Why Do We Like Pirates Fancy Dress?

Pirate fancy dress has become more popular in recent years, with no surprise this being due to the release of the fantastic pirates of the Caribbean films starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow – everyone’s favourite pirate!

But tales of pirates have been going for many years. In fact, the first documented accounts of pirates or piracy date back to 13th Century BC, although not in the same form we have come to stereotype a typical pirate today. Ancient Greeks, Romans and many other races wereProm Dresses UK  considered pirates, from looting, pillaging, and kidnapping boys and girls to sell as slaves.

Pirates are robbers who travel the open seas, targeting ships and sometimes coastal towns, threatening trading routes and seizing cargos of grain, olive oil, food, wine, rum, gold, silver, gems and other precious items.

Throughout history, there have been people willing to rob other transporting goods on the open seas. Thousands of pirates were actively dominating the waters between the years of 1650 and 1720, the years which are typically referred to as the Golden Age.

Pirates were also referred to as corsairs whProm Dresses 2012 o operated in the Mediterranean Sea between the 15th and 18th centuries, and the buccaneers who lived in the Caribbean during the 17th Century.

Pirates are famed for operating in the Caribbean islands, this is due to the precious cargo that ships to and from the area was carrying. In the 15th Century, Christopher Columbus discovered the lands of America, which were claimed by the Spanish, who soon discovered them to be a very rich source of silver, gold and gems. Spanish ships would carry these items back from the Americas to Europe, and the pirates found it near impossible to resist these treasures for themselves.

Pirate attacks on ships, even on fleets with armed vessels were very successful, mainly dulong Prom Dressese to the modifications pirates made on their ships, increasing the cannon load capacity, and always carrying more crew than their counterparts. As their reputation for fighting grew, fear spread amongst many of the fleets travelling to and from the area, that when they did eventually come under attack, many would simply surrender.

One of the more famous pirates, Blackbeard was heavily armed with knives, pistols and cutlasses, and to further strike fear into the enemy ships and crew, he had a mass of tangled hair which he would attach fuse to, and set alight during battles so he’s face was surroushort Prom Dresses nded by smoke.

Pirate attacks became so frequent that governments were forced to take action. In the 18th Century, many governments sent heavily armed warships to the favourite hunting grounds of the pirates, were terrible wars were fought and both sides suffered massive casualties. It was during this time, famous pirates such as Blackbeard and Bartholomew Roberts were killed. Pirates that survived, were put on trial, and then executed with great publicity. Bodies were coated with tar and hung in special iron cages as a dreadful deterrent to others who may have considered taking up piracy.

It's these tales and stories of past pirate events that have made pirate costumes a very popular theme for fancy dress parties.