The infamous pirate that we associate with danger and daring on the high seas is a strong presence in the imagination of children and adults alike. Piracy has existed for as long as seafaring vessels have existed but the glorified history of piracy as we know it reached a peak in the period known as the Golden Age of Piracy, between 1690 and 1730. The pirates preyed on merchant vessels, mostly in the Atlantic and Caribbean, and created an aura about them that instilled fear and trepidation in anyone who came across the iconic Jolly Roger. Piracy was most closely associated with this symbol of entertainment with death; lore about the pirates’ customs as well as costume rose with the prevalence of the Jolly Roger at sea.

Pirates took a firm place in the legends and stories of 17th and 18th century Europe, in novels such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and Lord Byron’s poem, The Corsair. The description of the pirate in literature and legend may not have matched the reality of the hard-bitten and tattered fighter at sea, but became vivid enough to last through the centuries in a picturesque make-over. The pirate we envision is festooned with his flintlock pistol and trusted cutlass at either side and dons a tricorn hat as he ascends his ship’s masthead with telescope in hand to sight the next ship to be looted. The tricorn was a hat with its three sides turned up in a triangle when looked at from above– it was typically made of wool felt and came in basic colors such as brown and black, though sailors and pirates would adorn their hats in any number of ways. The clothing pirates wore was not different from that of their contemporary sailors and would have consisted of canvas doublets and breeches, linen shirts, and stockings– items designed to be somewhat consistent with the requirements of manning a ship.

Pirate Clothing & Pirate Costumes John Coxon Pirate Shirt Captain Easton Pirate Coat Leather Tricorn Colonial Pirate Hat Captain Cottuy Pirate Pants Brown

The pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy was an outgrowth of the naval and privateering tradition in Europe and so was not so far removed in his appearance from the traditional government-sponsored seaman. The difference between them rested in the cult of fear and intimidation, backed by certain action, that the pirates spread throughout their expeditions in the high seas. *image–The Hostage by N. C. Wyeth, 1911, for Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson *image–Captain Kidd Burying Treasure on Gardiners Island, painting by Howard Pyle

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