Pirates have long captured the imagination with images of cutlass-wielding swashbucklers, eye patches and buried treasure. But what was life really like on a pirate ship? Piracy was a risky, sometimes deadly occupation, and strict orders were essential for everyone’s survival. These ‘Laws’ were sets of rules that determined everything from how much each pirate earned from their plunder to compensation for injuries, punishments and even the entertainment allowed on ships. These rules became known as the ‘Pirates’ Code’, which all pirates had to publicly swear by.Using primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, trial proceedings and maritime logs, this book explains how these codes were the key to pirates’ success in battle, both on sea and on land.

For Fans of True-Life Pirate Stories"Only someone who has lived in the shadows chasing faded pirates for an age, and is blessed with creativity, can pull off a book of this high caliber." —Wreck Watch MagazineMaritime Media Mountbatten Literary Award Nominee2021 International Book Awards finalist in History: General#1 Bestseller in Caribbean & West Indies, Central America, and GlobalizationPirates scholar, Rebecca Simon, PhD, explains how the global manhunt for Captain Kidd turned pirates into the romantic antiheroes we love today.Crime and punishment. During his life and after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was well known in England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the crime for which he was hanged, piracy. Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, followed by a massive British-led hunt for all pirates during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only increased the popularity of pirates. And, because the American colonies relied on pirates for smuggled goods such as spices, wines, and silks; pirates tended to be protected from capture.All things pirates. The more pirates were hunted and executed, the more people became supportive of the “Robin Hoods of the Sea”―both because they saw the British’s treatment of them as an injustice and because they treasured the goods pirates brought to them. These historical events were pivotal in creating the portrayal of pirates as we know them today. They grew into romantic antiheroes―which ultimately led to characters like the mischievous but lovable Captain Jack Sparrow. Learn about:One of the most famous pirates in historyReal life pirates and the brutal executions they facedThe origin of our romanticized view of piratesIf you enjoyed books like Black Flags Blue Waters, Under the Black Flag, The Republic of Pirates, or Villains of All Nations, you’ll love Why We Love Pirates.

Los piratas ocupan un lugar destacado en el imaginario popular, con un atractivo particular en la idea de la lucha por la libertad, la igualdad, el romanticismo, las hazañas audaces, la búsqueda de tesoros y el desafío al orden social. Sin embargo, ¿cómo era realmente la vida en un barco pirata? La piratería era una profesión arriesgada, a menudo mortal, en la que las órdenes estrictas resultaban esenciales para la supervivencia de todos. A partir de fuentes primarias, como relatos de testigos, baladas, noticias, procesos judiciales y diarios marítimos, El código pirata explica cómo estas leyes fueron clave en el éxito de los piratas tanto en la batalla en el mar como en tierra. Además de desmontar mitos, es un retrato colectivo de los piratas menos conocidos y olvidados por la historia.

Pirates have long captured the imagination with images of cutlass-wielding swashbucklers, eye patches and buried treasure. But what was life really like on a pirate ship? Piracy was a risky, sometimes deadly occupation, and strict orders were essential for everyone’s survival. These ‘Laws’ were sets of rules that determined everything from how much each pirate earned from their plunder to compensation for injuries, punishments and even the entertainment allowed on ships. These rules became known as the ‘Pirates’ Code’, which all pirates had to publicly swear by.Using primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, trial proceedings and maritime logs, this book explains how these codes were the key to pirates’ success in battle, both on sea and on land.

Pirates have long captured the imagination with images of cutlass-wielding swashbucklers, eye patches and buried treasure. But what was life really like on a pirate ship? Piracy was a risky, sometimes deadly occupation, and strict orders were essential for everyone’s survival. These ‘Laws’ were sets of rules that determined everything from how much each pirate earned from their plunder to compensation for injuries, punishments and even the entertainment allowed on ships. These rules became known as the ‘Pirates’ Code’, which all pirates had to publicly swear by.Using primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, trial proceedings and maritime logs, this book explains how these codes were the key to pirates’ success in battle, both on sea and on land.

For Fans of True-Life Pirate Stories"Only someone who has lived in the shadows chasing faded pirates for an age, and is blessed with creativity, can pull off a book of this high caliber." —Wreck Watch MagazineMaritime Media Mountbatten Literary Award Nominee2021 International Book Awards finalist in History: General#1 Bestseller in Caribbean & West Indies, Central America, and GlobalizationPirates scholar, Rebecca Simon, PhD, explains how the global manhunt for Captain Kidd turned pirates into the romantic antiheroes we love today.Crime and punishment. During his life and after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was well known in England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the crime for which he was hanged, piracy. Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, followed by a massive British-led hunt for all pirates during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only increased the popularity of pirates. And, because the American colonies relied on pirates for smuggled goods such as spices, wines, and silks; pirates tended to be protected from capture.All things pirates. The more pirates were hunted and executed, the more people became supportive of the “Robin Hoods of the Sea”―both because they saw the British’s treatment of them as an injustice and because they treasured the goods pirates brought to them. These historical events were pivotal in creating the portrayal of pirates as we know them today. They grew into romantic antiheroes―which ultimately led to characters like the mischievous but lovable Captain Jack Sparrow. Learn about:One of the most famous pirates in historyReal life pirates and the brutal executions they facedThe origin of our romanticized view of piratesIf you enjoyed books like Black Flags Blue Waters, Under the Black Flag, The Republic of Pirates, or Villains of All Nations, you’ll love Why We Love Pirates.

Los piratas ocupan un lugar destacado en el imaginario popular, con un atractivo particular en la idea de la lucha por la libertad, la igualdad, el romanticismo, las hazañas audaces, la búsqueda de tesoros y el desafío al orden social. Sin embargo, ¿cómo era realmente la vida en un barco pirata? La piratería era una profesión arriesgada, a menudo mortal, en la que las órdenes estrictas resultaban esenciales para la supervivencia de todos. A partir de fuentes primarias, como relatos de testigos, baladas, noticias, procesos judiciales y diarios marítimos, El código pirata explica cómo estas leyes fueron clave en el éxito de los piratas tanto en la batalla en el mar como en tierra. Además de desmontar mitos, es un retrato colectivo de los piratas menos conocidos y olvidados por la historia.

Pirates have long captured the imagination with images of cutlass-wielding swashbucklers, eye patches and buried treasure. But what was life really like on a pirate ship? Piracy was a risky, sometimes deadly occupation, and strict orders were essential for everyone’s survival. These ‘Laws’ were sets of rules that determined everything from how much each pirate earned from their plunder to compensation for injuries, punishments and even the entertainment allowed on ships. These rules became known as the ‘Pirates’ Code’, which all pirates had to publicly swear by.Using primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, trial proceedings and maritime logs, this book explains how these codes were the key to pirates’ success in battle, both on sea and on land.