It is hard to imagine a pirate without a ship with a Jolly Roger on black sails, because the “activity” of pirates takes place afloat, and for its successful implementation you need a reliable and maneuverable ship. As for the ships of marque, they were originally intended for piracy, but were issued to a hired privateer only for a certain period.
History of privateering
Privacy originated at the very beginning of the 18th century, during the war between Austria and France for the Spanish Empire. Then a lot of pirate ships and privateers were built, for which pirates were hired. Privateering can be called "legitimate" piracy - in fact, privateers did the same as pirates, only instead of looted profits they received payment from employers for the work performed. Most of the privateers, after finishing work, could not resist the temptation and became free pirates, the power of easy money and illegal ways to get it were already familiar to them. Moreover, a privateer is a ship ready for robbery.
Meaning of the word "caper"
Basically, pirate ships became those ships that were captured by them and were suitable for accommodating the crew of the team, storing supplies and were fast. Unsuitable ones were simply drowned in the sea or sold. If the ship was military and high-speed, then it lingered in the hands of a pirate for a long time. A privateer is a private seagoing vessel designed for piracy with predetermined objectives by a mercenary organization. The greatest preference was given to brigantines and sloops, and large three-masted ships were used less often, but had a number of advantages. They were considered the most seaworthy, they could accommodate a large team with solid weapons and ammunition.
The most famous privateers in history
Famous pirate captain Edward Teach, known by the nickname Blackbeard, sailed on the three-masted Queen Anne's Revenge, a privateer that was originally a merchant ship, but was converted to the needs of a pirate crew. It was considered a ship of the fifth rank, containing up to 40 guns.
Ouidah under the command of Sam Bellam, a famous pirate of the Golden Age of sea robbery. The Ouida was considered a nimble and fast ship, in which daring pirates carried a lot of gold booty.
The famous Scotsman William Kidd, who became famous for his high-profile pirate robbery case, sailed under the flag of his favorite ship called "Adventure". This is the marque that wasarmed with 34 guns and accommodating up to 160 crew members, its purpose was to destroy other ships.
