Osprey Elite 67 : Pirates 1660-1730

Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Henry Morgan these are all names that are deeply embedded in popular culture. The image of the pirate has led to countless forays into the field by Hollywood in everything from Errol Flynn's 'Captain Blood', Roman Polanski's 'Pirates' and innumerable versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'. to Disney's 'Peter Pan' This book portrays an accurate picture of the pirates who sailed in the waters of the Caribbean and off the American coastline during the 'golden age' of piracy between 1660 and 1730. It separates fact from fiction and shows that the life of a pirate was nasty, brutish and short (with one or two notable exceptions). It traces the origins of piratical activity in the 16th century and examines the Boucaneer (Buccaneer) culture in Jamaica and Hispaniola. It details what drove individuals to a life of piracy, how they dressed, their weaponry, the ships they used and the codes by which they operated eg, disciplinary procedures, division of booty etc. It also catalogues the main characters active during this period; Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, Henry Morgan, Henry 'Long Ben' Avery, Stede Bonnet, William Kidd, John 'Calico Jack' Rackham and the female duo associated with him, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. It will also detail those people sent to stamp out piracy, including the Royal Naval officers commissioned to track them down, and the justice served out once pirates were caught. Whether viewed as villains or victims the Pirates were a major threat to shipping and commerce in the western Atlantic for more than 70 years. Text by Angus Konstam with illustrations by Angus McBride.

Contents

• Introduction
• The Pirate Crew
• Pirate Warfare
• Pirate Dens
• Pirate Plunder
• Pirate Captains and Characters
• Pirate Ships
• Pirate Codes
• Pirate Flags
• Pirate Justice
• Bibliography
• The Plates