Pirate sails. For everyone and about everything

Sushi paddles! Now I will tell you about something without which not a single sailor would become a sailor, without which sea wolves would be ordinary land ragamuffins. I'll tell you about pirate ships!

The pirate ship performed several functions at once. It was a barracks for the crew, as well as a warehouse for trophies. Since pirate crews usually outnumbered ordinary ships, there was often not enough space on the ships. The pirate ship was a warship, so it had to carry powerful cannon weapons. In addition, the pirates not only attacked, but they often had to evade pursuit, so the ship had to have increased speed. In order for a pirate ship to meet all the requirements for it, pirates had to rebuild ordinary merchant or warships they captured. Strictly speaking, in maritime terminology the word “ship” means a three-masted vessel with a full set of straight sails. Such “ships” were very rare among pirates.

American colonial schooner of the 18th century.
The sloop differed from the schooner in its smaller size
and the presence of only one mast. Both types were
popular among pirates for its speed and shallow draft.

Pirates obtained their ships as a result of capture at sea or mutiny of the crew. If a ship captured in this way turned out to be completely unsuitable for pirate activities, it was abandoned as soon as something more suitable could be obtained. Former privateers also often became pirates. Privateering ships were originally adapted for pirate activities. Upon expiration of the contract, privateers who did not want to stop their fishing turned into pirates. Some pirates spent their entire (usually short) career sailing on one ship, while others changed ships several times. So, Bartholomew Roberts changed the ship six times, each time giving the new ship the name “Royal Fortune”. The pirates either sunk the captured ships, sold them, or used them themselves.

Privateering, which flourished during the War of the Spanish Succession (1700-1714), led to the construction of many ships originally intended for privateering. After the end of the war, English privateers almost all took up privateering. Privateering was legal piracy. Privateer ships were equally suitable for pirate activities, without requiring any modification. Those same privateers who managed to overcome the temptation to become pirates entered the service of local authorities and began to fight pirates.
Pirates preferred small but fast ships like sloops, brigandines or schooners. Caribbean sloops were perfect for the role of a pirate ship. Some pirate crews preferred to use larger, more spacious ships. In addition to speed, small ships had an advantage over larger ones in draft. This allowed them to operate in shallow waters where large ships did not risk sailing. Smaller ships were easier to repair and clean their hulls to maintain speed. To clean the bottom, the ship was pulled ashore and the algae and shells that had grown during the voyage were peeled off.

When remodeling, unnecessary bulkheads between the decks of the ship were usually removed. This made it possible to free up space on the gun deck. Usually the forecastle was cut off and the quarterdeck was lowered so that the upper deck ran from bow to stern. Thanks to this measure, an open combat platform was created. Additional ports for guns were made in the sides, and the load-bearing elements of the hull were strengthened to compensate for the increased load. Swivel guns were installed on the gunwale.

Royal James and Henry fighting off Cape Fear River, North Carolina, September 27, 1718. Upon learning of the close presence of Steed Bonnet,
Governor of the Colony of South Carolina sent Colonel William Rhett
to hunt for a pirate. The chase ended in a battle, which resulted in
Bonnet capitulated, was captured and later hanged.

Types of pirate ships

Sloops

At the beginning of the 18th century, sloop meant various ships built in the Caribbean islands. Sloops were usually small single-masted ships carrying a disproportionately powerful sail. This made them fast and maneuverable, which, combined with their shallow draft, made them the ideal pirate ship. Typically, sloops were equipped with a slanting main sail and a jib at the bow. Two- and three-masted ships with similar sailing rigs could also be called sloops.

Bartholomew Roberts on the West African Coast.
Behind him is a fleet of slave trading ships he captured.
The "Royal Fortune" and "Great Reinder" ships are also located there
Roberts. Images of two flags are clearly visible.

Schooners

Throughout the 18th century, schooners became an increasingly common type of ship. Typically, schooners are defined as two-masted ships with forward sails on both masts. The narrow hull and large sail area made them fast; the typical schooner speed with a tailwind exceeded 11 knots. The schooner's draft was also shallow, which allowed them to sail freely among the shallows and close to the shore. With a displacement of up to 100 tons, the pirate schooner carried 8 cannons and a crew of about 75 people. The disadvantage of the schooner was its insufficient cruising range. It was necessary to frequently call at ports to replenish water and food supplies. However, with sufficient knowledge and skill, the pirates took everything they needed into the sea.

Brigandines

Another type of ship often found along the American coast was the brigandine. Brigandine is a two-masted ship, with straight sails on the foremast, and an oblique lower sail and straight topsails on the mainmast. Such sailing rig allows the brigandine to effectively sail both jibe and close-hauled. The length of the brigandine is about 24 m, displacement is about 150 tons, crew of 100 people, armament of 12 guns.

A variant of the brigandine was the brig, but this type of ship was quite rare in American waters. The brig carried straight sails on both masts, although slanting sails were sometimes installed between the masts. Sometimes a slanting gaff sail was placed on the mainmast. In this form the ship was called shnyava. The Royal Navy used shniavs as patrol ships in Caribbean waters.

Three-masted ships (straight sail)

Three-masted ships with direct sails could be considered ships in the full sense of the word. Although three-masted ships were slower than pirate schooners and sloops, they still had a number of undeniable advantages. First of all, they were distinguished by better seaworthiness, carried heavier weapons and could accommodate a large crew. Many pirates, including Bartholomew Robert and Charles Vane, preferred three-masted ships.

Three-masted merchant ships were actively used during that period. Edward Teach's Queen's Envenge was a converted slave trading ship, equipped to carry 40 cannons. Typically, a merchant ship with a displacement of 300 tons carried more than 16 guns. Three-masted warships were divided into several ranks. A ship of the 6th rank carried from 12 to 24 guns. The 5th rank ship already carried up to 40 guns. These weapons were usually more than enough to defeat any pirate in an artillery battle. The only exceptions were Roberts' Royal Fortune and Teach's Queen N Revenge, as well as several other pirate ships that carried comparable weapons.

Pirate ships at sea

Maynard ordered the surviving sailors to take refuge on the lower deck and began throwing overboard everything he could in order to lighten the ship. The other two ships also quickly lightened up. Maynard installed two ladders along which his sailors could quickly climb up. Blackbeard thought that the enemy still had the numerical superiority. A shot from a swivel gun knocked down the jib on Adventure. The pirate ship was firmly aground. Meanwhile, Jane managed to refloat and moved towards the pirate ship. Blackbeard ordered hand grenades to be thrown. But the losses were minimal, since the English sailors were in cover. The pirates threw grappling hooks and tried to board the sloop. At that moment, covered sailors jumped out of the hold. In the ensuing fight, Blackbeard himself and ten of his sailors died. The rest of the pirates were captured. With the death of Blackbeard, the threat of piracy in the region disappeared.

Finally, in early 1721, the pirate Bartholomew Roberts captured the large frigate Onslow, part of the Royal African Campaign. In the Life of Captain Roberts, Johnson reports how he remade Robert's captured trophy:

“The pirates adapted Onslow for their needs. They demolished the superstructures, leveling the deck, making the ship suitable for sea robbery. The pirates named the ship Royal Fortune and armed it with 40 cannons.”

Thus, we got a fairly clear idea of ​​what the modification of the ship by pirates involved. Firstly, the pirates demolished all the temporary superstructures in which additional cargo was transported. The large free deck made it possible to place more artillery on it. During this period, merchant ships usually carried cannon only on the upper deck. The pirates cut additional gun ports into the sides. Equality-minded pirates also tore down the bulkheads of most cabins, leaving a single captain's cabin at the stern. The lack of cabins also increased the ship's interior space at the bow and stern.

The pirates could have gone for an even more radical redesign. Roberts and Lowther made their ships "level from stem to stern." That is, they cut off the forecastle and poop, making it so that the deck of the ship ran smoothly from bow to stern. Even on small sloops and brigantines, not to mention frigates, the stern superstructure occupied most of the deck. All elements of decoration that were of no practical importance were also removed from the ship. As a result, the ship's deck was adapted to carry powerful artillery and a large boarding crew. The pirates transferred all the artillery from the old ship to the new one. The Onslow/Royal Fortune had guns on both the main and cleared upper decks. As a result, the large ship turned into a formidable combat unit. Smaller ships such as Pearl/Royal James and Gambia Castle/Delivery did not receive armament on the lower deck, but gun ports were added on the upper deck. Several guns were placed forward and backward along the course, since the lack of superstructures made it possible to do this.

Fight between an English pirate ship (left) and a Spanish galleon, 1670s. Notice how different these two ships are.

The English pirate ship Sgnet of the late 17th century carried a direct sail. It was armed with 12 large and 6 swivel cannons and had a crew of 150 people.

Finally, from survey reports of captured pirate ships it follows that the pirates also changed the ship's rigging. The purpose of the redesign was also to increase the ship's speed and free up space. The lateen sails were changed to straight ones, and the mizzen mast was often cut down, moving the mainmast further to the stern. For example. brigs and shnyavs differed from brigantines in having straight sails, which was preferred by pirates. The pirates did not feel any shortage of materials; they could capture everything they needed at sea.

Thus, Johnson reports that Bartholomew Roberts captured the London ship Samuel, finding on it “sails, guns, gunpowder, ropes, and 8000 or 9000 pounds of choice goods.”

Entrance to Lake Maracaibo, 1699. Brigantine (left) and two-masted yacht (right). In 1669, Henry Morgan fought here. Judging by the sails, the wind is blowing towards the shore.

The death of the Spanish flagship in the battle off the Maracaibo Shoal, 1669. Although fireships were rarely used in the New World, Morgan took this unusual step, since he had several captured ships and supplies of gunpowder at his disposal.

As we have already said, most pirates began their careers with small ships. The smallest ships in the waters of the New World at that time were pinnaces, longboats, and flat-bottomed ships. Many of them have been known in the Caribbean since the 16th century. The term pinnace has two different meanings. Firstly, a pinnace is usually understood as a half-longboat - an open single-masted vessel with a displacement of no more than 60 tons. Secondly, pinnaces were also called larger decked ships with a displacement of 40-80 tons. Later, pinnaces reached a displacement of 200 tons, turning into three-masted ships capable of carrying artillery. In different countries, the same term could have different meanings, in addition, the meanings of the terms changed over time.

Initially, pinnaces were called oared longboats, which also had one mast with a lateen or gaff sail. Usually the longboat was no more than 10 m in length and was used for auxiliary purposes on large merchant ships and warships. Although maritime historians continue to debate this topic, it appears that the term sloop most likely referred to the same pinnace, but with a square rig. The Spaniards called pinnaces “long launches”; the Spanish longboat carried a straight sail. The Dutch used the word pinge, which meant any small merchant ship with a displacement of up to 80 tons, found in the Caribbean during the 17th century. At the end of the 17th century. pirates actively used all these small vessels in their criminal trade.

In another meaning, “pinnace” meant an independent ship with a displacement of 40-200 tons. A pinnace could carry any number of masts; in the period we are describing, three-masted pinnaces were most often found. Three-masted pinnaces could carry any sailing rig, most often a combination of straight and lateen sails. The armament of the pinnaces consisted of 8-20 cannons. At the end of the 17th century. pirates like Henry Morgan used large pinnaces as the main ships of their pirate fleets, although the flag was flown on larger ships. The term flyboat usually meant a flat-bottomed merchant vessel, usually Dutch, with the Dutch language having a special term fluyt. By the end of the 17th century, flyboats began to be understood as small vessels intended for coastal navigation. The Spaniards called such ships the word balandra. The Dutch and Spaniards actively used flat-bottomed flyboats for coastal patrols, reconnaissance, transportation of manpower, and also as small warships and raiders. The smallest ship in the Caribbean in the 17th century. there was an Indian canoe. Canoes could come in a variety of sizes. The smallest canoes could not accommodate even four, while large canoes could carry a mast, cannons and a large crew. Canoes were also actively used by pirates.

Ships sailing in the Caribbean at the end of the 16th century. From left to right: flysch, pinnace and barge, sloop, ping, long barge, periag, canoe, yawl.

In the last decade of the 17th century, the terms "pinnace", "longboat" and "flyboat" fell out of use. It cannot be said that the old types of Caribbean ships have sharply given way to new types. Rather, ships now began to be classified by sailing equipment and the number of masts, rather than by hull size and purpose.

A ship, a flag and appearance - only these three things could put a pirate above the rest of the world. A fast ship, a flag with a bad reputation, and a terrifying appearance were often enough for the enemy to surrender without a fight. When success depends on how much fear you can instill in the victim, these three things were of no small importance, and they also served as evidence of the pirate’s luck.

The pirates did not build their own ships. Pirate ship had to be fast, maneuverable and well armed. When capturing a ship, they first looked at its seaworthiness. Daniel Defoe said that a pirate ship is, first of all, “a pair of light heels that will be very useful when you need to quickly grab something or run away even faster if they grab you”. On captured merchant ships, hold bulkheads, deck superstructures and one of the masts were often removed, the poop was made lower, and additional gun ports were cut into the sides.

As a rule, pirate ships were faster than ordinary ships, which was very important both in order to catch up with the victim and in order to evade pursuit. For example, when Charles Vane hunted a ship in the Bahamas in 1718, he easily evaded naval patrols, "making two feet on their one".

Most pirate captains did not change ships throughout their careers.(which was often very short - we can even talk about months, not years; even Blackbeard's empire of terror lasted only a few years). However, there were also those who changed ships like gloves - Bartholomew Roberts had about six of them. As for the captured ships, they were usually sold or simply burned.

A pirate ship needs constant care; it is especially important to timely clean the bottom of shells and algae so that they do not slow down the ship’s progress.. This procedure was performed once every three months. Usually, the pirates swam to some safe place, placed cannons at the entrance to the bay to repel a possible attack, and heeled the ship - that is, using tackles they pulled it onto the sandbank and cleaned the bottom. Heeling was also used in cases where it was necessary to repair the underwater part of the hull. The biggest threats to the ship were shellfish and the shipworm (woodworm), which gnawed into the wood and could make tunnels up to 6 feet (2 meters) long in it. These worms were capable of completely destroying the ship's hull.

Vessel dimensions

The size of a pirate ship was quite important. A larger ship is easier to deal with storms and can also carry more guns. However, larger ships are less maneuverable and more difficult to heel. In movies, pirates are usually shown on large ships, such as galleons, because they look very impressive, but in reality, pirates preferred small ships, most often sloops; they were fast and easy to care for. In addition, their shallower draft allowed them to sail in shallow waters or take refuge among sandbanks where a larger ship could not reach.

They were so large that anyone could participate in everyday naval duties, but in battle one gun required the service of four, or even six, people. A ship with twelve cannons on board needed seventy people just to fire, and it was also necessary to supply cannonballs and gunpowder.

Names of pirate ships from the thematic section (site) “Jolly Roger” (spirited from the pirate site):

"Brig" Black Ghost” . Once belonged to a famous pirate. The traders were afraid of this ship like fire. He is famous for appearing literally out of nowhere and carrying out his attacks.

Pirate frigate "Le periton"(Periton)

The mighty flying deer Peryton could perhaps be compared with the Greek Pegasus. As ancient legends testify, the beast had one distinctive feature.
It cast a human shadow, thanks to which scientists believed that the peryton was the spirit of travelers who died far from home. Winged deer were often seen in ancient times on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and near the Strait of Gibraltar. It was believed that perytons fed on people. They attacked the confused sailors in a herd and devoured them. Not a single weapon could stop the powerful and terrible beast.

"El corsario descuidado" Translated from Spanish - "The Careless Corsair". The young owner of this beautiful brig with red sails never knew defeat. He won battle after battle, climbing higher and higher on the financial ladder. There was a hunt for him - each of the powers wanted to get the head of the corsair.
One day, a young pirate, after another successful robbery, filled the hold of his ship to capacity. The ship was moving slowly and was constantly sagging. And a leak in the stern of the brig was not welcome...
The Careless Corsair stopped abruptly and staggered. "What's happened?" - thought the young pirate. Looking overboard, he realized that the end of his exploits had come. The bottom of his ship was torn to pieces by the reefs. The team has already managed to dismantle the spare boats.
The young pirate stood at the bow of his ship, not believing what was happening. Tears welled up in his eyes and his head hung down. "From what?!" - The pirate raised his hands to the sky. - "For what?"
“For carelessness,” answered the boatswain standing nearby, who did not want to leave his captain.
The ship was going down.

Frigate "Omnipresent Death" - This is the storm of the Caribbean. The unknown pirate who sails on it plundered all the colonies of the new world. When meeting this ship at sea, the traders simply pray to stay alive, which does not happen. Since there is no money in the colonies, he is now heading for the waters of Madagascar to a paradise for pirates
the most romantic name
Corvette "Violet" - named after the captain's daughter. This name was given to her by her father in honor of the most magnificent flower.
the most majestic name
The battleship "Peter I" is a thunderstorm from the Russian State for Britain. This is the flagship of the squadron containing 6 other ships.

Corvette "Victoria the Bloody Baroness"- the ship is named after a pirate girl who is known for her hot temper and incredible cruelty. She sailed on this ship herself. Sleek, fast as the wind, corvette, with white sails and incredibly beautiful. But, as always expected, justice prevailed - the pirate was executed, and the ship itself was given to the Spanish governor.

Frigate "Black Revenge" the horror of all sailors, its captain is a real devil, his ship develops unprecedented speed, and the hull is impenetrable to cannonballs, according to rumors the boatswain on the ship can break a small ship with 1 blow...

Corvette "Luck Prize" it was ridden by an unknown pirate who
luck was with us. His Corvette was quite powerful and fast. To catch up and break.

Frigate "Bad Girl"
This is the popular name of the ship, since no one knows its exact name.
In the waters of the Caribbean archipelago, a certain captain appeared who robbed ships, leaving only two witnesses: one without eyes, the other without a tongue... Apparently in order to terrify people... I must say that the “couples” succeeded in doing this with interest ... From the words of the “lucky ones” a picture of the attacks was compiled.
Everything happened in cloudy weather, early in the morning before sunrise, when there was still fog over the water... The dead silence was broken by a girl’s laughter piercing to the bones. It was heard from everywhere, now on one side, now on the other... From this sound, people’s eardrums burst, blood flowed, some of them, unable to bear it any longer, were thrown overboard, while others, out of panic, could not move from their place. The frigate approached silently, without a single shot. The “girl’s” team took the cargo and the surviving people, and also quietly set sail, leaving two witnesses... No one else saw or heard anything about the captured people...
Apparently the pirate captain made a deal with Lucifer himself, who would get the souls of people...

the most majestic name
battleship "Sentence"
The captain of this pirate ship was a man of honor, so he always gave his victims a choice - to surrender, and then they would be given life, or to give battle and then let the Devil judge them... By their actions, people themselves signed a Verdict.

The most profound title
Bomber ship "Bell"
The motto of this ship is: "Its call is not for him"
The ship was created specifically to combat coastal fortifications and is equipped with the most powerful and long-range guns.
When a “ringing” was heard from one of the sides of this ship, it could only mean one thing - the echo of the fatal salvo would ring in the ears of the survivors for a long time.
The name of the ship was given by Peter I during the construction of the Azov Fleet

Frigate "Cerberus".
For a long time, the pirate island of Bermuda was a refuge for corsairs. But this skeleton did not have strong protection in the form of a fort or other fortifications. Its only protection was numerous rocks and reefs. But over time, maps of this island were drawn up and in calm weather these natural obstacles were no longer dangerous. A large number of pirate ships were sunk off the coast of Bermuda by English and Spanish squadrons. The corsairs were in deep despair and even wanted to leave this island forever. And in these most difficult times for them, the black frigate under the banner of the Jolly Roger single-handedly began to resist all the ships trying to attack the Pirate Settlement. Like a ghost, he appeared from the fog and crushed his enemies. This ship always stood guard over the island of Bermuda, like a watchdog, it did not allow any enemy to approach the island. The crew of this ship was numerous, characterized by incredible rage and thirst for blood. The team was led by their captain and two lieutenants loyal to him. For this, the corsairs christened the black frigate with the name “Cerberus” in honor of a three-headed dog with a snake tail, and snake heads on the back. Just like the mythical dog guarding the exit from the kingdom of the dead Hades, so this frigate stood guard over the pirate island.

Battleship "Shakespeare".
This battleship is the flagship of the British squadron of the island of Jamaica. In the entire Caribbean Sea, and indeed beyond its borders, there is not a single ship that could compare with it in firepower or speed. It was named "Shakespeare" after the English playwright William Shakespeare. Each of the battleship's battles was a work of art, and "Shakespeare" was the author of these works. When you watch his fight, you immediately remember one of William’s dramatic plays. Just as sad, but still great.

Schooner "Black Widow".
After the death of a famous pirate in an unequal battle with Spanish battleships, his wife, being the daughter of a captain and familiar with maritime affairs firsthand, is a desperate and brave woman, having sold her house and all her property, buys a schooner, and, having hired a team of brave men, goes to sea to take revenge. to her husband's killers

Schooner "Alkonavtika".
This name was given to the ship because of the wild passion of its captain and crew for rum, wine, ale, and, indeed, for all liquid substances that contain alcohol. It was impossible to see the staff of this ship without drinking. Not a single corsair can remember when at least one member of the Alkonautika ship’s crew was sober, or at least hungover. Even the ships of England or Spain do not attack them when they meet them on the open sea. Because of the friendly attitude of these pirates towards others, they became welcome guests on all the islands to which pirates were allowed to sail.

Brig "Horizon".
Being a philosopher, the captain of this ship often liked to think on board his ship, looking at the sea stretching across the entire horizon. He said that at the most inopportune moment a ship belonging to any nation could appear on the horizon. The captain did not know whether he would be friendly or hostile. And this circumstance did not depend on anyone except God alone. For the mystery and unpredictability that the horizon combined, it was decided to call this brig “Horizon” by that name.

Frigate "Zodiac"

No one knows where it came from or where it was built, since its mizzen carried oblique sails, which made it even faster. Attacking exclusively at night and even in a storm, he did not leave anyone a single chance of salvation. They say that after his appearance, Morgan himself began to feel uncomfortable in the archipelago.

Corvette "Angels tears"
Got its name after the tragic story that happened to one corsair
For a long time, one fearless, daring and noble corsair on his corvette "Sword of the Apocalypse" terrorized the entire Spanish coast of the New World. From Belize to Cumana, in all cities, squares and taverns there were notices with a promised reward for his head. But they couldn’t catch this “El Diablo”. And yet, one day he fell into a trap laid for him. Having withstood a terrible battle with superior forces and miraculously remained afloat, the "Sword of the Apocalypse", almost completely broken, with the remnants of the crew headed to their lagoon to lick their wounds, but along the way a fierce storm broke out. With the last of their strength, fighting the elements, the already wounded crew did everything possible to save their beloved ship. Realizing that all efforts were in vain, the captain commanded: “Everyone in the boats!” Abandon ship! - The crew rushed to carry out the order, and soon the boat with the surviving sailors began to move away from the sinking corvette. And only after moving some distance away, the sailors suddenly noticed that the captain was not with them. And the captain, standing on the bridge, looked out to sea and sank into the water together with the ship. Soon the sea completely swallowed the ship.
“A real captain never leaves his ship,” said the boatswain. - But we must survive.
They managed to get to land and for a long time in taverns the surviving sailors retold this story and swore that when the last little creature disappeared across the water, they saw an angel in the sky.

Longboat "The Bold and the Beautiful". The captain of this ship considers himself the most daring pirate of the Caribbean, and his longboat – the most beautiful ship of all time. I thought... Until one day I collided with the Spanish Golden Fleet on the high seas. The pirate was daring. The longboat was beautiful.

Manowar "Leviathan". This masterpiece was built by the British at the Portsmouth shipyard. The best shipbuilders of the country participated in its creation. A huge amount of money was invested. The construction of the ship was very difficult and slow. And the result... completely justified itself. And Leviathan was born. A vessel of unprecedented power and beauty. Manowar was sent to the Caribbean to strengthen English naval forces. And soon became the strongest ship in these waters. It's not even a ship, it's a force of nature that humiliates a person. Sea monster. Leviathan.

Corvette "Shaving the Water". This ship belongs to one of the most dangerous pirates in the Caribbean. A man nicknamed Raven. No one knows the true history of this ship, except for the captain himself. The Water Shaver is known to be the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Not a single ship can compare with it in speed. When people see how a corvette plows the sea, it seems that the ship is shaving water. Like a sharp razor it cuts through the waves.

Frigate "Beloved". The captain of this ship, Nicholas, was a privateer in the service of France. He honestly and devotedly served his country, carrying out the most difficult assignments of the governor of island N. At one of the audiences with the governor, he met his daughter, the charming Jacqueline. Soon the girl was kidnapped. But Nakolas found and rescued Jacqueline from the clutches of the scoundrels. Nicholas and Jacqueline fell in love and wanted to get married. But Jacqueline's strict father forbade the wedding until Nicholas became rich and famous. Nicholas accepted these terms. And thanks to his determination and courage, he soon received the title of baron and the rank of admiral of the French fleet. And the governor had no choice but to marry off his only daughter to a privateer. And there was a wedding. Not a single person in the Caribbean had ever seen or heard such a wedding. Even the famous Versailles has faded. And in honor of this event, the governor presented his son-in-law with a magnificent frigate. Without thinking twice, Nicholas named him “Beloved” in honor of his beloved wife.

Caravel "Circle of Life". Lions are predators. They eat antelope. Antelopes are herbivores; they eat grass. The lions die, and grass grows in this place. The antelope eats this grass. And this means that all life is closed in a circle. Circle of life. Back in the 17th century, this was noticed by one scientist and researcher who was studying the nature of South Africa. And on the same day, he named his caravel “Circle of Life”.

"Pandora" Possessing the divine flame stolen by Prometheus, people stopped obeying the celestials, learned various sciences, and emerged from their pitiful state. A little more - and they would have won complete happiness for themselves...
Then Zeus decided to send punishment on them. The blacksmith god Hephaestus sculpted the beautiful woman Pandora from earth and water. The rest of the gods gave her: some - cunning, some - courage, some - extraordinary beauty. Then, handing her a mysterious box, Zeus sent her to earth, forbidding her to remove the lid from the box. Curious Pandora, as soon as she came into the world, opened the lid. Immediately all human disasters flew out of there and scattered throughout the Universe.

So the appearance of my “Pandora” on the horizon promised only grief and disaster to unwary merchants

Corvette "Black Scorpio" (Black Scorpio)
Powerful and swift, he appears from nowhere and disappears into nowhere; like a scorpion, he stalks his victims and attacks like a ghost, leaving them no chance. When they realize what is happening, it is already too late - their fate is sealed...
This ship and its captain appeared in the Caribbean Sea to take revenge... To take revenge for the beautiful girl whose life so quickly ended, cut short in the dungeons of the Holy Inquisition. An unquenchable thirst for revenge so strongly enveloped the soul of the young captain and enslaved his mind that he stopped seeing the world in any other colors other than black and killed... He killed without looking back and indiscriminately, he killed for the sake of killing. His ship, a magnificent corvette - swift as a panther, powerful as a lion and dangerous as a scorpion... Black Scorpio...

Schooner" Weightlessness"
At that time, weightlessness was not known, ships did not fly into space, but there were magnificent sailing ships, an endless ocean and endless love, the fire of which was fanned even more by the fresh sea breeze. Two people, two halves of one heart, were now in the same captain’s cabin, and their ship, as if on wings, as if weightless, was rushing into the distance of the sea, towards infinity...

Frigate" Dead water"
A terrible pirate ship, which seems to have gathered on board the most notorious thugs from all over the Caribbean archipelago. The captain of the ship is devoid of any compassion, and his heart must have long ago turned into a hard, cold stone like marble. When they saw this ship on the horizon, the sailors preferred to jump into the sea before meeting it face to face.
These pirates do not leave a single living soul behind, but throw all their bodies into the sea... The water in these places will remain dead for a long time...

Manowar "Judas"
It was a huge manovar that was part of the Spanish punitive expedition in the New World. He brought a lot of trouble to the enemies of the Spanish crown. This powerful ship became a terrible weapon in the hands of the Holy Inquisition.
But one day, having sailed to carry out his next assignment to the Bermuda Islands, “Judas” never returned... No one knows what happened to him to this day...

Frigate" Transcendentis" ("Going beyond") lat.

The ship lived up to its name, instilling confidence in its crew and terror in the enemy crew.

Corvette" Grin" - on the bow of the ship there was a huge wolf's head with a terrible grin.
Only her appearance terrified cowardly traders and made even experienced warriors shake.
Combined with excellent performance and a dedicated team led by a captain, it spread terror throughout the archipelago for a long time.

Frigate " Black revenge", the horror of all the sailors, huge guns and a bunch of skeleton pirates who have outlived their lives. Both the lugger and the battleship are afraid of him. He reaches a speed of 19 knots in seconds, 2 hundred 48-caliber guns, how can you not be afraid of him?..”

When talking about piracy, one cannot ignore the ships on which the pirates sailed, although, of course, almost any ship could act as a pirate. To a certain extent, piracy contributed to the progress of shipbuilding, since pirates needed the most advanced and fastest ships. Since my essay is not about ships, but about people, I will describe very little and will focus only on the most common types of ships, while a separate book could be written about each of them.

In ancient times, the fleet was exclusively rowing; the ship had only one mast with a sail, which was used only when the wind was fair. Thus, the main driving force was human power. It is known that it is approximately equal to 1/10 horsepower (hp). Consequently, to obtain a power equal to 100 hp, about a thousand rowers were needed. The desire to increase the number of oarsmen on a relatively short ship prompted them to be seated in two or more rows above each other. So, after uniremes - ships with one row of oars - biremes, triremes (triremes) and others appeared, respectively, with two, three or more rows of oars.

Gradually, however, the sail became increasingly widely used. Vessels that sailed only under sail began to appear: naves and coggas.

The development of the sailing fleet proved the irrationality of using rowing-sailing vessels, since with an equal displacement to a sailing ship, the weight of a galleas' gun salvo was several times less, and the crew was much larger. Their construction stopped after the 17th century.

A characteristic feature of the ships of Western European countries in the Middle Ages was the decoration of sails with designs of coats of arms, figures of people, crosses, so that the sails looked more like large banners. Ship flags sometimes reached such large sizes that their ends dragged in the water.

It was not only the desire to explore the globe that prompted the sovereigns of Europe to equip sea expeditions. There was also a more prosaic reason - enrichment through the seizure of foreign lands, gold, silver, spices and slaves. Therefore, the expeditions of Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Fernando Magellan, as well as many others, can be classified as pirates. Following the discoverers, hundreds and thousands of ships rushed in search of new lands and riches. The era of great geographical discoveries began.

In addition to European pirates, pirates from Muslim countries, whose main bases were the coasts of Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, became widely known.

Pirates of the barbarian coast of Africa - Turks, Arabs, Moors - attacked every European ship they could manage. They were less bloodthirsty and more practical than European pirates; they did not kill people, but took them captive and sold them in the markets of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Turkey; in addition, they themselves needed healthy young men to replenish the team of forced rowers. Young white women were highly valued in the eastern market, they were willingly bought for harems, and pirates took a good ransom for the children of wealthy and noble parents.

Throughout the Middle Ages and Modern History, pirates had a safe haven and a strong organization in North Africa. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Mediterranean basin became the scene of a fierce struggle between Christian powers and Muslim Turkey. In the wars at sea, barbarian pirates played an important role, and, in particular, the pirate state in North Africa led by the sultans, the Barbarossa brothers.

The main weapon of ships in ancient times was ram, mounted on the stem. They first broke the oars of the enemy ship, depriving it of maneuverability, and then, having made a turn, hit the side or (sometimes) the stern.

In addition to the ram, the Greeks armed their ships with a heavy metal load, which was given the shape of a dolphin, which was called - dolphin. It was hung on a yardarm or boom and dropped when approaching an enemy ship. The cargo pierced the deck or bottom of the attacked ship.

Thanks to excellent maneuvering, Greek ships achieved great skill in delivering ramming attacks. When in the 3rd century BC. The Romans entered the naval arena, possessing the best ground forces in the world, but inexperienced in maneuvering ships; they won their first victory over the Carthaginian fleet in the battle of the Aeolian Islands (260 BC) using a boarding bridge they invented, called crow.

The "Raven" consisted of an arrow hinged to the bow of the ship. A platform 5.5 meters long and 1.2 meters wide was installed on the boom. At the upper end of the arrow, a heavy, pointed metal weight, shaped like a raven's beak, was suspended through a block. When approaching an enemy ship, an arrow with a platform was lowered onto it, and the load, piercing its tip into the deck, connected the ships. Roman soldiers in two rows, covering themselves with shields, moved onto the attacked ship, and the outcome of the battle was decided, as on the shore, in hand-to-hand combat.

With the development of throwing machines, they began to be used on ships. Installed on the bow of the ship, they were intended to prevent boarding. However, ancient naval artillery did not become widespread due to the fact that the damp sea air softened the springs made from animal veins or horsehair.

According to their design, throwing machines were divided into two-armed - eyutons, or catapults, and single-armed - politons, or ballistas.

Catapults represented a very large bow. They consisted of a long trench with a strong transverse frame in front, on the sides of which there was a vertical bundle of tightly twisted wires. A lever was inserted into the middle of each bundle, the rear ends of which, connected by a bowstring, tended to diverge. The middle of the bowstring was attached to a slider with a socket for an arrow, log or stone. The slider, using a gate or screw mechanism, pulled back the string, which, after removing the stopper, straightened and sent the projectile forward. The catapult fired a projectile at a distance of up to 1000 meters, giving it an initial speed of up to 60 m/s. Their practical range was about 300 meters. Gaius Julius Caesar, in his notes on the Gallic war, said that these machines threw arrows at such speed that they sparked from friction when sliding and were not visible in flight.

Catapults were used to destroy fortifications and ships. The bound log released by the machine pierced four rows of the palisade along a sloping trajectory. The string was pulled by several warriors and took from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Europeans also became acquainted with firearms from the Arabs. They were called madfaa, which means "hollowed out part" in Arabic. And in the 14th century, firearms spread throughout Europe.

The first historically verifiable case of the use of firearms in European wars took place on the Italo-German border in Friol in 1331 during an attack on the city of Cividale by two knights Kreuzberg and Spangenberg. Judging by the text of the chronicle, the guns were of small caliber and did not harm anyone.

In 1340, during the siege of the Terni fortress, papal troops used “thundering pipes” that threw bolts, and in 1350, during the siege of the Sauerolo castle, bombards fired round bullets weighing about 0.3 kg.

The French first used cannons during the siege of Puy-Guillaume in 1338.

In field warfare, guns were first used by the English against the French at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and then at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. The British won both battles and, presumably, the cannons well complemented the fire of the English archers.

In subsequent years, not a single major battle took place without the roar of artillery guns. In 1399, at the Battle of Worksla, united Russian-Lithuanian troops under the command of Prince Vytautas used cannons against the Tatars. And in 1410, at the Battle of Grunwald, German knights used cannons against the combined forces of Lithuania, Poland and the Principality of Smolensk. Although the side using artillery was defeated in both battles, armies throughout Europe rushed to acquire artillery.

The era of naval firearms began from the very day when the Aragonese king Don Pedro IV, being besieged in Barcelona in 1359 by the Castilian king, armed one of his ships with a large bombard and fired the first shot. According to an eyewitness, the royal bombard, using fire and “artificial gunpowder,” began throwing shells and, in two shots, knocked down the loophole and mast of the enemy ship.

To install firearms in ship hulls, they began to make cutouts in the areas where guns were placed. During the voyage, these cutouts were covered with canvas, but this did not create an impenetrable freeboard. Invented in 1500 by a French shipbuilder de Charges The lockable "cannon port" opened a new era in shipbuilding and navigation. The closed cannon port made it possible to increase the number of guns on the ship by installing them not only in the superstructures and on the upper deck, but also on the lower decks. At the same time, it was also possible to place heavier guns on the lower decks, and this increased the stability of the ship.

However, due to a lack of experience and a lack of theoretical calculations during the construction of the ship, they were punched incorrectly on the slipway and were often placed so low from the water that at the slightest list the ships took on water and sank. This is how the carrack "Magu Kose" died in 1545 on the Sneathhead roadstead before the start of the battle with the French, drawing water from the ports open for battle, which were only 16 inches (40.6 cm) from the water.

Subsequently, the sizes of ports and the distances between them began to be chosen depending on the diameter of the core; the center-to-center value between two adjacent ports should have been approximately 25 core diameters, and the length and height of the port should have been 6 and 6.6 diameters, respectively. The lower jamb of the port was above the deck at a height approximately equal to 3.5 core diameters.

The first living quarters on ships appeared in the 15th century. At first, the room occupied the entire space of the aft superstructure; later, when the superstructure was greatly lengthened and became multi-tiered, it was divided into a number of cabins and a large salon near the aft wall. The cabins were located at the sides, and their number increased with the growth of the number of command personnel. The cabins were separated by simple wooden bulkheads, and only the aft salon, which housed the ship's captain, had decorative interior decoration.

The significant inclination of the walls and deck determined the internal and external decoration of the ship's hull. The rear wall of the superstructure hanging over the stern began to be decorated with galleries, onto which the salon windows overlooked. Grilles with small glass were inserted into the windows. The frames were decorated with carved columns and arches. At the end of the 15th century. the hull set protruding into the interior of the cabin was sheathed with well-fitted boards; furniture also appeared - benches under the windows, chests and carved cabinets.

However, living conditions on ships of that time were very difficult. Typically, ships (caravels, carracks, etc.) did not have a continuous deck, and in stormy times the crew often fought without sleep or rest to prevent water from entering the hold, pumping it out with primitive pumps built into the hull of the ship. Beds were the privilege of the elite who lived in the cabins, that is, the highest command staff: captain, ship skipper, navigator and doctor. Hanging bunks, the prototype of which was the Indian hammock, appeared on ships only in the 16th century after the discovery of America. Until this time, the crew slept side by side, in incredible cramped conditions in the hold and in deck superstructures on boxes, barrels, boards, laying their own clothes under them. The sailors, who had stood a four- to five-hour watch, in wet clothes, occupied the places just vacated by their comrades. (Fig. 10)

According to the system adopted in the 15th-18th centuries, all ship firearms were divided into the following main types:

• · bombards (mortars) - large-caliber guns of short length;
• · guns - medium-length, large-caliber guns;
• · culverins - medium-caliber guns of long length;
• Howitzers are medium caliber guns of short length. (Fig. 12)

In addition to those listed, the ships were equipped with half-cannons and double cannons, half-culverins and other guns that differed from the main type in barrel length.

When installed on a ship, large-caliber guns were suspended by pins (tides on the barrel) on special trestles (machines) made of strong beams. Gun mountings could be movable or stationary. The movable machines were attached to the side and deck of the ship with lashings (cables).

Small-caliber guns were mounted on swivels (metal pins with a fork for trunnions), which were inserted into holes on the side of the ship.

Gun cores were first made of stone, and later of cast iron or forged iron. In order to destroy the rigging, the Swedes were the first to use double shells ( nipple), connected by a chain and fired simultaneously from two adjacent guns. During the siege of Rhodes in 1552, the Turks used a new type of shell for mortars - incendiary shells filled with a flammable mixture. At the end of the 16th century there appeared buckshot with spherical lead bullets.

Since 1540, the design dimensions of guns, depending on the diameter of the core, began to be determined according to the calibration scale proposed by the Nuremberg mechanic Georg Hartmann.

Until the 16th century, there were no instruments for aiming guns, and aiming was done by eye. Famous Italian mathematician Nicolo Tartaglia(1500-1557) invented the quadrant, with the help of which they began to measure the angles of elevation and declination of guns.

However, the rate of fire of the artillery of that time still left much to be desired. How little they counted on the second salvo can be seen from the following example. In 1551, the French captain Paulin met with a Spanish squadron. Given the difference in artillery, he resorted to a trick and ordered the flag of Emperor Charles V, who was also the Spanish king, to be raised on his ship. In addition, he said that he was taking a relative of the emperor to Spain and demanded a salute from all guns. Unaware of the deception, the Spanish admiral ordered a salute. Before the smoke had cleared, Polen rushed forward with his ships and boarded the Spanish ships before the Spaniards had time to reload their cannons.

Pirates also generally preferred boarding combat. There is a description of the battle tactics of pirate ships, compiled by the amnestied pirate Henry Mainwaring. He wrote that, in pursuit of prey, pirate ships followed a convoy of ships, and as soon as one of them or an escort ship fell behind, the pirates quickly overtook it. Approaching the attacked ship, they tried to approach from the stern and from the leeward, since in doing so they only came under fire from a few stern guns. Having overtaken the victim, the pirates tried to secure the bow of their ship to the stern of the attacked one using grappling hooks. At the same time, the pirates jammed the steering wheel with a wooden beam in order to deprive the defending ship of the ability to maneuver. Grenades and vessels with flammable liquid were thrown onto the deck of the enemy ship. Then the pirates went on board, using cutlass and pistols.

Despite its weaknesses, naval artillery is gradually ceasing to be only an auxiliary weapon during boarding. Its tasks include preparing for boarding or preventing it, depending on the conditions of the battle.