Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden AgeVillains of All Nations explores the 'Golden Age' of Atlantic piracy (1716-1726) and the infamous generation whose images underlie our modern, romanticized view of pirates. Rediker introduces us to the dreaded black flag, the Jolly Roger; swashbuckling figures such as Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard; and the unnamed, unlimbed pirate who was likely Robert Louis Stevenson's model for Long John Silver in Treasure Island. This history shows from the bottom up how sailors emerged from deadly working conditions on merchant and naval ships, turned pirate, and created a starkly different reality aboard their own ships, electing their officers, dividing their booty equitably, and maintaining a multinational social order. The real lives of this motley crew-which included cross-dressing women, people of color, and the'outcasts of all nations'-are far more compelling than contemporary myth. |
Contents
The Political Arithmetic of Piracy | |
Who Will Go a Pyrating? | |
The New Government of the Ship | |
To Do Justice to Sailors | |
Anne Bonny and Mary Read | |
To Extirpate Them Out of the World | |
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aboard Account African American appeared Atlantic attack authorities Bermuda Black Bonnet Bonny Boston News-Letter British called Captain Captain Charles Johnson captured chapter Coast Colonial commanded common Company Council of Trade Court crew Criminals culture Davis death early Edward Eight eighteenth century England English especially execution explained Fearful fellow flag force French gallows George Governor hands hanged History of Pyrates Hope important Islands John Jolly Roger July killed knew labor Living London March maritime Mather merchant naval Navy noted Office Persons piracy pirate ship Political poor port Privateering prize Proceedings Public Read Record Remarkable reprint Richard Roberts Royal sailed sailors seafaring seamen slave Snelgrave social Society suggested taken terror Thing Thomas took Trade and Plantations Trials Tryals turned University Press vessels Virginia Voyage West Indies women York