While Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean films are mostly fictional, the Caribbean was the center of piracy during its so-called Golden Age. But when did the Golden Age of Piracy occur? 

The Golden Age of Piracy occurred between the years 1650 to 1730. During this time,  robbery and crime rates were highest in the Caribbean seas, eastern Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

The Golden Age of Piracy

Though pirates existed even during ancient times, according to historians, the Golden Age of Piracy was in the 17th and 18th centuries. Though heavily disputed, most historians accept that the golden age was between 1650 to 1730. During this time, it was reported that more than 5,000 pirates were on the open seas. (Source: Royal Museums Greenwich)

The Golden Age also refers to only the pirates reported having operated on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Indian Ocean, and the waters off the coast of West Africa. The specific age doesn’t include other pirates reported having operated in other parts of the world, hence only referred to primarily British, American, Dutch, and French pirates.

Historians hypothesized that several men, and some women, were attracted to a life in the open seas because they couldn’t find meaningful employment after serving in the wars between England and France. These pirates were also enticed to the knowledge that the Age of Exploration brought about many ships transporting valuable items and was an easy target since they were usually lightly guarded. (Source: World History)

Famous Pirates of the Golden Age

This specific period of piracy produced many noteworthy and infamous pirates of their time. Here are a few of them and some interesting facts about them. (Source: Royal Museums Greenwich)

Blackbeard

Blackbeard was probably the most notorious and famous pirate in all history. He was born Edward Teach. Blackbeard developed his image, as the pirates’ first weapon against their enemies was fear. Known for having a knack for theatrics, Blackbeard was always heavily armed with knives, cutlasses, and pistols. During battles, he would light up the fuses he set on his thick, tangled hair, so when he attacked, his face was surrounded with smoke, creating a terrorizing effect that would frighten whoever he faced. 

Капитан Нед Лоу

Эдварда Лоу знали за его жестокость по отношению к жертвам. Сообщалось, что он получал огромное удовольствие, мучая их, отрезая им носы, уши и губы. Также известно, что он пытал и убивал целые экипажи захваченных им кораблей.

Мэри Рид

Мэри Рид была женской пиратессой, служившей на корабле Калико Джек Ракэм. По данным историков, Мэри Рид вступила в британскую армию, маскируясь под мужского солдата. Когда они отправились в море, их корабль был захвачен Калико Джеком. Вместо того чтобы быть убитой, Рид присоединилась к команде Джека. Когда экипаж Ракэм был захвачен в Ямайке, всех членов экипажа казнили, за исключением Рид и другой женской пираты, Энн Бонни, которые обе были беременны в тот момент.

Энн Бонни

Энн Бонни была несчастливой домохозяйкой, ищущей острых ощущений в своей жизни. Она встретила Калико Джека и присоединилась к нему и его пиратской команде. Подобно Мэри Рид, Бонни маскировала себя, одеваясь в мужскую одежду и ведя себя как мужчина.

(Источник: Pirate Show Cancun)