Real pirates: What were they like?

I am currently writing this article in the bar of the world famous Admiral Benbow pub in Penzance, UK. This fascinating place is the home to a wide collection of maritime antiques including an astonishing recreation of the officers mess of a 16th century warship.

The Benbow takes it's name from the pub in the pirate novel Treasure Island and is the setting for the start of the action in the novel. Penzance of course is famous for the operetta "The Pirates of Penzance". Strangely there is no record of actual pirates being here and is unknown where Gilbert and Sullivan got the idea that there might have been. In the 20th and 21st century the pirate is often represented as a romantic rogue a swash buckling figure who defies the authorities.

The actual truth of the historic pirate is far different. Famous pirates such as Blackbeard (real name Edward Teach) actually caused widespread chaos, were terrible murders thieves and rapists. Blackbeard in fact was responsible for the most audacious pirate acts in history blockading the port of Charleston, South Carolina. Blackbeards aim was the return of his men and a chest of medicine and promised to "murder all their prisoners, send up their heads to the governor, and set the ships they had taken on fire" if his conditions were not met. Blackbeard was a surprisingly fair and democratic leader encouraging group decision making.

Bartholomew Roberts or Black Bart was another infamous pirate. Born in Wales he was a prolific taker of ships. In 1720 Bartholomew discovered the governor of Martinique travelling on a French ship attacked it and promptly hanged the governor from the mast of the ship he was sailing on.

Many pirates died in brutal engagements with the authorities, experiencing the horrific injuries associated with naval battles of the era.

The Jack Sparrow pirate figure is a great deal of fun of course and many people enjoy the idea of a pirate story with buried treasure and swashbuckling adventures in reality they were brutal criminals who terrified the oceans.