Blimey! Pirates are Everywhere
Ahoy, me hearties! International Talk Like A Pirate Day be comin’ ‘round again on Sunday, September 19. To commemorate the day, we be divin’ into the tales of some pirates not as well-known in these parts as the likes of Blackbeard and Captain Kidd, but just as fearsome:
ANCIENT PIRATES
- Cilician Pirates: Famous for kidnapping Julius Caesar for ransom in 78 B.C.
- Teuta of Illyria: Queen who took over the fleet after the death of her husband and raided Roman forces (231-228 B.C.)
AFRICAN PIRATES
- Black Caesar: War chieftain who raided during the “Golden Age of Piracy” in the 18th century who later became a member of Blackbeard’s crew
- Barbary Corsairs: Raided North Africa and the Mediterranean; the Barbary Coast is named for them
ASIAN PIRATES
- Ching Shih: One of the most successful pirates in history, this queen commanded more than 1800 vessels, 100 times more ships than Blackbeard
- Zheng Chenggong (better known as Koxinga): Drove the Dutch from Taiwan and took control for the next two decades
FEMALE PIRATES
- Anne Bonny and Mary Read: Mates to Calico Jack, both Bonny and Read dressed as men to fool other pirates
- Sadie the Goat: American pirate queen who raided the northeast coasts
- Sayyida al-Hurra: Muslim who used her fleet to terrorize Spanish and Portuguese ships
Getting in the spirit, are you? Then maybe you’ll be wantin’ to know a wee bit more ‘bout some of them pirate movies ye have a hankerin’ for:
Treasure Island: Disney’s 1st live action feature (released in 1950). Phrases like “Argh!” and “Avast, me hearties!,” as well as the sword style used in modern costumes originated from this movie.
Princess Bride: The character Dread Pirate Roberts was based on Bartholomew Roberts, a Welsh pirate from the 1700s.
Pirates of the Caribbean franchise: Many scenes from the Disney World ride were incorporated into the movies, including:
- the pirate song, “A Pirate’s Life for Me”
- the skeletons featured throughout
- the dog with the keys to the cell
- the treasure room
Make sure you buy your tickets online to ensure entry to our swashbucklin’ celebration, wear your best gear and get ready to TALK LIKE A PIRATE!
ARRGH!
-Neda S