This may be a tricky question to answer, but in your opinion, wich film/book/video game depicts pirates accurately the most, and wich one the least? I ask this because, as with many other cultures and ways of living, contemporary society has over romanticized the idea of pirates being nothing but hook-for-hands, drunken, morally corrupt but adventurous sea hobos.

Oh my god this is like my dream AMA.

What led to the change from carrack-style vessels to ships of the line, frigates, etc.? Just standard, slow innovation, or was there any one thing that led to that change?

How did that advancement change travel time across the Atlantic? Were ships from the 1750’s safer than ships from the 1550’s?

How did the general populace feel about impressment?

How much did piracy impact lowest class population everyday lives on mainland England? Was the economic impact of piracy big enough for ordinary citizens to notice?

How were sexual tensions normally addressed? What was acceptable and what was frowned upon?

Argh I feel like I’ve had a million questions I’ve probably wondered about over the years but can’t think of...

When a sailor was impressed into the Royal Navy, how long would they be forced to serve for?

Were people typically sailors “for life”, or would it have been common for someone to “retire” to another line of work at some point? (Crewing a large sailing ship seems like it would be physically hard for a man of fifty years, though I suppose so would running a farm)

In that vein, could someone take up the sailor’s trade later in life? If I were say, 25-30 with few prospects and a sense of wanderlust, would a ship be likely to take me on as a crewman if I had no seafaring experience?

Thanks so much for doing this!

Speaking of "yo ho ho and a bottle of rum," sea chanteys and jigs are a recurrent theme in popular depictions of early modern sailors, and especially of pirates. Is this accurate? Were work songs a significant part of seafaring culture? If so, where did the songs come from? Were they borrowed from popular song, or did they develop somewhat independently? When did chanteys become "canonized" or recognized as a part of pirate culture, at least in the popular eye? Did the tradition have any effect on popular music in general, and are there "authentic" songs that we might recognize today?

How famous was Grainne Mhaol during her own time? Does she actually qualify as a pirate? Did her activities have much impact on the English, or was she more of a local force? Are there any sources you’d recommend for learning more about her?

I have to ask this, did you see 'Black Sails' ? How accurate was it that pirates actually had a whole island under their control and how could they hold the economy and survive that long?

How often did crews mutiny?

Pressganging? How common was it and how did the pressganged deal with their new indentured servitude to the Royal Navy?

Also, how cosmopolitan was the Royal Navy? In my head it is populated only by stout English yeomen but as an Irish man I know how linked our histories have been for so long and can imagine there was quite a few Irish crew on board some of the Royal Navy ships of the line?

Finally, is there any truth to English oak faring better than foreign types?

Thanks so much for this. Id love to know if you had any night classes or courses or anything as it has always been a great passion of mine to know more about the Navy in this period!

Edit: Oooh. Also, what currency were the sailors paid in? seeing as there were no real exchanged to speak of, was it actual precious metals and was that very risky? How did sailors convert their earnings into local currency upon arriving in a new town. And that goes for ships hoping to restock on supplies. How did they pay??

I grew up in Southern California and spent some time on tall ships, which sent me down the path of becoming a boat builder. I have been doing that for a few years, building modern fiberglass and aluminum boats for commercial and government use. I always love learning about the history and going back to my roots on tall ships.

Have you spent much time yourself sailing or was it just something you stumbled into and became fascinated by?

What are some good resources to learn more in my spare time about ship building or design in various periods? I’m very interested in late 1700’s era ships and also the famous high speed cutters.

I have seen the Cutty Sark and that was very fun. Are there any other ships or boats you recommend seeing?

Is there any historical basis whatsoever for pirates holding on to their treasure, buried or otherwise stashed?

What were race relations like aboard pirate ships, and aboard sea-faring vessels more broadly? Could members of non-European ethnic groups achieve a modicum of social equity with their peers, even if only on board a vessel?

I have a weird specific question which might seem silly or uninteresting

What would an early modern navy use grindstones for? And where and how? Onboard ships or in harbors or shipyards?

I assume they were sharpening tools and weapons, maybe for flour making or something and I wonder for more indepth knowledge

For example book Elizabethan Naval Administration by C.S. Knighton, David Loades, lists several receipts for grindstone purchases e.g.:

more for one grindstone of 4 foot broad, price - 3s 4d

or

A grindstone. To Butolph Moungey the same day for price of one great grindstone of him had and delivered for the use of Her Highness's ships at Chatham, price by agreement - 6s 8d

When the 'Golden Age of Piracy' ended, how easy was it for ex-pirates/privateers to find work on honest trades, and what sort of trades did they take? Are there any noted historical persons who led a career in piracy and then successfully 'made good' (at least, as anything other than a Pirate Hunter)?

So questions on two of my interests:

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1. Could you talk a bit about religion at sea? Would seamen have access to religious services while away, and were chaplains common?
2. Any examples of prominent Native American sailors or pirates? I'm particularly wondering if you'd get coastal natives, like Seminoles heading out to the waters.

I've heard that pirates were, in reality, quite disciplined - to the extent that one might even say there had a near-military regime - including a common ban/extensive restriction on alchohol consumption while at sea. Is there any truth to these claims?

Hey, I know this would be a lot to write up, but could you direct us to a good resource on the different classes of sailing ships of the age of sail? Like, what makes a swoop not a schooner, and a trawler not a frigate? I know in some cases it has to do with number of masts, how rigging is laid, what types of sails are used and so on- but I've never found a comprehensive overview!

I'm curious to know whether piracy had any influence on Early Modern British writing? For instance, do you know of any poetry that focuses on the topic at length?

How did someone get into the life of a Pirate??

What we’re the hotspots for pirates and why, where did they go, why were they there??

At that time it must’ve been pretty hard to get an ocean faring vessel, were their ships stolen??

Aside from sailing the ocean blue, what kind of dangers could a pirate expect to come across in his/her tenure??

Did pirates really bury treasure?? How did that become a pop culture reference??

Was the average lifespan of a pirate typically shorter or longer than the average person at that time??

Would Captains of the ships recruit pirates to do dirty deeds??

I feel like in general, you would have to be cunning, sly, vindictive and wreck less to be a pirate captain, is that a fair assessment?? What other attributes would you say a pirate would need??

Knowing all that you know about pirates, what are a few things that people don’t know about pirates??

How diverse would the typical 16th or 17th British ship’s crew be? Would the majority of the crew be conscripted from the Empire’s holdings and not from the Isles themselves?

On another related note, was piracy an enticing opportunity for British sailors primarily based in and around the Isles? Or was it mostly confined as an option for British sailors stationed abroad?

You mentioned that a lot of modern media dosn't justly reflect some of the darker sides of pirate life (i.e scurvy). What are some other examples of how glamours or horrible the life of a pirate was?

How were privateers perceived compared to pirates, both by those who hired them, and by those who would be targeted? Was hiring privateers something that was very publicly known and uncontroversial, or was it seen as a dirty tactic, and was kept discrete?

An intersection that has always fascinated me is the cross between Crusade and piracy that makes up the history of the Knights of Malta. I understand their naval heyday was in the 1500's but were they still active in Mediterranean piracy during the era that you study? What were their equipment and tactics? Did anything differentiate them from other pirates of the time?

Piracy and privateers are usually seen in the context of the New World, and against Spain and France, but what role did they play in the North Sea during the rivalry between England/Britain and the Netherlands? How active were sanctioned privateers against Hanseatic and Dutch shipping, and was there much leeway for 'private' piracy in the Old World?

How common were female pirates?

I've heard that most British naval captains were usually the second or third son of nobility or a wealthy land owner, is this true? If so why ( I can guess but I'd like to hear your opinions), or why not?

Was same sex sexual activity considered equally problematic in both the Royal Navy and among the pirates? How did they manage to keep these boats full of young men calm? Did they frequently go to port for the men to “let off steam”? I’ve always thought that allowing secretive activity would make things easier on everyone.

Thompson's "The Making of the English Working Class" essentially ignores sailors. The mutinies at Spithead and Nore, which obtained some improvements in working conditions and instilled some fear in the naval and political elite, should have been worth a mention. Any idea as to why they were ignored? Did sailors, as a group, fail to fit with Thompson's theories?

Why were the ships used by the British and Dutch East India trading companies so much more advanced than the Chinese ships of the time, even though for 1500 years China had been far more technologically advanced than the British, Dutch, and all other European powers? For reference, see the absolute destruction of the Chinese navy by a single British ship during the first Opium war.

What was piracy like in India and the far East? How did it differ from the Caribbean?

Which location do you think has the most historical importance when it comes to piracy? I have gotten the expression Nassau was important, but I am not sure.

What can you tell me about the HMS Triton, and what happened to the crew of the American privateer sloop "Polly" after it was captured off the coast of Spain in 1799?

Is there a good list anywhere of preserved ships from your area of study? All I'm aware of is the HMS Victory. I've never seen it but how good of an impression does seeing one of these ships give you of what a sailors life was like?

Also, I was fascinated by reading a few of NAM Rodgers books. Is there other authors in your field of study you recommend?

What makes the ottoman corsairs different from just standard privateers? A lot of historical documents seem to draw a line between the two, and I'm not really sure why, because as far as I can tell they're basically the same thing. (That is to say, pirates sponsored by a government to attack their enemies.)

Hi, Dr. Blakemore. My question is about privateering, as a commercial practice. I've read that privateering was considered a semi-legitimate source of income during times of war, to the point that Queen Elizabeth herself invested in a joint-stock privateering company. What I've always been curious about, however, was privateering's success as a war practice on a strategic level. Were there any conflicts that were significantly shifted, influenced, by the use of privateers? What were the wars in which they rose to the greatest prominence? And how did privateers get along with the 'traditional' business community, in the country of their port of origin?

What was the deal with rations of rum? I've heard many stories, but no definite answer! Why exactly rum? Did it have a practical use? Also; Was Porto wine widespread as a ration for naval personnel?

Thanks for doing this!

I am curious about how pirates were seen by people of their own communities. Was there a sense of shame for families whose seafaring sons/husbands had turned to piracy? Were pirates still accepted members of these communities? Did they even see what they were doing as something wrong?

A separate question but - was there a distinction between sailors for the Royal Navy and sailors for merchant ships? How different were their lives/fortunes? How distinct were merchant ships in general from ships of war? How would one join a long distance trade operation?

Edit**

P.S. if you can recommend any good books accessible to a non-historian on any of these topics you mention, I would really appreciate it!

As a history undergraduate I never studied piracy and pirates directly but only ever came into contact with them on other modules on subjects such as the American revolution or the formation of the trucial states in the Persian gulf. Perhaps it was this experience which has lead me to envision piracy as a sort of side event in global history with little overall influence beyond its own time, that couldn’t be sustained once the global hegemony of European empires was firmly established in the 19th century. Kinda like Cowboys who eventually succumbed to irrelevancy once coast to coast railroads were constructed. I feel like this is probably a simplistic interpretation, though one shared by many. As an expert in this subject what do you think are the most long term or interesting effects of piracy that you find students don’t understand?

Hello!

I’m currently in a senior seminar entitled Pirates and Buccaneers. For my research paper, I would like to look into the role surgeons/doctors played on English pirate ships. I’ve found a couple primary sources, but many secondary sources I’ve found seem to only casually mention these men and then brush them off. Do you have any recommendations for secondary sources that might discuss them more? Or what do you know about these men? Thanks in advance!

What do you do with a drunken salior in actuality?

Did pirates actually have their own hideouts?

Are there any online resources for the Royal Navy ships logs?

Was there any chapbooks written specifically for children/adolescent of sailors or officers if this period? What were the stories about? And where would be a good place to find more information on this?

Are there any historical fiction novels based on your field of study that you can recommend?

Are there somewhere (according to your knowledge and known documents/archives) any hidden pirate treasures worth +$1M ready to be found? Serious question.

In movies and in popular culture it is often portrayed that ships had cats and other animals on board. How common was this and how did this affect disease? What about rats and fleas? It must've been very dangerous in such cramped spaces with a lot of people. How common was leprosy or the plague? Have cats for example been succesful in killing off rats and preventing disease, or is that just a myth?

When were British Dry docks producing the most ships and how coveted was Oak from its over seas colonies? Were ships made from wood from a particular place better?

What is your favorite story/event from maritime history?

Interesting AMA!

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These questions may very well be a bit on the side, so no hard feelings if you don't have time to reply. :)

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What (if any) effect did the decision to limit naval blockades to specific harbours rather than countries have on the country's (France, in particular) naval trade capability?

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To what extent is it reasonable to say that Hugo Grotius' writings were trade motivated rather than ideological/is it reasonable to say that he didnt' publish *On the Indies* since the dutch managed to maintain their status quo with respect to the East India Trading Company?

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When trade became such an incredible factor, where were the religious institutions? Church of England, Catholic church and protestants/lutherians didn't

Blackbeard terrorized the Chesapeake Bay to the point of a coast guard station being put up in Virginia Beach. What other security measures were taken against him along the east coast?

How did Englands global domination fit Peter the greats sudden birth of a navy fit?

I had asked this question on this forum some time ago but did not receive answers. Please have a look at it. -- Question

I came across some fascinating details while reading about "The Lost Colony" of Roanoke.

• What might have been the motivation for the 118 colonists (90 men, 17 women, and 11 children) to join the exepedition? Was it monetary benefits? Longing for adventure?

• How were they selected for the mission? Was it based on practical skills each adult had?

• Was there much enthusiasm amongst common people to join the exepedition (and they had to shortlist 100 odd people among many who wanted to be a part of the mission)?

• Men vastly outnumbered women (5:1) on this mission. I assume all the women were married. What were the ages of the "remaining men" who did not have women accompanying them? Did they expect to find women to marry on the island?

Edit. If there are no historical records about the above details, are there historical records that answer similar questions about similar attempts at colonization from the same period?

I'm interested in knowing brief background information, motivation and selection process of people who were selected for being colonists in North America.

Here’s a simple question: Did pirates fight each other more often than the royal fleets of the European nations?

Thank you for doing this AMA! A series of questions: first is, what sort of system of justice did pirates employ to keep order aboard their vessels during this time period? Second, what were the origins of the press gang? And, connected to that, typically what percentage of a crew aboard a ship in the Royal Navy were actually career seamen? Lastly, and apologies for the barrage of questions, were there any naval tactics employed by pirates that were adopted by the Royal Navy?

One of the worst bits of fake history I have heard on the internet concerns the idea that all pirates wore eye patches and did so to adjust their eyes to below deck conditions, some people are obsessed with the idea and will not listen to reason about the issue. Can you weigh in on this.

In culinary school I was told by an old chef that whistling in kitchens wasn't allowed, because sailors could communicate through whistling and by doing this they could talk behind the Chef's back. Is there any truth to this?

When pirates were around, how many of them actually knew of each other and how did they interact with each other? When they were dropped off in new areas and met fellow pirates, when they later seen them again, were they friendly?

How many pirares would normally be in a crew? Too many and you don't make enough money, not enough and you can't sail the ship and capture merchants...

If you had never been a sailor before and found yourself in the navy, or employed on a merchant ship, how are you learning your trade? Where would you start, how would you been assigned a position on the ship - or was it looser than that? Presumably you're learning on the job as soon as you get on?

Was it as simple as just finding a ship hiring (or getting "hired") and then you're learning to be a sailor?

Hello there!

Some sailors were from countries where white skin colour is norm. Are there instances where sunburns and later skin cancers where discussed and how did they treat them? Did they used any clothing to prevent getting sunburned?

Hey. I watched this TV series called ‘Black Sails’. How accurate is the series to how piracy was back in those days? Is it somewhat based on reality or was it all fiction?

I'm not sure if you're able to answer this, but in any case, my question is about laws regarding cannons. What kind of regulation, if any, did cannons have? Could a privately owned merchant ship just sail into port and buy a cannon, or would there be a whole bureaucratic process?

I have just (today) embarked on a MA in Naval History from Portsmouth. What are the areas that you think are currently most interesting in the field? Under researched? Or with sources under utilised? What kind of phd proposal would get you interested (not a legally binding contract...)

Im personally interested in 20th century interwar disarmament/re armament and economics. Do you think there is much mileage in that?

What are 5 of the best books on your areas of expertise that you would recommend?

I have read that wounds in combat between seafaring ships were often caused by the cannonballs striking the wooden hulls and sending shrapnel into the crew. At the same time I have seen experiments (notably on Mythbusters) that suggest cannon simply punched holes clean through wooden planking and didn't create splinters dangerous enough to wound.

Where does the historical record stand on this?

Hi, Spanish redditor here.

I was always curious what the British perspective is on the battle of Cartagena de Indias and Blas de Lezo. Its not known by most fellow Spaniards i have encountered. I would like to know what your analysis is on the failures/achievements of the battle on both sides.

Here is a link to the battle im referencing https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitio_de_Cartagena_de_Indias_(1741)

Who's your favorite pirate and why? Do you think pirates were political opportunists or radicals/terrorists? I had a heated debate about that in college so I am interested in your thoughts. Thanks!

If you know it, what is the historical accuracy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag?

I know that the Royal Navy played a large part in the development of Eastern Canada in the 17th and 18th century. Are there any records or indications of colonial crew members being “different” or unlike sailors from England? Specifically from Newfoundland or Nova Scotia? Had the cultures of North America and Britain begun to separate by this point in time and if so, was this reflected in the navy?

What was the actual typical dress of pirates compared to Naval sailors

The pirate William Fly named his ship Fames' Revenge. Any idea what that name might be about or referring to? I can better understand Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge, but "Fame"?

We often see the Galleons and Frigates of the open seas in depictions of the Early Modern period, but how was domestic shipping done? Would a trans-oceanic ship also perform small shipping duties?
Also, tying into the subject of piracy, how was piracy in the European continent and elsewhere? Did they have as much trouble as the carribean and new world colonies are often shown to have?

Do you have an opinion on/knowledge of Oak Island, Canada?

What is the etymology of "ARRRGG Matey!" And what percent of pirates said it if not 100%

Jk real question, wernt pirates just sea captains that their royalty 'disowned' and never intended to be an outlaw? Ive read some wiki on it and most pirates were pirates after the fact, it seems. Otherwise, where would one procure a frigate, let alone a crew and harbor for repairs?

I was curious why to this day more of the Portuguese Empire with Pirates and all that lore is not widely known? Feels there was a rich part of history to be taped but mainstream focus on the North Atlantic side less on South Atlantic and Asia marine history.

What would your opinion be to make more popular other piracy and marine history?

(Edit): grammar

How would I go about finding out what happened in Suriname during the 17th century? Are there any books about it? Where are archives of records from that era kept?

Hi this is also a topic that i am interested in!

I would like to ask, did the pirates of the Atlantic/Caribbean ever achieve a empire-like dominance of the Seas like the Pirate Confederation that operated off the coast of China?

Two questions.

How much social mobility was there in the trade? If you were a good seaman and a capable business man who managed to work their way up through the enlisted ranks of a naval vessel or merchantman would your own little schooner or cutter even be something in reach?

Secondly did pirates in the west indies ever set up protection rackets? Like pay a given amount now and you won't get attacked kind of thing.

What food or agricultural discovery really changed sailing?

At what point did the British navy become the pre-eminent naval force in the world? Around the time of the Spanish Armada? Were British naval officers already markedly more aggressive/competent then their counterparts even before the execution of Admiral Byng?

What was the average life expectancy of a sailor during these times? What was their retirement like?

I'd love to hear about social impact of female and gender-nonconforming pirates

Was there actually some kind of "pirate's code"? What kinds of things did it have in it?

What was going on in the navy from the beginning of the personal rule to the restoration? The period was full of confusion and various changes to government so it would be interesting to see how the navy handled that.

Thanks for doing this ama!

Have you read "Flashman's Lady"? Any comment on the portrayal of the Borneo pirates in that novel?

Also, I've read that ships used in the slave trade were considered as pirates and subject to forfeiture under maritime law. Comments about that?

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

I wonder if you have been to the brixham pirate festival!

As it is talk like a pirate day tomorrow and I am interested in the speech of pirates - It is a popular belief in the south-west that most pirates came from the west (mainly from the county of Cornwall). This might be why in a lot of popular culture that pirates sound like they are from the south-west of England - well sound like they are Cornish. Heck even the strong rugby team the Cornish pirates celebrate this link!

Is there any strong link to say that pirates spoke like they are from Cornwall. I imagine most sources of pirates would have been oral but is there any hint from writing (or even mispellings) that pirates spoke like that? - Is it just a popular myth and heritage misleadings?

Thank you for this AMA. After watching the television series "Black Sails" I began to become obsessed with pirates and watches hours and hours of documentaries on piracy. One documentary I watched said that pirates back then were basically equivocal to the "terrorists" of our day, since they used "fear" to intimidate and subdue the population. To what extent would you agree/disagree with this comparison and why?

My opinion is that pirate captains and quartermaster were drastically underpaid for the additional responsibility and risk assumed. Do we know of anyone turning down a "promotion" for such reasons?

This is a fairly simple question, but during the golden age of piracy, were there pirates who revered/feared other pirates who had some sort of reputation? As in, was Blackbeard feared by other pirates and no one would dare attack or cross him? Thanks!

Hooks and missing limbs, tattoos, eyepatches, even parrots on shoulders- to what extent did a ‘pirate’ look different to any other sailor in the age of the sail?

Is stereotypical pirate speech entirely traced to Robert Lewis Stevenson and the West Country accent of Robert Newton in the 1950 Disney film or is there historical traces that have changed over time?

Talk to us about pirate ships being floating democracies with charters and rights denied to sailors pressed into naval service by governments

What was the legal relationship between the pirates and their territories andnthe British Crown?

How effective were the Royal Navy's measures to end the slave trade?

Any evidence Englishmen became pirates to escape the English civil war?

Any primary sources you recommend that deal with the expansion of the Royal Navy in the 18th century?

What do you think of the pirate Miguel Enríquez being the first Puertorrican entrepreneur?

Have you read Moby Dick, and did you enjoy it?

How often did pirates rape and murder?

Do you have any stories or interesting insight about Nelson that aren’t commonly known?

To what extent do you agree with the concept that on the pirate ship there are visible comparisons to communism? I have read it a couple of times and have my own thoughts but am very interested to know yours!

I read that East India company first started out as a private enterprise only later to become regulated by the government, a while after they seized occupation over India.

My first question is, is it true? Did the British government nationalized an army of mercenaries, after it already occupied India ?

My second question, if it was true, how did this transition actually happen? Was there any public resistance or was it accepted as normal? How was it possible back in those times for soverign and authorized states to consume And conquer other inhabited territories? When was this practice outlawed? Was it even ever outlawed?

Did they bring woman on board? Which was their status/job?

Who do you like better, Jack Aubrey or Horatio Hornblower? (And how true to reality are those books?)

Hi there hope I'm not too late, thank you for running this, I'm very interested in the topic.

First off, do you have any recommended reading for the subject?

Secondly, and I guess my main question is how much did the commercial and military naval fleets grow during these periods? Would it have been common for boats to encounter each other, how many could fit in the average ports at the time?

Thank you

How different was the British East India company navy from the Royal British navy?

How often were people kidnapped and forced to work upon ships?

Hello,

thank you for doing this AMA. My question is as follows: was there any piracy around the north cape during the time period from 16th to 19th centuries, and if there was, did it take a peculiar shape different from other areas?

I'm wondering if you've seen much evidence of female pirates. I found Dekker and Van de Pol's "The Tradition of Female Transvestism in Early Modern Europe" (New York: St. Martin’s, 1989), which looked at women in the Dutch navy, quite fascinating. Thanks!

A question not as much related to piracy:

What led you to researching this very specific niche? Were you an undergrad who just thought, "Ope, pirates and the navy are cool" and were set, or was it just something you stumbled upon in grad school? Or do you have a family history in the navy, or something?

The reason I ask is because I have an interest in academia, and I definitely do not foresee where my interests in linguistics will line up once I hit grad school, other than the specific field within the discipline (historical linguistics, mostly). Plus, it's just cool to hear people's stories and how their curiosities led them to where they are.

Thank you so much for doing this!

Nowadays, when we think of Pirates, we mostly see them as violent criminals, that caused destruction and death, and were extremely detrimental for maritime trade.

Edward Teach (Thatch?), or Blackbeard is perhaps one of the most well-known Pirates, constantly mentioned in movies and shows (Black Sails and Pirates of the Caribbean, for example), and this image of violence and brutality is associated with him, and yet he was not the most accomplished Pirate.

Did Pirates create some sort of propaganda and help create this illusion (perhaps to build a legacy?), or were their tales mainly embellished by the general population?

Also, were there really Pirate codes? If so, how respected were they?

Ok, weird question for you:

Do you ever see another golden age of piracy happening??

I’ve always wondered if a small, say impoverished nation with a couple of destroyers could manager to wreak some havoc on trade lines of other countries.

Goofy question, I know, and I’m sure the answer is no :)

You hear about Privateers/Corsairs and the like in history classes (well at least briefly) but just how common was it for an army to employ these sea-mercenaries, if you will. In fact, how did such a process even go down to begin with? If I were a pirate and saw a bunch of imperial ships heading towards me I'd be scared shitless.

TIA!

I know your specialty is before 16th century, but what should we know about the pirates before the golden age in the 11th - 15th centuries? (I'm particularly interested in those in the north sea)

How big was the level of secrecy in regards to where the ship was going? Did the crew (sailors, cooks, marines, officers) know from the start their mission or only command knew. How hard is it for a Frenchman to enlist in the Royal Navy?

I’ve read quite contradictory accounts on what classes made up the majority of pirates. Most sources I found at a cursory glance say it was mostly lower class sailors who were disgruntled by their treatment as regular shipping crews or the like, but my lecturer says it was actually a profession dominated by the upper class. Which of these is more correct, and is there any further reading you can recommend on class in maritime professions in that era?

Where did the idea of peg legs and hook hands come from? What is a more accurate (if any) view of disability in context to seafarers?

Were there any naval battles celebrated on the same level as Trafalgar, to the point of getting their own day?

In the book Mutiny! Why We Love Pirates, And How They Can Save Us - Kester Brewin (2012), it's suggested that the skull and cross bones flag does not represent death coming for you, rather it expresses the pirates own death, in as much as they have nothing to lose. Do you agree?

Also, the same book talks about piracy being a common result of any system that have extremely unfair rules which removes hope. Interested to hear you thought in that.

Lastly, it goes on to speak about the system of sharing loot and making decisions on pirate ships, in a much more egalitarian way than we tend to imagine (a fierce overlord, ruling in fear). Thoughts?

Were there a lot more pirates than pirates with this certificate they get from their king/queen. What’s the main difference between them?

Can you elaborate at all on Grace O'Malley? I do not often hear mention of her, and Anne Chambers' recent(ish) book leaves you wanting. How was she portrayed and received among the British?

If you were to be thurst into the 1700s time period as you are today what would be you first actions to prepare yourself for the seafarers life?

The East India Company was in possession of one of the largest fleets in history. After the Company and its territories were acquired by the Crown, how and how much did the organization of the merchant marine and the life of its sailors change?

How was Ireland involved in piracy? I read one of your other answers that mentioned it being called a haven of sorts. What was the cultural perception? Where many Irishmen pirates?

How often were ships actually sunk during sea battles? I'd imagine it'd be heartbreaking to see all the resources than went into making it sinking beneath the waves

Having just spent a week sailing on a 2 masted square rigged brig I was aware how difficult it was for us to sail within 30* either side or so of the wind and learnt that square rigged ships cannot tack to easily counter this. Having to stow the sails and climb the rigging whilst the ship was moving was also very difficult and treacherous. Based on this I have two questions:

Without the luxury of an auxilary engine like I did, how would square rigged ships in the 16th-18th century counter this if they needed to sail in a specific direction close to where the wind was coming from?

Would sailors have used any rudimentary safety equipment (harness, rope etc.) when climbing ratlings or climbing on the yards?

First of all, thank you! I've read a bunch of your responses and they're wonderful! I love stories about the age of sail, both gritty / realistic and the more romantic.

My question is, which are your favorite depictions of the age of sail in general, beyond pirate related, in popular media - so movies, books, TV, whatever? Are they historically accurate? How do you feel about accuracy vs. telling a compelling story (not that they're necessarily at odds)?

What are the most common misconceptions about pirates, especially in entertainment.

How far back does the tradition of tattoos go back? Was it non-existent until the start of what people see as "traditional" tattoos of the early 20th century?

And to expand if you have the chance, many tattoos had a meaning, most signifying feats or milestones in a sailors life. Were people ever known to "fake it" by getting tattoos they didn't earn and were the consequences? In some cultures with such tradition/story telling to their tattoos having ink you didn't earn could have major consequences, the first thing that comes to mind for me is Russian prison tattoos.

Veering from sociology a bit, but I'm a massive fan of the Jack Aubrey series. I'm aware he's based loosely off Thomas Cochrane and I'm also aware you've set your specialty between the 16 to 18th century, but I hope you can answer my question nonetheless. During the Napoleonic era, I believe I'm right in saying that rich families who wished their children to grow up in the Royal Navy would pay for them to be attached to a captain, or perhaps a friend who ran a ship would take them onboard and teach them the way of seafaring.

How difficult was it for the common man to rank up within the Royal Navy? Was it even possible without a large sum of money? Are there any cases you can remember of captains who did come from a lower class background who won their post by merit? Thanks.

Regarding combat; Did they really throw both personal affects and the ships animals overboard when going into combat?

Did they also sand the deck?

I knit and read all of the "Horatio Hornblower" novels. How much clothing did Royal Navy Captains need to supply their crews with? Was it just a Monmouth Cap?

Did the royal navy experience any complications with the Irish/Irish pirates in any british waters? If so, in what ways, when and where?

When it first came to pirating, how did crews ever get started? Did a few guys just ask around their friends asking if anyone wanted to go plunder some ships? It seems like a ton of people to get together.

This is great!! Thank you so much for answering these and other questions.

Have you ever played any tabletop RPGs? Specifically 7th Sea? I'm interested in a historians take on their alternative 17th century setting

Since you've mentioned that majority of films/games doesn't depict pirates that close, can you tell us what should future writers/creators have to keep in mind when making a pirate piece?

What was the social strata from which sailors came from? What about officers?

Was a "career" at sea generally a decent choice to make? For the ones who survived the disease and hardship, was the compensation generally considered a decent one? Did it provide any sort of social upwards mobility? How many of the sailors were foreigners? where did they come from usually?

And lastly, are there any known "Conscientious objectors" who refused to work on slave ships?

Very broad question: Would you rather be impressed by the Royal Navy or be sort of forced to join one of the more famous pirate crews of that time? I guess it really depends on the crew, but I wonder what you would choose. To narrow the question down a bit: How did they generally compare?

Any particularly fascinating mutinies/sailors strikes in the period that have had impacts on modern working conditions for sailors?

How do you view Marcus Redicker's interpretation of piracy and pirates?

How would you describe the purported sacrilegious and iconoclastic views of the Anglo-American sailor? Did this change over the period and to what degree does it extend to seamen of other European nations?

Have any favorite /r/seashanties ?

I like to learn traditional sailing songs and shanties to sing at reenactment events. Is there a particular website or book you would recommend for less known works?

how often was the act of pressing other sailors used in the Royal Navy ??

what is the sex life of pirates like?

Are there any collections on traditional maritime tattoos and there meanings?

What is your favorite pirate related story or excerpt from history?

Do you know anything of Sir Francis Drake? More so about where he ended up living out his day as an old man?

Thank you for doing this I've saved it so I can go back and pour over your answers - my only question is: have you ever considered using your knowledge to be a treasure hunter?

How common were sea chanteys really? I have a CD that I love - but the lyrics seem somewhat complex for what I was told was for hauling bowlines etc. Did they really sing them on the ship, or was it more for being at a pub and merriment?

I feel like there isn't enough information about tattoos from this time period, I'm a sailor currently and I've always been fascinated by the artwork of 18th century sailors, particularly scrimshaw and the tattoos they put on each other. What tattoos were common? Which ones were relatively obscure?

Did pirates contribute significantly to any notable advancements in the areas of; seamanship, naval warfare, weaponry, ship building etc?

Perhaps indirectly? I. E. Was anti-piracy a catalyst for any breakthroughs by the government navies?

Who is the most insane pirate we've never heard of?

Any drug use while crews were out sailing?

Do you have a favorite sea shanty? If so, which?

What are some maritime superstitions that you know of that continue to this day?

1. I know that the Royal Navy generally issued beer when close to Britain, and rum-based grog on distant voyages. Where was the dividing line set between beer rations and rum rations?

2. Related to that, did other nations issue spirit rations? If I was a sailor in the navy of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies could I look forward to a weekly ration of wine, for instance?

3. What were the biggest changes between the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries? I have a vague idea that two major technical changes were the invention of the ship's wheel and the chronometer. Did much ever change for the ordinary seamen?

What made the British navy so powerful back then? Was it just more ships, better ships, tactics, experience or a combination of all of it or what?

What's the relationship between blockade runners and pirates?

Outside of the brief occupation of Manila, what is an interesting or important event or period for the Royal navy in the Philippines during the period of Spanish rule?

How accurate is the life at sea depicted in Shogun? I mean the early chapter(s), where we find out that the ships sent by Queen Elizabeth had the mission to destroy everything that was spanish. From the english point of view they were soldier, from spanish point of view, they were pirates. Also, The Noble House has some interresting depicion of sailor and sea trade, any comments on that?

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How did navigation changed after people were able to measure longitude?

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How was life at sea for englishmen before and after Spain lost the Invincibila Armada? How much of the spanish "navy" was the Armada, anyway?

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In the hope you find this question later...

What was a court martial? What did it mean to a naval officer in the 18th 19th century?

Today a court martial has a negative connotation. There are many examples of this type of court martial, for example, regarding mutiny. I've also read accounts of commanders demanding court martial for themselves to clear their name, or of officers (bad ones e.g. Pigot) being cleared at court martial because they have friends on the panel presiding over the affair. There doesn't appear to be any stigma surrounding these latter examples.

There is also the example of Hood and Lumsdaine. Lumsdaine was cleared of wrongdoing yet ultimately was moved out of the Mediterranean fleet. There was no apparent backlash against Hood who History tells us was at fault.

It almost seems like a court martial – outside of clear-cut crimes - was a highly politicised means to an end. I've never been able to get a full conceptual understanding of what a court martial was or meant to the people of the navy.

Any insight or recommended reading would be greatly appreciated!

How popular and important was the daily Tot to the royal navy? How much effort and time (aging?) Went into creating it? Did the officers and brass drink the same stuff the regular sailors did?

A bit past your direct area of expertise chronologically, but, what do you think of the overall historical accuracy of the film Master and Commander from 2003? I know the story is a fictionalised tale based upon several real events which happened to different people in different places, and that the film of course diverges from the series of books, but I'm asking more so in regards to costuming, the feel of the film, etc.

Very much looking forward to your answer!

I have several questions so sorry if this is quite large. #1: What was the experience like for Irish sailors during The War Of Spanish Succession? How were they recruited, what positions would they have held on ships, and what skills would they have brought with them compared to their English and eventual British counterparts?

#2: How did former sailors on a military expedition reintegrate into society after seeing the horrors of 18th century naval warfare and simply brutal naval life in general?

#3: What was life like in the Royal Naval/East India Company far east stations/deployments prior to 1763? If I wanted to work in the far east how would I get there? Did they conduct trade or travel to Japan or China for example?

#4: Who was the average Royal Marine prior to 1763? What was his social standing, where where his deployments and what training did he receive? Why would he have joined the Marines instead of the regular Army or Navy? What combat missions would he have been apart of during The War Of Spanish Succession and The Seven Years War