Golden Age of Piracy
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goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Golden Age of Piracy
@goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
130 followers 60 following 150 posts
Pirate historian and author. Historical facts and fictions.
Website: https://waynesavage.com/
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goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A shot across the bows.
#maritimehistory #history
A physical or verbal attack meant to serve as a warning that strong action will be taken if a person does not stop doing something or change their behaviour. The bow is the rounded forward part of a ship on both sides, which meet at the prow, which is the very front end or tip of a vessel. A shot across the bows derives from the naval practice of firing a harmless cannon shot across the bows of an opponent’s ship as a signal that they should stop, letting them know they will be attacked unless they surrender immediately.
November 26, 2025 at 4:39 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A breakthrough in navigation, the sextant was used for measuring the angle between a celestial object and the horizon to determine latitude and longitude. It first appeared in the mid 18th century, so wouldn't have been available to pirates of the Golden Age.
#maritimehistory #c18th #history
Sextant
November 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
While Henry Morgan was pillaging in the Caribbean, disaster struck at home - The Great Fire of London.
waynesavage.com/the-great-fi...
#history #17thc
This painting shows the great fire of London as seen from a boat in vicinity of Tower Wharf, unknown artist, 1675.
November 22, 2025 at 10:53 AM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
I guess Monsieur Dulaien couldn't decided on the best symbol for his flag, so he took them all.
#piratehistory #pirates #history
Jean Dulaien was a French privateer turned pirate active in the Caribbean from 1727 to 1728. He was pardoned, but later imprisoned. His final fate is unknown. This flag was attributed to him in a letter written by the Mayor of Nantes, Monsieur Mellier: “… est faite d'étoffe noire sur laquelle se détachaient des marques blanches comme figures de testes coupées au coutelas, restes d'ossments et sabliers.” “… is made of black cloth, on which there are white marks, such as figures of heads cut of with a cutlass, piles of bones and hourglasses.” Maurice Besson, Les Frères de la Coste (1928), p. 231.
November 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
The sand glass, also known as an hourglass or sand clock, has been used since antiquity to keep track of time. It was essential for determining both speed and distance travelled at sea.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
Sand glass
November 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
An interesting account of the fight against piracy from the 16th century to the hanging of the last pirate captain in Boston in 1835.
#piratehistory #maritimehistory #historybookchat #history
Cover pf the Pirate Wars by Peter Earle
November 18, 2025 at 2:43 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A reflecting circle, also known as a circle sextant, Borda circle, reflecting circle, or circumferator, was a circular instrument which used mirrors to measure the angular distance between two diverging objects at once.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history #c18th
Reflecting circle
November 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
The Piracy Act 1670 was enacted during the reign of Charles II and its full name was 'An Act to prevent the delivery up of Merchants Shipps, and for the Increase of good and serviceable Shipping'.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #piratehistory #history
November 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Made of wood or brass, a quadrant measures at 90 degree angles how high the sun or North Star is above the horizon in order to determine latitude.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
Quadrant
November 12, 2025 at 4:55 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A 26 mile barrier island off the coast of North Carolina, its name is thought to have derived from local merchants watching out for the topsails of concealed pirate ships that hid out near the island. It is rumoured that Blackbeard and his crew would wait for merchant ships to pass by Topsail Island on the colonial trade route in order to plunder them. Queen Anne's Revenge ran aground and sank near Beaufort Inlet, not far north along the coast.
November 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A pelorus looks similar to a compass, but it doesn’t actually show directions. It is a simple, effective tool which is used to determine the bearing of a landmark or celestial body relative to the ship’s heading.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
pelorus
November 8, 2025 at 10:33 AM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Did Jeremiah Cocklyn die on Madagascar or was he hanged? His fate remains a mystery.
#piratehistory #pirates #history #c18th
Known as Thomas in later accounts, Jeremiah Cocklyn operated out of Nassau until the arrival of Woodes Roger's. Initially accepting the King's pardon, he returned to piracy, sailing to the west coast of Africa and the Indian Ocean. His flag is described as showing “the skeleton of a human body such as Death used to be represented by, and on the other Side a morthead with two bones across and a sandglass…” He also flew a a jack with “a Man's arm with a dagger in his hand ...” instead of the skeleton. National Records of Scotland, High Court of Admiralty 1557-1830, GB234/AC16
November 6, 2025 at 11:57 AM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Leisler's Rebellion - the rebellion that Captain Kidd helped to put down.
waynesavage.com/leislers-reb...
#history #17thc
Wood engraving - The trainbands signing Leisler's declaration.
November 5, 2025 at 4:29 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
The octant was developed in the early 18th century and was a precursor to the sextant. It measured angles up to 45 degrees, making it ideal for determining the altitude of celestial bodies.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
Octant
November 4, 2025 at 2:45 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
It was wasn’t until the reign of Henry VIII (1509–1547) that significant anti-piracy laws were enacted. Originally titled An Act for Pirates and Robbers on the Sea issued in 1535, it was renamed The Offences of Sea Act in 1536.
waynesavage.com/offences-at-...
#Tudor #maritimehistory #history
November 3, 2025 at 4:22 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
#Halloween
Happy Halloween undead pirates.
October 31, 2025 at 4:25 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
The nocturnal used a set of dials with pointers showing months, hours, and the location of stars, and is important when calculating tides. It is thought to have been first developed in the 12th century.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
Nocturnal
October 31, 2025 at 4:24 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A risky business.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
To take a risky course of action with no margin for error, which could come close to breaking the law or leading to a calamity. In the Age of Sail, it meant to steer the vessel into the direction the wind was blowing from. Doing this would fill the sails and move the vessel along at a faster pace. However, any small error in adjustment would cause the ship change direction and promptly lose speed, it not being possible to sail directly into the wind. Also known as sailing close hauled. The expression was first recorded in A Sea Grammar, a training manual for sailors written by Captain John Smith in 1627, in which he explains the techniques of sailing close to the wind, describing it as sailing against the wind or maintaining one's course without falling leeward or backward.
October 30, 2025 at 12:08 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although apparently the author doesn't regard it as one of his best.
#historybookchat #navalhistory #piratehistory #history
Pirates of the West Country by E. T. Fox
October 29, 2025 at 4:49 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Cross staff - Also known as a Jacob’s staff, fore-staff, or ballastella, this device was the more basic predecessor of the backstaff used to determine latitude.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Bartholomew Roberts - the pirate with too many flags.
#piratehistory #pirates #history #c18th
4) In A General History of the Pyrates Captain Johnson claims a flag depicting a skeleton and a man with a flaming sword defying death was found by the crew of HMS Swallow when they captured Robert's ship. '… had a Figure of a Skeleton in it and a Man pourtrayed [sic] with a flaming Sword in his Hand, intimating a defiance of Death itself.'
October 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Apparently this is where the expression came from.
#maritimehistory #navalhistory #history
A request to be quiet or call for silence. On sailing the boatswain’s pipe was used as a tool to communicate with the ship’s crew. One such signal was ‘piping down the hammocks’ which was the signal to go below decks and retire for the night. When an officer wanted a sailor to be dismissed below he would have him ‘piped down’. Possibly also used to call sailors to silence so they could hear the commands of the officers.
October 24, 2025 at 12:40 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
The chronometer was an accurate timepiece which was used to establish longitude and/or give an exact measurement of the passage of time. From 1735 onwards, John Harrison’s groundbreaking invention allowed sailors to calculate longitude accurately.
#maritimehistory #AgeOfSail #history #c18th
Chronometer in a wooden box.
October 23, 2025 at 11:13 AM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
An interesting look at the ideological battle that has raged over the political legacy and cultural symbolism of the Pirates of 'the Golden Age'.
#history #historybookchat #maritimehistory #AgeOfSail
Skull and Crossbone cover of the book Life Under the Jolly Roger: Reflections on Golden Age Piracy by Gabriel Kuhn
October 22, 2025 at 3:40 PM
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Cow Island.
#piratehistory #pirates #history #17thc
Île-à-Vache, which translates as Cow Island, is a 20 square mile (52 km2) island off the south-west coast of Hispaniola (modern Haiti), which was claimed by the Spanish in 1492. It was a haven used by many French pirates, such as Jean Hamlin. In 1668, Henry Morgan used the island as a base for his attack on Maracaibo the following year, narrowly escaping death when his ship, Oxford, exploded after a spark ignited the powder magazine, killing 200 of his men and destroying two French prizes. Today it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Haiti.
October 21, 2025 at 10:51 AM