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Pirates now -

Pirates are some of the most terrifying figures in history. However, when we think of pirates today, we likely conjure images of Captain Jack Sparrow from the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies or Disney's Captain Hook.

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Pirates then -

Pirates were marauders on a mission to plunder, and while they were daring and brutish, many were actually ordinary people who turned to crime to make ends meet.

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The "Golden Age of Piracy" -

The 18th century is often called the 'Golden Age of Piracy' due to the increase in ship and coastal town robberies. One of the most enduring symbols associated with pirates from this era was their flag, the Jolly Roger.

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A blurry beginning -

Today, the black flag with a white skull and crossbones is instantly recognized as the pirate flag. However, this version of the flag didn’t become widely used until the 18th century.

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Skull and crossbones before the 1700s -

Although the Jolly Roger became commonplace in the 18th century, historians believe the flag predates the 1700s and may have originated with the Barbary pirates of North Africa a century earlier.

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Components -

Accounts from the 18th-century reveal that, in addition to the skull and crossbones, other symbols such as hourglasses and bleeding hearts were also included on pirate flags. Some reports even noted that the flags came in different colors, such as red and green.

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Red skull and crossbones flag -

A record of pirates using the skull and crossbones design on a red flag appears in a logbook entry from December 6, 1687. The entry describes pirates displaying the flag on land rather than on a ship.

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What was the flag for? -

The flags displayed by any ship all had the same purpose: to convey a message. Typically, the message being relayed indicated the vessel's allegiance.

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Black flags -

Pirate ships used flags for the same purpose. However, the messages they conveyed were far from peaceful. If a pirate ship flew an all-black flag, it meant they would attack but would offer quarter (meaning they would spare the lives of those who surrendered) if there was no resistance.

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Red flags -

If there was resistance, however, the pirates would fly a red flag to signal that there would be no mercy. The ultimate goal was to inspire terror in those who saw the flags.

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Pirates didn't fly the Jolly Roger at all times -

Pirate ships typically stocked a variety of flags and would often fly a false flag or no colors until their victims were within firing range. Once the intended target was close enough, the pirates would raise the Jolly Roger and fire a warning shot.

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Pirate codes -

Many pirates had their own set of rules, or "Articles of Agreement," that dictated how they would operate. Some of these agreements specified the use of flags, including the Jolly Roger, as a means of establishing identity and reputation.

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Bartholomew Roberts -

In June 1720, Welsh pirate Bartholomew Roberts sailed into the harbor at Trepassey, Newfoundland, with black flags flying. The crews of all 22 vessels in the harbor abandoned their ships in panic. 

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Edward Teach -

Perhaps the most infamous pirate, Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was known to fly a fearsome Jolly Roger featuring a skeleton with a spear pointing at a heart.

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How did the Jolly Roger get its name? -

The origin of the name Jolly Roger is uncertain, but the first use of the term in print appears in Charles Johnson's 'The General History of Pyrates' (now attributed to Daniel Dafoe), which was published in 1724.

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The word 'Roger' -

The term 'Jolly Roger' may derive from the word 'Roger,' which, in the 18th century, referred to the Devil, often called 'Old Roger.'

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French origins -

Some historians believe the term 'Jolly Roger' may have originated from the French phrase le jolie rouge, meaning "the pretty red," which reportedly referred to the all-red flag displayed by pirates when they intended to show no mercy.

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Black Bart -

There is also speculation that the term 'Jolly Roger' was a nickname for the notorious pirate Bartholomew Roberts, commonly known as Black Bart. He was said to have flown a flag bearing the skull and crossbones.

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What does the Jolly Roger design represent? -

The skull on the Jolly Roger flag is historically called "death's head" and represents death and danger, emphasizing the pirates' deadly reputation. The crossbones, positioned behind or beneath the skull, signify conflict and violence.

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Variations of the Jolly Roger -

In addition to the skull and crossbones, some Jolly Roger flags also featured an hourglass, which signified that the life of the attacked was running out.

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Variations of the Jolly Roger -

Other variations of the Jolly Roger flag featured hearts, swords, daggers, and skeletons, each serving as a symbol of terror and death. Infamous pirate Francis Spriggs displayed a Jolly Roger with a skeleton holding a heart in one hand and an hourglass in the other.

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Variations as a calling card? -

Variations of the Jolly Roger may have existed as a type of personal calling card to be associated with a certain pirate crew's reputation. For fearsome private crews, this could make their enemies surrender more easily.

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Variations as a calling card? -

While it's possible Jolly Roger variations could be used as a personal calling card, flag motifs could rarely be made out at longer ranges, so these details were more likely an internal mark of identity for the crew.

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Victorian era -

By the Victorian era (1837 to 1901), the threat of piracy had diminished significantly, allowing the Jolly Roger to become a prominent symbol in adventure fiction, notably influenced by Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel 'Treasure Island.'

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The Jolly Roger in modern times -

It's unlikely you'll see a Jolly Roger flying on the high seas these days, but Royal Navy submarines have been displaying the flag for over 100 years. This tradition apparently began when the Navy faced criticism and was compared to pirates.

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The Jolly Roger today -

Today, the Jolly Roger is a globally recognized symbol, used not only as a fashion template but also to represent various forms of resistance against authority, particularly during protests.

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The Jolly Roger in sports -

Many sports teams have been known to use variations of the Jolly Roger, including the South African Association soccer team Orlando Pirates who has the classic Jolly Roger as their logo. Central Coast United FC in Australia also uses the symbol as their club crest and their supporters are known as the Graveyard.

Sources: (Grunge) (World History) (Royal Museums Greenwich)

See also: What do the 50 state flags of the US represent?

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