Both black and red flags carried a significant message, as you might have guessed the red flags early pirates sailed under represented Bloodshed and a warning, and meant that no quarter would be given to those who crossed paths with the ship. The Pirates hoped that the sight of this flag would cause early surrender and an easy conquest. Black flags were traditionally used on Plague ships as a warning to others, so the progression to Black flags for Pirates was natural as it already represented Death. The Pirates called this the 'Banner of King Death'.
The flags were then made more elaborate and unique by using other symbols of death or violence, such as Skull and Crossbones, a Cutlass or even an Hourglass which meant the enemies time was up! Probably the most well-known Pirate of them all, no not Jack Sparrow, Blackbeard was thought to have flown under a black flag that featured a skeleton standing next to a bleeding heart, holding an hourglass in one hand and a spear in the other! Nice ay...
Most Pirate flags are generally known as 'Jolly Roger's' or 'Skull and Crossbones'. It is relatively easy to see where the name Skull and Crossbones comes from but there are several possibilities for the derivation of the name Jolly Roger. The most probable of these are; the English pronunciation of the French term 'Jolie Rouge' (Red Flag). It is also thought it could have originated from the word Rouge, meaning thief, beggar, or vagabond. The final theory is that it came from the phrase 'Old Roger' which was an English slang term for the Devil.
Enjoy now with these activities about pirates.
No comments:
Post a Comment