Fear the Joli Rouge

The Jolly Roger is the traditional flag of European and American pirates, envisioned today as a skull over crossed bones on a black field.

However, there were many variations and additional emblems on actual Jolly Rogers. Jack Rackham (Calico Jack) and Thomas Tew used variations with swords. Edward Teach (Blackbeard) used a skeleton holding an hourglass in one hand and a spear or dart in the other while standing beside a bleeding heart. Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart) had two variations: a man and a skeleton, who held a spear or dart in one hand, holding either an hourglass or a cup while toasting death or an armed man standing on two skulls over the letters ABH and AMH (a warning to residents of Barbados and Martinique that death awaited them). Dancing skeletons signified that the pirates cared little for their fate.

The origins of the term "Jolly Roger" are unclear.

One theory is that it comes from the French term "joli rouge," ("pretty red") which the English corrupted into "Jolly Roger". This may be likely as there were a series of "red flags" that were feared as much, or more, than "black flags". The origin of the red flag is likely that English privateers flew the red jack by order of the Admiralty in 1694. When the War of Spanish Succession ended in 1714, many privateers turned to piracy and some retained the red flag, as red symbolized blood. No matter how much sailors dreaded the black pirate standard, all prayed they never encountered the joli rouge. This red flag boldly declared the pirates' intentions: no life would be spared. No quarter given, none asked,

The term was subsequently used for the black flag with skull and bones which appeared in use around 1700.

There is another theory, also using "joli rouge" as the origin for the name. Apparently a Catholic order of fierce warrior monks, known as the "Poor Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon", or Knights Templar, first used the "joli rouge", the red flag. The link between the monks and pirates is provided by the fact that they were fighting for their cause on the open seas, effectively becoming pirates.

In combat many merchant ships were surprised when a fast ship changed a national flag for the more portentous Jolly Roger, which was the desired effect.

The skull and crossbones may have originally been taken from a common symbol that appeared on many mediaeval and renaissance gravestones. It was a natural symbol to represent death.
An hourglass, or an hourglass with wings: Your time is running out.
Arm grasping sword or dagger: We will show no quarter.
A dancing skeleton or a pirate toasting a skeleton: We have no fear of death.
Spear: We promise a violent death.
A speared heart or bleeding heart: We promise a painful, bloody death.

Bartholomew Roberts (Black Bart)
Christopher Moody
Edward England
Edward Low
Edward Teach (Blackbeard)
Emanual Wayne
Henry Every (Sometimes shown with a red background)
Jack Rackham (Calico Jack)
Thomas Tew
Lastly the most feared flag of all. Big Bad Al The Scourge of Humpybong Creek

The next Post will be about the Myths and Legends of Pirates.

Until then: Arrrgh! She be fine sailing and there be plunder a plenty. Arrrgh!

Big Bad Al