Here we explore various aspects of pirate life and delve into some of the codes and rules they lived by.
Rebecca Simon’s book, The Pirates’ Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship – our Book of the Month for May 2023 – uses primary sources such as eyewitness accounts, trial proceedings, and maritime logs, to examine how each code was instrumental in pirates’ success in battle, on sea and on land. These rules collectively became known as the ‘Pirates’ Code’, which pirates were required to publicly swear by. These ‘Laws’ covered everything from how much each pirate earned from their loot to compensation for injuries, punishments, and even what kind of entertainment was allowed on board. Piracy was a risky, sometimes deadly occupation, and strict rules and regulations were necessary for the survival and morale of the crew. So how did pirate captains maintain discipline and order on a ship full of people who had already thrown law and order out of the window? P irate ships were, in fact, businesses that had to be managed effectively. However, whilst that reputation isn’t entirely undeserved, running a successful pirate operation required a more structured approach. We tend to think of pirates as cutlass-wielding, eye-patch-wearing swashbucklers who raided ships and generally misbehaved.
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