Martin Blackshaw
LightNews LightNews
banner
martblackshaw.bsky.social
Martin Blackshaw
@martblackshaw.bsky.social
45 followers 57 following 22 posts
Indie writer. My first novel, The Pirate's Wake, is available now. https://www.amazon.com/Pirates-Wake-Martin-Blackshaw/dp/1068291303
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
martblackshaw.bsky.social
Martin Blackshaw @martblackshaw.bsky.social · Aug 19
Hi, historical fiction lovers. My new book, The Pirate's Wake is available to purchase on Amazon, or FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

Think Bernard Cornwell, with cutlasses, cannon smoke, and Caribbean piracy.

www.amazon.com/Pirates-Wake...

#piratefiction
#kindleunlimited
#booksky💙📚
#HistoricalFiction⏳📚
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
brewminate.bsky.social
Pirate ships ran on strict roles and shared power — way more democracy than the empires hunting them. ⚓️🏴‍☠️

#PirateHistory #MaritimeHistory #Brewminate
Who Was Who in a Pirate Crew?
Explore the ranks and roles that shaped life aboard a pirate ship and defined every raid, decision, and mutiny at sea.
brewminate.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
nancyum.bsky.social
NEW ARTICLE: Yemeni coins trace relations between pirates, merchants, and enslavers that traversed the North American, Arabian, & Madagascar coasts in the 1690s and shed light on colonial material exchange.

#vastearlyamerica #arthistory

journalpanorama.org/article/a-tr...
A Trail of Coins from Yemen to New York: Pirates, Plunder, and Enslavement in the World of Margrieta van Varick, ca. 1695 - Panorama
Panorama is a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication dedicated to American art and visual culture (broadly defined). The journal is intended to provide a high-caliber international forum for d...
journalpanorama.org
November 23, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
yupvoted.bsky.social
Embark on a swashbuckling adventure with Pirates at Royal Museums Greenwich!

Read the full review at tinyurl.com/YupvotedPira...

#Yupvoted #Pirates #RoyalMuseumsGreenwich #Greenwich #MaritimeHistory #LondonMuseum
November 10, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
sungjuahn.bsky.social
Taught myself to write a novel by writing a historical fiction
⏳📚 set in 1940's Colonial Korea. Here are 80 books that taught me about writing or the world of my story 🖋️📚

#BookSky #BookTok #Writers #WritingCommunity #Reader
#CreativeWriting #WritingCraft @stephenking.bsky.social

79/80 💡📚
Book cover of "On Writing" by Stephen King.
October 24, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
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
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
In the early eighteenth century, the 'Pirate Republic' was home to some of the famous pirate captains, including Blackbeard, 'Black Sam' Bellamy, and Charles Vane.
#pirates #history #historybookchat
Skull and crossbone cover - The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard
September 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
lhistorienne.bsky.social
Inventory left: 📚

🏴‍☠️ Pirates of the Chesapeake: 5 copies

🏴‍☠️ Pirates & Privateers from Long Island Sound to Delaware Bay: 15 copies

🏴‍☠️ The Daring Exploits of Pirate Black Sam Bellamy: 9 copies

#SkyStorians #PirateHistory #BookSky
lhistorienne.bsky.social Dr. Jamie LH Goodall @lhistorienne.bsky.social · Oct 10
If you enjoy my work, please help me continue to do it. Snag one (or all) of my books as I’m furloughed and help me pay some bills! 🏴‍☠️📚 DM me! #SkyStorians #PirateHistory
October 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A collection of original documents relating to the: letters, testimonies, witness accounts and other primary source documents written by the pirates themselves, their victims, and the men who hunted them down. Hard going at times, but worth the read.
#maritimehistory #historybookchat #piratehistory
Cover of the book Pirates in Their Own Words by E.T. Fox depicting a skull and crossbones.
October 15, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
lhaasis.bsky.social
Looking forward to the conference “DEL CORSO Y LOS CORSARIOS” at Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid this week, organised by Cátedra Internacional CEU Elcano. I’ll be speaking about the Prize Papers and Global Maritime History.
#earlymodern #maritimehistory #history @prizepapers.bsky.social #dsm
Event Flyer – Cátedra Internacional CEU Elcano – two ships in fight – waves, fire, blue sky – AI created. Title of my paper: Prize Papers and Maritime Global History.
September 16, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
seamuseum.bsky.social
☠️ Ahoy, mateys! This Talk Like a Pirate Day (Friday 19 Sept), set sail with us for a swashbuckling Speakers Talk at the Maritime Museum.

📅 Frid 19 Sept 2–3:30pm
🎟️ Book now: www.eventbrite.com.au/e/speakers-talk-talk-like-a-pirate-day-pirates-talk-tickets-1508654960599?
September 16, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
hugoaffa.bsky.social
On Friday, I will be presenting online at the McMullen Naval History Symposium. #PirateHistory
September 17, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
martblackshaw.bsky.social
Hi, historical fiction lovers. My new book, The Pirate's Wake is available to purchase on Amazon, or FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

Think Bernard Cornwell, with cutlasses, cannon smoke, and Caribbean piracy.

www.amazon.com/Pirates-Wake...

#piratefiction
#kindleunlimited
#booksky💙📚
#HistoricalFiction⏳📚
August 19, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
benkaneauthor.bsky.social
Bit late to announce it, but Crusader is only 99p on the Amazon Kindle store until 31st August. Snap it up!
August 21, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
doma-834.bsky.social
#82 for 2025. Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe's Prey (Sharpe #5). Another quite enjoyable fast paced prequel, a bit atypical of the series, focused on a largely forgotten and rather shaming perfidious and cruel backstabbing of Danemark by the British in 1807 in order to steal their fleet. ⏳📚💙
Cover art for Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe's Prey (Sharpe #5). The front text says: In which Lieutenant Richard Sharpe is sent to Copenhagen to stop the Danes handing over possession of their battle fleet to the French.
August 19, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
thecreweofthefancy.bsky.social
William Penn, in 1699 with pressure from Maryland and England issued a proclamation against pirates. His first cousin, Governor William Markham had taken bribes from the crew of the Fancy...(us)...and the governor had interfered with a Magistrate arresting them.

#pirates
#history
#pennsylvania
William Penn's proclamation with a simple stamp of W. Penn.
February 5, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
A very informative first-hand account of the buccaneers in the 17th century.
#piratehistory
#pirates
#historybookchat
February 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
thecreweofthefancy.bsky.social
I can finally announce it!!!!

My buddy Shipwrecked with Captain Marrow 2.0 over on Facebook has been working on a project recently, though his research goes back years. He's finally releasing it. It's the first pirate book I've been excited about in awhile.
#pirates
#history
#southcarolina
What's that on the horizon? 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸! 🏴‍☠️ Ahoy everyone, I'm excited to unveil and present to you all my new upcoming title! As some of you know, I researched and wrote "𝘗𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 & 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵" and "𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘴𝘵" simultaneously, but plans of sitting down and doing a deep-dive into this particular topic has long-been a plan of mine, and I've finally done it. While those works covered a wide variety of topics, characters and locations, delving into the origins of pirate folklore, "𝘈𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥" is my contribution to Charleston history, and traditional pirate history in the form of a book dedicated to the pirate Captain George Raynor. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱-𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺, 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩. "𝘈𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥" 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘙𝘢𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘳, 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘈𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥 is a smaller page count than my previous works at around 130 pages, a familiar size to any familiar with books from History Press or Arcadia Publishing, but is a suitable size to explore this tale thoroughly. Raynor and his endeavors have always been but a footnote in other stories, such as those of Thomas Tew, Henry Every, and early Charleston history - as such I'm happy to finally present an entire in-depth work devoted to him.
February 28, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
goldenageofpiracy.bsky.social
Charles Vane really came into is own as a pirate when the news of the King’s pardon reached Nassau, he being one of those to refuse clemency. He was disgusted when many other pirates, including his mentor Henry Jennings, accepted it.
waynesavage.com/charles-vane/
#piratehistory #pirates #c18th
March 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
nautprod.bsky.social
A Slave Ship Sails & A Pirate Gets The Gold!
April 1, 1717: La Concorde, Blackbeard's future flagship, leaves France headed for the coast of Guinea. Also, Benjamin Hornigold captures a large armed sloop, the Bennet out of Jamaica.

blackbeardsqueenannesrevenge.blogspot.com/2018/04/a-sl...
Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge
Nautilus Productions, Blackbeard, Queen Anne's Revenge, video, stock footage, stock video, video production, shipwreck, piracy, photography, TV, copyright, lawsuit, intellectual property, QAR
blackbeardsqueenannesrevenge.blogspot.com
March 31, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Martin Blackshaw
marcusrediker.bsky.social
For all of you pirate lovers out there, here is a podcast interview I did with @wrkclasshistory.bsky.social about the history of piracy as seen from below. I hope you enjoy it!
workingclasshistory.com Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · Mar 26
Out now! Part 1 of a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian @marcusrediker.bsky.social. Pirates fought every colonial empire, and created their own ways of living free from authority. Listen here and support us on Patreon: patreon.com/posts/e103-p...
March 31, 2025 at 11:40 AM