-4 |___location=Boston}}</ref> and the establishment of mariners’ codes or “self-organization of sailors from below”<ref name=":0" /> during the 17th century. Braithwaite noted that these sailors did not possess “much civility; the sea hath taught him other rhetoric…”<ref name=":0" /> referring to them as tough, crude and stupid but acknowledging their significance and contributions within the hydrarchy. Life was always complex onboard ship and during this time, the emergence of resistance and revolution at sea challenged the rise of capitalism and imperialism.

==Notes==

{{notelist}}

==See also==

*[[ChingZheng ShihYi Sao#Code of lawsLegacy|Ching Shih]]

*[[Distribution of justice]]

*[[Governance in 18th-century piracy]]

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[[Category:Fictional books]]

[[Category:Codes of conduct]]

[[Category:Pirate customs and traditions]]