Instead of the name of the ship, a dash - November 24, 1659
Captain Philip Bekul - instead of the name of the ship, a dash - December 3, 1659
Captain Jan Peterszoon - instead of the name of the ship, a dash - December 31, 1659
Captain Lakwe - barque without a name - December 31, 1659
Captain Allen - "The Thriver" - April 1, 1660
Captain Wade - "The Sea Horse" - April 4, 1660
Captain William James - frigate "The America" ​​- May 16, 1660
Captain Edward Mansfield - instead of the name of the ship, a dash - December 4, 1660

List of buccaneers of Port Royal in Jamaica (1663)

Captain Sir Thomas Whetstone - a ship captured from the Spaniards - 7 guns - 60 crew members
Captain Adrian van Diemen - frigate "The Griffin" - 14 guns - 100 teams
Captain Richard Guy - frigate "The James" - 14 guns - 90 teams
Captain William James - frigate "The American" - 6 guns - 70 teams
Captain William Cooper - frigate without a name - 10 guns - 80 teams
Captain Morris Williams - untitled brigantine - 7 guns - 60 teams
Captain George Brimacane - unnamed frigate - 6 guns - 70 crews
Captain Edward Mansfield - untitled brigantine - 4 guns - 60 teams
Captain Goodled - instead of the name of the ship, a dash - 6 guns - 60 teams
Captain William Blauvelt* - unnamed barque - 3 guns - 50 teams
Captain Hardyu - frigate captured from the Spaniards - 4 guns - 40 teams
_______________________________________
11 ships in total
* - he had patents from both the British and the Dutch

List of filibusters who appeared in Port Royal, but did not have commissions from the governor of Jamaica (1663)

Captain Senolve (Dutch) - three small ships - 12 guns - 100 crew
Captain David Maarten (Dutch) - Dutch vessel - 6 guns - 40 crew
Captain Antoine Dupuis (French from Tortuga) - flibot - 9 guns - 80 teams
Captain Philip Bekul (French from Tortuga) - French frigate - 8 guns - 70 teams
Captain Kloster (Frenchman from Tortuga) - instead of the name of the ship, a dash - 9 guns - 68 teams

List of buccaneers of Jamaica (May 1665)

Captain Maurice Williams - "The Speake" - 18 guns
Captain John Harmenson - "The Saint John" - 12 guns
Captain Rock Brazilian - "The Civilian" - 16 guns
Captain Robert Searle - "The Pearl" - 9 guns
Captain John Outlaw - "The Olive Branch" - 6 guns
Captain Albert Bernardson - "The True Man" - 6 guns
Captain Nathaniel Cobham - "The Susannah" - 2 guns
Captain John Bamfield - "The Mayflower" - 1 gun
Captain Abraham Malherb - unnamed galliot - 1 gun

List of ships in the fleet of Jamaican Admiral Henry Morgan (Panama Expedition)

The list was drawn up on Vash Island in December 1670, then sent by the governor of Jamaica, Sir Thomas Modyford, to Lord Arlington in London. Filed in Calendar of State Papers, America and West Indies 1669-74.

Admiral Henry Morgan - frigate "The Satisfaction" - tonnage 120 - guns 22 - crew 140
Captain Thomas Harris - frigate "The Mary" - 50 - 12 - 70
Captain Joseph Bradley - "The Mayflower" - 70 - 14 - 100
Captain Lawrence Prince - "The Pearl" - 50 - 12 - 70
Captain Jan Erasmus Reining - "Civilian" - 80 - 12 - 75
Captain John Morris - Dolphin frigate - 60 - 10 - 60
Captain Richard Norman - "Lily" - 50 - 10 - 50
Captain Delliatt - "Port Royal" - 50 - 12 - 55
Captain Thomas Rogers - "Gift" - 40 - 12 - 60
Captain John Payne - armed a merchant ship in the port of Younghall (Ireland) - 70 - 6 - 60
Captain Humphrey Furston - "Thomas" - 50 - 8 - 45
Captain Richard Ludbury - "Fortune" - 40 - 6 - 40
Captain Coon Debrowns - "Constant Thomas" - 60 - 6 - 40
Captain Richard Dobson - "Fortune" - 25 - 6 - 35
Captain Henry Wills - "Prosperous" - 16 - 4 - 35
Captain Richard Taylor - "Sacrifice of Abraham" - 60 - 4 - 30
Captain John Bennett - "Virgin Queen" - 15 - 0 - 30
Captain John Shepherd - "Recovery" - 18 - 3 - 30
Captain Thomas Woodriff - sloop William - 12 - 0 - 30
Captain William Carson - sloop "Betty" - 12 - 0 - 25
Captain Clement Simons - Captured ship "Fortune" - 40 - 4 - 40
Captain John Harmenson - "Endeavour" - 25 - 4 - 35
Captain Roger Taylor - "Bonaventure" - 20 - 0 - 25
Captain Patrick Dunbar - "Prosperous" - 10 - 0 - 16
Captain Charles Swan - "Endeavour" - 16 - 2 - 30
Captain Richard Powell - "Lamb" sloop - 30 - 4 - 30
Captain Jonas Ricks - "Fortune" - 16 - 3 - 30
Captain Roger Kelly - "Free Gift" - 15 - 4 - 40
Captain Francois Trebutor - "La Sainte-Catherine" - 100 - 14 - 110
Captain Le Gascon - "La Gallardena" - 80 - 10 - 80
Captain Diego - "Le Saint-Jean" - 80 - 10 - 80
Captain Pierre Le Picard - "Le Saint-Pierre" - 80 - 10 - 90
Captain Dumangle - "Le Diable Volant" - 40 - 6 - 50
Captain Joseph - sloop "Le Cerf" - 25 - 2 - 40
Captain Charles - sloop "Le Lion" - 30 - 3 - 40
Captain Jean Lino - "La Sainte-Marie" - 30 - 4 - 30

Total: 36 ships of the British and French (total tonnage 1.585, guns 239, crews 1846 people).
Of these, ov from Tortuga and Saint-Domingue: 520 people.

After the expedition to Panama in Jamaica, commissions were never issued again. Thus, English filibustering lasted only 12 years.

List of buccaneers on a campaign in the South Sea (1680)

Captain Peter Harris - tonnage 150 - guns 25 - crew 107
Captain Richard Savkins - 16 - 1 - 35
Captain John Coxon - 80 - 8 - 97
Captain Edmund Cook - 35 - 0 - 43
Captain Bartholomew Sharp - 25 - 2 - 40
Captain Robert Ellison - 18 - 0 - 24
Captain Thomas Maggott - 14 - 0 - 20
Captain Michel Andresson - 90 - 6 - 86
Captain Jean Rose - 20 - 0 - 25

List of buccaneers in the South Sea (1681)

Captain John Coxon - 10 guns - 100 teams
Captain Thomas Paine - 10 - 100
Captain William Wright - 4 - 40
Captain John Williams - 0 - 20
Captain Jan Willems (Yankee) - barque Le Dauphin - 4 - 60
Captain Archambu - 8 - 40
Captain Jean Tocard - brigantine - 6 - 70
Captain Jean Rose - barque - 0 - 25
Captain Jean Tristan - barque - 0 - 50

List of filibusters of Saint-Domingue (compiled by the governor de Cussy on August 24, 1684)

Captain Michel de Grammont (nickname General) - ship "Hardi", 400 tons (hereinafter - displacement), guns 52, crew 300.
Captain Pedno - ship "Chasseur", tonnage not specified, guns 20, crew 120.
Captain Dumesnil - ship "Trompeuse", tonnage not specified, guns 14, crew 100.
Captain Jean Tokar - ship "L" Hirondelle, tonnage not specified, guns 18, crew 110.
Captain Pierre Bar (nickname Brecha) - ship "Diligente", tonnage not specified, guns 14, crew 100.
Captain Laurent de Graff - ship "Cascarille" (Spanish prize), tonnage not specified, guns 18, crew 80.
Captain Bruage - ship "Neptune" ( former captain de Graff), tonnage not specified, guns 45, teams 210.
Captain Michel Andresson - ship "Mutine", 250 tons, guns 54, crew 198.
Captain Nicolas Brigot - ship's name is not specified, tonnage 40, guns 4, crews 42.
Captain Jean Bernano - ship "Scitie" tonnage not specified, guns 8, crew 60.
Captain Francois Gronier (nickname Kashmare) - ship "Saint-Francois", tonnage not specified, guns 6, crew 70.
Captain Blo - ship "Guagone", tonnage not specified, guns 8, crew 90.
Captain Vineron - barque "Louise", tonnage not specified, guns 4, crew 30.
Captain Petit - barque "Ruse", tonnage not specified, guns 4, crew 40.
Captain Jan Williams (nickname Yankee) - ship "Dauphine", tonnage not specified, guns 30, crew 180.
Captain Francois Lezazh - ship "Tigre", tonnage not specified, guns 30, crew 130.
Captain Lagarde - ship "Subtile", tonnage not specified, guns 2, crew 30.
Captain Verpre - "Postillon", tonnage not specified, guns 2, crew 25.

List of buccaneers operating near Panama in 1685

Captain Edward Davis - "The Batchelor's Delight" - 36 guns - 156 people
Captain Charles Swann - "The Cygnet" - 16 guns - 140 men
Captain Francis Townley - barque - 110 people
Captain Peter Harris - barque - 100 people
Captain Brandy - barque - 36 people
Samuel Leith - 14 people

Maynard ordered the surviving sailors to take cover on the lower deck and began to dump everything they could overboard in order to lighten the ship. The other two ships were hastily relieved as well. Maynard set up two ladders by which his sailors could quickly climb up. Blackbeard thought the enemy still outnumbered him. A shot from a swivel gun shot down a jib on the Adventure. The pirate ship was firmly aground. Meanwhile, Jane managed to refloat and moved towards the pirate ship. Blackbeard ordered hand grenades to be thrown. But the losses were minimal, as the English sailors were in hiding. The pirates threw their boarding hooks and tried to board the sloop. At that moment, covered sailors jumped out of the hold. In the ensuing skirmish, Blackbeard himself and ten of his sailors perished. The rest of the pirates were taken prisoner. With the death of Blackbeard, the threat of piracy in the region disappeared.

Finally, in early 1721, the pirate Bartholomew Roberts captured the large frigate Onslow, which belonged to the Royal African Campaign. In The Life of Captain Roberts, Johnson reports how he remade the captured trophy for Roberts:

“Pirates adapted Onslow to their needs. They demolished the superstructures, leveling the deck, making the ship suitable for sea robbery. The pirates named the ship Royal Fortune and armed it with 40 guns.

Thus, we got a fairly intelligible idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat the conversion of the ship by pirates was. Firstly, the pirates demolished all temporary superstructures in which additional cargo was transported. The large free deck made it possible to place more artillery on it. During that period, merchant ships usually carried cannons only on the upper deck. Pirates cut through additional gun ports in the sides. Pirates who espoused ideas of equality also demolished the bulkheads of most of the cabins, leaving a single captain's cabin aft. The absence of cabins also increased inner space ship at the bow and stern.

Pirates could go for an even more radical alteration. Roberts and Lowther made their ships "straight from bow to stern". That is, they cut off the forecastle and poop, making it so that the deck of the ship went exactly from bow to stern. Even on small sloops and brigantines, not to mention frigates, the aft superstructure occupied most of the deck. All elements of decorations that had no practical value were also removed from the ship. As a result, the deck of the ship was adapted to carry powerful artillery and a large boarding team. Pirates transferred all the artillery from the old ship to the new one. On the Onslow/Royal Fortune, the guns were on both the main deck and the cleared upper deck. As a result big ship turned into a formidable fighting unit. Smaller ships such as the Pearl/Royal James and Gambia Castle/Delivery were not armed on the lower deck, but gun ports were added on the upper deck. Several guns were placed in the direction forward and backward along the way, since the absence of superstructures made it possible to do this.

Fight between an English pirate ship (left) and a Spanish galleon, 1670s Notice how different these two ships are.

The English pirate ship Sgnet of the late 17th century carried direct sailing weapons. It was armed with 12 large and 6 swivel guns and a crew of 150.

Finally, from the survey reports of captured pirate ships, it follows that the pirates also changed the rigging of the ship. The purpose of the redesign was also to increase the speed of the ship and free up space. Latin sails were changed to straight ones, the mizzen mast was often cut down, while moving the main mast further aft. For example. brigs and shnyavs differed from brigantines in direct sailing, which was preferred by pirates. The pirates did not feel a lack of materials; everything they needed, they could capture at sea.

Thus, Johnson reports that Bartholomew Roberts captured the London ship Samuel, finding on it "sails, cannons, gunpowder, ropes, and 8,000 or 9,000 pounds of selected goods."

Entrance to Lake Maracaibo, 1699 Brigantine (left) and two-masted yacht (right). In 1669, Henry Morgan took the fight here. Judging by the sails, the wind is blowing towards the shore.

The death of the Spanish flagship in the battle of the shallows of Maracaibo, 1669. Although fireships were rarely used in the New World, Morgan took this unusual step, since he had several captured ships and gunpowder at his disposal.

Small pirate ships

As we have already said, most pirates started their careers with small ships. The smallest vessels in the waters of the New World at that time were pinnaces, longboats, flat-bottomed vessels. Many of them have been known in the Caribbean since the 16th century. The term pinas has two different meanings. Firstly, a pinnace is usually understood as a semi-barge - an open single-masted vessel with a displacement of not more than 60 tons. Secondly, larger deck vessels with a displacement of 40-80 tons were also called pinas. Later, pinas reached a displacement of 200 tons, turning into three-masted ships capable of carrying artillery. AT different countries the same term could have different meanings, moreover, the meanings of the terms changed over time.

Initially, pinas were called rowboats, which also had one mast with a latin or gaff sail. Usually the longboat had a length of no more than 10 m and was used for auxiliary purposes on large merchant ships and warships. Although maritime historians are still arguing on this topic, it seems that the term sloop most likely meant the same pinnace, but with a direct sailing rig. The Spaniards called the pinnaces "long launches", the Spanish launch carried direct sailing weapons. The Dutch used the word pinge, which meant any small merchant ship with a displacement of up to 80 tons, encountered in the Caribbean during the 17th century. At the end of the XVII century. pirates actively used all these small vessels in their criminal trade.

In another meaning, "pinas" meant an independent vessel with a displacement of 40-200 tons. Pinas could carry any number of masts; in the period we are describing, three-masted pinas were most common. Three-masted pinnaces could carry any rig, most often a combination of straight and latin sails. The armament of the pinas consisted of 8-20 guns. At the end of the XVII century. pirates like Henry Morgan used large pinnaces as the main ships of their pirate fleets, although the flag was kept on larger ships. The term flyboat usually meant a flat-bottomed trading vessel, usually Dutch, with the Dutch language having a special term fluyt. By the end of the 17th century, flyboats began to be understood as small vessels intended for coastal navigation. The Spaniards called such ships the word balandra. The Dutch and Spaniards actively used flat-bottomed flyboats to patrol the coast, reconnaissance, transport manpower, and also as small warships and raiders. The smallest ship in the Caribbean in the XVII century. was an Indian canoe. Canoes could be of various sizes. The smallest canoes could not carry even four, while the largest canoes could carry a mast, guns, and a large crew. Canoes were also actively used by pirates.

Ships sailing in the Caribbean at the end of the 16th century. From left to right: flyush, pinas and barge, sloop, ping, long barge, periag, canoe, yawl.

In the last decade of the 17th century, the terms "pinnace", "longboat" and "flyboat" fell into disuse. It cannot be said that the old types of Caribbean ships have abruptly given way to new types. Rather, ships now began to be classified by sailing armament and the number of masts, rather than by hull size and purpose.

Pirates have always been associated with adventurers, robbers, robbers and brawlers who have gained fame not only at sea, in love affairs, but even in politics. But let's look at their activities in the open sea, since it was she who brought those fabulous riches that are still being sought. Even the names of pirate ships were intended to intimidate their opponents, and the Jolly Roger flag instilled panic in the crew of the attacked ship.

The most famous pirates

Speaking about the era of piracy, it should be borne in mind that not all adherents of this way of earning and existence were exactly pirates in the direct sense of the word. In those days, there was a division into outright robbers, corsairs, privateers, filibusters, etc.

Interestingly, privateering was legalized in England, which did its best to prevent Spain from New World. Roughly speaking, the English crown secretly issued patents for the robbery of Spanish galleons, which returned with gold and silver from both Americas.

But in general, if you make a list of the most desperate and famous personalities of that era in their field, it could look something like this:

• Captain Kidd.
• Edward Teach "Blackbeard".
• Henry Morgan.
• L'Ollone.
• Jetrow Flint.
• Olivier Le Wasser.
• William Dampier.
• Aruj Barbarossa.
• Jen Shi and many others.

Famous names of pirate ships. List

Naturally, each of these thugs preferred to have his own ship, and, if possible, a fleet of three or more ships. However, if the secondary ships had sometimes even satirical names, the flagship had to bear such a name without fail so that it was on everyone's lips. Allegories or frankly defiant names were often used. Here is an incomplete list of the most famous ships of that time (the names of pirate ships in English or French are given along with the Russian translation):

• "Golden Doe" (Golden Hind);
• Galley "Adventure" (Adventure Galley);
• "Revenge of Queen Anne" (Queen Ann's Revenge);
• "Careless Corsair" (El corsario descuidad);
• "Periton" (Le Periton) - a flying deer;
• "Avenger" (Avenger);
• "Ouida" (Whydah);
• "Royal Fortune" (Royal Fortune);
• "Fantasy" (Fancy);
• "Happy Delivery" (Happy Delivery);
• "Rising Sun";
• "Retribution" (Revenge), etc.

And that's not all. Very often one could also come across the names of pirate ships like "Omnipresent Death", "Victoria - Bloody Baroness", "Prize of Luck", "Bell", "Cerberus", "Black Widow", "Leviathan", "Shaving Water", in In general, fantasy was enough in abundance. But let's dwell on what the famous pirate ships. Their names did not always reflect the true nature of the threat, because by and large the Spanish galleons were 36-48-gun frigates, which it was not possible to board for capture. A pirate ship would have been shot on approach, no matter how well it maneuvered.

Therefore, usually the robbers were content with frigates of a lower rank. To have 24, 36 or 40 guns on board was considered riding. And escort by several ships with 20 or even 12 guns on board could play decisive role in battle.

The main characteristics of the ships

Despite the loud and sometimes intimidating names of pirate ships, they could not always be compared with the same Spanish ships or the English fleet.

So, for example, "Adventure" by William Kidd was a 34-gun frigate brigantine of an unusual type (with straight sails and an oar crew).

"Queen Anne's Revenge", originally called "Concorde", was more powerful, with 40 guns. "Golden Doe" first descended from the stocks as under the name "Pelican", according to various estimates, with 18-22 guns.

The most famous literary hero and his squadron

In the literature, the names of pirate ships were replenished with another famous character - Captain Blood (Rafael Sabatini - “Odyssey of Captain Blood”, “Chronicles of Captain Blood”), whose unrequited love for the daughter of the governor of Barbados (and then Jamaica) made him call the captured from the Spaniards 36- cannon frigate "Cinco Llagos" named after her. Since then, "Arabella" has become a thunderstorm of the seas.

By the way, the work mentions and but the name is Levasseur, and his ship is called "La Foudre" ("Lightning"). There is also the name "Avenger" (Avenger) of one of the constant opponents of the protagonist - Captain Easterling.

Captain Blood himself, in his characteristic humorous manner, gave names to secondary ships like "Elizabeth" (in honor of the Queen of England) or in honor of three Greek goddesses- "Atropos", "Kloto" and "Lachesis".

Only towards the end of the story was the 80-gun frigate Victorieuse, commanded by Baron de Rivarol, captured. But according to the plot, the author could not rename it, because Blood became the governor, and his ships became part of the Jamaican squadron.

Cinema

And how to do without the "Black Pearl" from the quadrology "Pirates of the Caribbean"? Here, too, there are nuances. The name of Captain Barbossa clearly echoes Barbarossa.

And about " Flying Dutchman"There is no need to speak at all. In the film, it is indicated that this is a ship, although in reality no one knows who owned this ghost ship, and whether it exists at all and whether it is only in a single copy.

Instead of an afterword

Well, if we take into account that kids love this kind of adventure, it’s easy to come up with the name of a pirate ship for children, because their imagination is often much more developed than that of an adult. Even common names like "Thunderstorm" or "Thunder" will do. Here, children are masters of using associations that frighten their peers.

But, seriously, the names of pirate ships are very often associated not with abstract concepts or mystical phenomena, but rather with the history of England, because most of these fortune seekers, one way or another, were associated with the English crown, and by and large fought against the Spaniards. Naturally, there were those who robbed indiscriminately, but privateering in those days was, so to speak, the most gentlemanly trade with a huge number of restrictions. Take the same Henry Morgan, who later became the vice-governor of Jamaica, or sir (English admiral). History is full of surprises...

Talking about piracy, one cannot ignore the ships on which the pirates sailed, although, of course, almost any ship could act as a pirate ship. To a certain extent, piracy contributed to the progress of shipbuilding, since pirates needed the most advanced and fastest ships. Since my essay is still not about ships, but about people, I will describe very little and focus only on the most common types of ships, while a separate book can be written about each of them.

In ancient times, the fleet was exclusively rowing; only one mast was installed on the ship with a sail, which was used only with a fair wind. So the main driving force was the power of man. It is known that it is approximately equal to 1/10 horsepower (hp). Consequently, to obtain a power equal to 100 hp, about a thousand rowers were needed. The desire to increase the number of rowers on a relatively short vessel prompted them to sit in two or more rows one above the other. So, after unirems - ships with one row of oars - biremes, triremes (triremes), etc., appeared, respectively, with two, three or more rows of oars.

Gradually, however, the sail received more and more widespread use. Vessels that sail only under sail began to appear: naves and cogs.

The development of the sailing fleet proved the irrationality of using propeller-sailing ships, since with an equal displacement with a sailing ship, the weight of a gun salvo of a galleass was several times less, and the crew was much larger. Their construction stopped after the 17th century.

A characteristic feature of the ships of Western European countries in the Middle Ages was the decoration of sails with drawings of coats of arms, figures of people, crosses, so that the sails looked more like large banners. Ship flags sometimes reached so large sizes that their ends dragged along the water.

Not only the desire to explore Earth pushed the sovereigns of Europe to equip sea expeditions. There was also a more prosaic reason - enrichment through the seizure of foreign lands, gold, silver, spices and slaves. Therefore, the expeditions of Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Fernando Magellan, like many others, can be classified as pirate. Following the discoverers, hundreds and thousands of ships rushed in search of new lands and riches. The era of the Great Geographical Discoveries began.

In addition to European pirates, the pirates of Muslim countries, whose main bases were the coasts of Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, became widely known.

Pirates of the barbarian coast of Africa - Turks, Arabs, Moors - attacked every European ship that they could master. They were less bloodthirsty and more practical than European pirates, they did not kill people, but took them prisoner and sold them in the markets of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Turkey; in addition, they themselves needed healthy young men to replenish the team of forced rowers. Young white women were highly valued in the eastern market, they were willingly bought for harems, and pirates took a good ransom for the children of wealthy and noble parents.

Throughout the Middle Ages and new history the pirates had a safe haven and a strong organization in North Africa. In the XV and XVI centuries The Mediterranean basin became the scene of a fierce struggle between the Christian powers and Muslim Turkey. Barbarian pirates played an important role in the wars at sea, and, in particular, the pirate state in North Africa, led by the sultan brothers Barbarossa.

The main weapon of ships in antiquity was ram, mounted on the stem. At first, they broke the oars of an enemy ship, depriving it of maneuverability, and then, having made a turn, they hit the side or (sometimes) the stern.

In addition to the ram, the Greeks armed their ships with heavy metal cargo, which was shaped like a dolphin, which was called that - dolphin. It was hung on a yardarm or arrow and dropped when approaching an enemy ship. The cargo pierced the deck or bottom of the attacked ship.

Thanks to excellent maneuvering, Greek ships achieved great skill in ramming. When in the III century BC. the Romans entered the maritime arena, possessing the best ground forces in the world, but inexperienced in maneuvering ships, they won their first victory over the Carthaginian fleet in the battle of the Lipari Islands (260 BC) through the boarding bridge invented by them, called crow.

"Raven" consisted of an arrow, hinged on the bow of the vessel. A platform 5.5 meters long and 1.2 meters wide was installed on the boom. At the upper end of the arrow, a heavy pointed metal weight was suspended through a block, shaped like a raven's beak. When approaching an enemy ship, an arrow with a platform descended on it, and the load, sticking its tip into the deck, connected the ships. Roman soldiers in two rows, shielding themselves with shields, moved to the attacked ship, and the outcome of the battle was decided, as on the shore, in hand-to-hand combat.

With the development of throwing machines, they began to be used on ships. Installed on the bow of the ship, they were intended to prevent boarding. However, ancient naval artillery was not widely used due to the fact that damp sea air softened springs made from animal veins or horsehair.

According to their design, throwing machines were divided into two-arm - eututons, or catapults, and single-arm - polyntons, or ballistas.

Catapults represented a bow of very large size. They consisted of a long trough with a strong transverse frame in front, on the sides of which a vertical bundle of tightly twisted veins was strengthened. A lever was inserted into the middle of each bundle, the rear ends of which, connected by a bowstring, sought to disperse. The middle of the bowstring was attached to a slider with a nest for an arrow, log or stone. The slider, with the help of a gate or a screw mechanism, pulled back the bowstring, which, after removing the stopper, straightened and sent the projectile forward. The catapult fired a projectile at a distance of up to 1000 meters, giving it an initial speed of up to 60 m / s. Their practical range was about 300 meters. Gaius Julius Caesar in his notes on Gallic war said that these machines threw arrows at such a speed that they sparkled from friction when sliding and were not visible in flight.

Catapults were used to destroy fortifications and ships. The chained log released by the machine pierced four rows of palisades along a gentle trajectory. The string was pulled by several warriors and took from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Ballista consisted of a frame in which one bundle of veins was installed. A lever with a spoon or a sling for a projectile was inserted into the middle of the bundle. To drive the machine, the lever was pulled down with the help of the collar, a projectile was put into the spoon and the collar was released. At the same time, the lever hit the crossbar and sent a projectile that flew up to 400 meters. The range reached 200 meters. The initial velocity of the projectile was about 45 m/s. Stones, pots and barrels with a combustible mixture were used as projectiles. When launched, the projectile flew steeply upwards and, hitting the ship, pierced the deck and bottom. The most advantageous angle for throwing a projectile was in the range from 0° to 10°, since with an increase in the angle, the bouncing of the vehicle increased, and the initial speed and accuracy of the hit decreased. Arrow thrower- a throwing machine invented in ancient Rome. The design of the machine is clear from the above figure. The shock board was pulled back by the collar with the help of a cable system and, after being released, it straightened out and pushed out the arrows installed in the guide boards. (fig.8)

Europeans also got acquainted with firearms from the Arabs. They were called madfaa, which means "hollowed out" in Arabic. And in the XIV century, firearms spread throughout Europe.

The first historically established case of the use of a firearm in European wars took place on the Italo-German border in Friol in 1331 during an attack on the city of Cividale by two knights of Kreutzberg and Spangenberg. Judging by the text of the chronicle, the guns were of small caliber and did no harm to anyone.

In 1340, during the siege of the fortress of Terni, the papal troops used "thundering pipes" that threw bolts, and in 1350, during the siege of the Sauerolo castle, bombards fired round bullets weighing about 0.3 kg.

The French first used cannons during the siege of Puy-Guillaume in 1338.

In field warfare, guns were first used by the British against the French at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and again at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. Both battles were won by the British and, presumably, the cannons complemented the fire of the English archers well.

In subsequent years, not a single major battle did not pass without the roar of artillery pieces. In 1399, in the Battle of Worksla, the combined Russian-Lithuanian troops under the command of Prince Vitovt used cannons against the Tatars. And in 1410 at the Battle of Grunwald german knights guns were already used against the combined troops of Lithuania, Poland and the Smolensk principality. Although the side using artillery was defeated in both battles, the armies of all Europe were in a hurry to acquire artillery.

The era of naval firearms began from the very day when the Aragonese king don Pedro IV, being besieged in 1359 in Barcelona by the Castilian king, he armed one of his ships with a large bombard and fired the first shot. According to an eyewitness, the royal bombard with the help of fire and "artificial gunpowder" began to throw shells and knocked down the loophole and the mast of the enemy ship in two shots.

To install firearms in the hulls of ships, they began to make cutouts in the areas where guns were placed. In the campaign, these cutouts were covered with canvas, but this did not create impenetrability of the freeboard. Invention in 1500 by a French shipbuilder de Charges lockable "cannon port" opened a new era in shipbuilding and navigation. The closed cannon port made it possible to increase the number of guns on the ship by installing them not only in superstructures and on the upper deck, but also on the lower decks. This also created the opportunity to place heavier guns on the lower decks, and this increased the stability of the vessel.

However, due to the lack of experience and the lack of theoretical calculations during the construction of the ship, they were punched incorrectly on the slipway and often placed so low from the water that, at the slightest heel, the ships scooped up water and sank. So the karakka "Magu Kose" died in 1545 on the Sneathhead raid before the start of the battle with the French, drawing water from ports open for battle, separated from the water by only 16 inches (40.6 cm).

Subsequently, the sizes of ports and the distance between them began to be chosen depending on the diameter of the core; the center-to-center value between two adjacent ports should have been approximately 25 core diameters, and the length and height of the port should have been 6 and 6.6 diameters, respectively. The lower jamb of the port was above the deck at a height approximately equal to 3.5 core diameters.

The first living quarters on ships appeared in the 15th century. At first, the room occupied the entire space of the aft superstructure, later, when the superstructure became much longer and became multi-tiered, it was divided into a number of cabins and a large saloon near the aft wall. The cabins were located at the sides, and their number increased with the growth in the number of command personnel. The cabins were separated by simple wooden bulkheads, and only the aft saloon, which housed the captain of the ship, had decorative interior trim.

A significant slope of the walls and deck determined the interior and exterior decoration of the ship's hull. The rear wall of the superstructure, hanging over the stern, began to be decorated with galleries, which overlooked the saloon windows. Bars with small panes were inserted into the windows. The frames were decorated with carved columns and arches. At the end of the XV century. a set of hulls protruding into the interior of the cabin began to be sheathed with well-fitted boards; furniture also appeared - benches under the windows, chests and carved cabinets.

However, the living conditions on the ships of that time were very difficult. Usually ships (caravels, carracks, etc.) did not have a continuous deck, and in stormy times the crew often struggled without sleep and rest against water getting into the hold, pumping it out with primitive pumps built into the ship's hull. The beds were the privilege of the elite living in the cabins, that is, the highest command staff: the captain, the ship's skipper, the navigator and the doctor. Hanging beds, the prototype of which was an Indian hammock, appeared on ships only in the 16th century after the discovery of America. Until that time, the crew slept side by side, in incredible cramped conditions in the hold and in deck superstructures on boxes, barrels, boards, spreading their own dress under them. The sailors, who had defended a four to five hour watch, in wet clothes, took up places that had just been left by their comrades. (fig.10)

According to the system adopted in the XV-XVIII centuries, all ship firearms were divided into the following main types:

• bombards (mortars) - large-caliber guns of small length;
• Cannons - large-caliber guns of medium length;
• culverins - medium-caliber guns of great length;
• Howitzers - guns of medium caliber of small length. (fig.12)

In addition to those listed, half-cannons and double cannons, semi-culverins and other guns were installed on the ships, which differed from the main type in barrel length.

When mounted on a ship, large-caliber guns were hung by trunnions (tides on the barrel) on special goats (machine tools) made of strong beams. Gun mounts could be mobile and stationary. Mobile machines were attached to the board and deck of the vessel with lashings (cables).

Small-caliber guns were mounted on swivels (metal pins with a fork for trunnions), which were inserted into holes on board the ship.

Cannonballs were first made of stone, and later of cast iron or forged iron. In order to break the rigging, the Swedes were the first to use double shells ( knippel), connected by a chain and fired simultaneously from two adjacent guns. During the siege of Rhodes in 1552, the Turks used mortars new type shells - incendiary, stuffed with a combustible mixture. At the end of the 16th century there appeared buckshot with spherical lead bullets.

Since 1540, the design dimensions of guns, depending on the diameter of the core, began to be determined according to the calibration scale proposed by the Nuremberg mechanic Georg Hartmann.

Until the 16th century, there were no instruments for aiming guns, and aiming was done by eye. Famous Italian mathematician Nicolo Tartaglia(1500-1557) invented the quadrant, with which they began to measure the elevation and declination of guns.

However, the rate of fire of the artillery of that time still left much to be desired. How little they counted on the second salvo can be seen from the following example. In 1551, the French captain Paulin met with the Spanish squadron. Given the difference in artillery, he went to the trick and ordered to raise the flag of Emperor Charles V, who was also the Spanish king, on his ship. In addition, he said that he was taking a relative of the emperor to Spain and demanded that a salute be fired from all the guns. Unaware of deception, the Spanish admiral ordered a salute. Before the smoke cleared, Paulin and his ships rushed forward and boarded the Spanish ships before the Spaniards had time to reload their guns.

Pirates also generally preferred boarding skirmishes. There is a description of the tactics of the battle of pirate ships, compiled by the amnestied pirate Henry Mainwaring. He wrote that, pursuing prey, pirate ships followed a caravan of ships, and as soon as one of them or an escort ship fell behind, the pirates quickly overtook him. Approaching the attacked ship, they tried to approach from the stern and from the leeward, since in this case only a few stern guns came under fire. Having overtaken the victim, the pirates tried to secure the bow of their ship to the stern of the attacked one with the help of boarding hooks. At the same time, the pirates jammed the rudder with a wooden beam in order to deprive the defending ship of the ability to maneuver. Grenades and vessels with flammable liquid were thrown onto the deck of an enemy ship. Then the pirates boarded, using boarding sabers and pistols.

Despite their weaknesses, naval artillery is gradually ceasing to be only an auxiliary weapon during boarding. Its tasks include preparing for boarding or preventing it, depending on the conditions of the battle.

Names of pirate ships from the thematic section (website) "Jolly Roger" (from the pirate site Spiral):

"Brig" Black Ghost” . Once belonged to a famous pirate. Merchants were afraid of this ship like fire. He is famous for appearing out of nowhere and carrying out his attacks.

pirate frigate "Le peritone"(peryton)

The mighty flying deer peryton could, perhaps, be compared with the Greek Pegasus. As ancient legends testify, the beast had one distinctive feature.
It cast a human shadow, thanks to which scientists believed that the peryton is the spirit of travelers who died far from home. Winged deer were often seen in ancient times on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea and near the Strait of Gibraltar. It was believed that perytons feed on people. They all herd attacked the bewildered sailors and devoured them. No weapon could stop the mighty and terrible beast.

"El corsario descuidado" In Spanish - "Careless Corsair". The young owner of this most beautiful red-sailed brig never knew defeat. He won battle after battle as he rose higher and higher in the financial ladder. He was hunted - each of the powers wanted to get the head of a corsair.
One day, a young pirate, after another successful robbery, filled the hold of his ship to capacity. The ship moved slowly and constantly sank. Yes, and a leak in the stern of the brig was not by the way ...
The Careless Corsair came to an abrupt halt and staggered. "What happened?" thought the young pirate. Looking overboard, he realized that the end of his exploits had come. The bottom of his ship was torn to pieces by reefs. Spare boats have already managed to dismantle the team.
The young pirate stood at the prow of his ship, not believing what was happening. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his head drooped. "From what?!" - The pirate raised his hands to the sky. - "For what?"
"For carelessness" - the boatswain standing nearby answered, not wanting to leave his captain.
The ship was sinking.

Frigate "Omnipresent Death" It's a storm in the Caribbean. An unknown pirate who walks on it plundered all the colonies of the new world. When encountering this ship at sea, merchants simply pray to stay alive, which does not happen. Since there is no money in the colonies, now he is heading for the waters of Madagascar to a paradise for pirates
most romantic name
corvette "Violet" - named after the captain's daughter. This name was given to her by her father in honor of the most magnificent flower
the most majestic name
betlisp "Peter I" is a thunderstorm from Russian State for Britain. This is the flagship of the squadron containing 6 other ships.

Corvette "Victoria Bloody Baroness"- the ship is named after a pirate girl who is known for her quick temper and incredible cruelty. She sailed on this ship herself. Graceful, fast as the wind, corvette, with white sails and incredibly beautiful. But, as always expected, justice prevailed - the pirate was executed, and the ship itself was given to the Spanish governor.

Frigate "Black Revenge" the horror of all sailors, his captain is a real devil, his ship develops unprecedented speed, and the hull is impenetrable for nuclei, according to rumors, the boatswain on the ship can break a small ship with 1 blow ...

Corvette "Luck Prize" it was ridden by an unknown pirate who
was lucky. His Corvette was quite powerful and fast. To catch up and break.

Frigate "Bad Girl"
This is the popular name of the ship, since no one knows its exact name ..
A certain captain appeared in the waters of the Caribbean archipelago, who robbed ships, leaving only two witnesses: one without eyes, the other without a tongue ... Apparently in order to terrify people ... I must say that the "couples" succeeded in this with a vengeance ... From the words of the "lucky ones" a picture of the attacks was drawn up.
Everything happened in cloudy weather, in the early morning before sunrise, when there was still fog over the water ... The dead silence was broken by girlish laughter penetrating to the bones. It was heard from everywhere, now from one side, then from the other ... From this sound, people's eardrums burst, blood flowed, some of them, unable to endure it any longer, were thrown overboard, while others from panic fear could not move from their place. The frigate approached silently, without firing a single shot. The team of the "girl" took away the cargo, the surviving people, and also quietly set off, leaving two witnesses ... No one saw more captured people and did not hear anything about them ...
Apparently, the pirate captain made a deal with Lucifer himself, who got the souls of people ..

the most majestic name
battleship "Sentence"
The captain of this pirate ship was a man of honor, so he always gave his victims a choice - to surrender, and then they would be given life, or to fight and then let the Devil judge them ... By their actions, people themselves signed the Sentence

Most profound title
Bombardier ship "Bell"
The motto of this ship is: "Ringing it is not for him"
The ship was created specifically to fight against coastal fortifications, equipped with the most powerful and long-range guns.
When a "ringing" was heard from one of the sides of this ship, it could mean only one thing - for a long time the fateful volley would echo in the ears of the survivors.
the name of the ship was given by Peter I during the construction of the Azov fleet

Frigate "Cerberus".
For a long time, the pirate island of Bermuda has been a haven for corsairs. But this skeleton did not have a strong defense in the form of a fort or other fortifications. Its only protection was numerous rocks and reefs. But over time, maps of this island were drawn up and in calm weather these natural obstacles no longer posed a danger. A large number of pirate ships were sunk off the coast of Bermuda by English and Spanish squadrons. The corsairs were in deep despair and even wanted to leave this island forever. And in these most difficult times for them, the black frigate under the banner of the Jolly Roger single-handedly began to resist all the ships trying to attack the Pirate Settlement. Like a ghost, he emerged from the mist and crushed his enemies. This ship has always stood guard over the island of Bermuda, like a watchdog, it did not let any enemy near the island. The crew of this ship was numerous, characterized by incredible rage and bloodlust. At the head of the team was their captain and two lieutenants loyal to him. For this, the corsairs dubbed the black frigate the name "Cerberus" in honor of the three-headed dog with a snake's tail, and on the back of the head of snakes. Just like the mythical dog guarding the exit from the kingdom of the dead Hades, so this frigate stood guard over the pirate island.

Battleship "Shakespeare".
This battleship is the flagship of the English squadron of Jamaica Island. In the entire Caribbean Sea, and indeed beyond its borders, there is not a single ship that could compare with it in terms of firepower or speed. He was named "Shakespeare" after the English playwright William Shakespeare. Each of the battleship battles was a work of art, and "Shakespeare" was the author of these works. When you watch his fight, one of William's dramatic plays immediately comes to mind. Just as sad, but still great.

Schooner "Black Widow".
After the death of a famous pirate in an unequal battle with Spanish battleships, his wife, being the daughter of a captain and familiar with maritime affairs firsthand, is a desperate and brave woman, having sold her house and all property, buys a schooner, and having hired a team of brave men, goes to sea to take revenge murderers of her husband

Schooner "Alkonavtika".
This name was given to the ship for the wild addiction of its captain and crew to rum, wine, ale, well, by the way, to all liquid substances that have alcohol in them. It was impossible to see the personnel of this ship without drinking. Not a single corsair can remember when at least one member of the crew of the Alkonavtika was sober, or at least hungover. Even the ships of England or Spain do not attack them when they meet them on the high seas. For the friendly attitude of these pirates to others, they became welcome guests on all the islands that pirates were allowed to swim on.

Brig "Horizon".
Being a philosopher, the captain of this ship often liked to meditate on board his ship, looking at the sea stretching across the horizon. He said that at the most inopportune moment, a ship belonging to any nation could appear on the horizon. Whether he was friendly or hostile to the captain was not known. And this circumstance did not depend on anyone except God alone. For the mystery and unpredictability that the horizon combined, it was decided to call this brig "Horizon" by that name.

Frigate "Zodiac"

No one knows where he came from and where he was built, since his mizzen wore slanting sails, which made him even faster. Attacking exclusively at night and even in a storm, he did not leave anyone a single chance for salvation. Rumor has it that after his appearance, Morgan himself began to feel uncomfortable in the archipelago.

Corvette "Angels tears"
It got its name after the tragic story that happened to one corsair
For a long time, one fearless, daring and noble corsair on his corvette "Sword of the Apocalypse" terrified the entire Spanish coast of the New World. From Belize to Kumana, in every city, in the squares and in the taverns, there were signs with the promised reward on his head. But they could not catch this "El Diablo" in any way. And yet somehow he fell into a trap arranged for him. Having withstood a terrible battle with superior forces and miraculously remained afloat, the Sword of the Apocalypse, almost completely broken, with the remnants of the team, headed to its lagoon to lick its wounds, but a fierce storm broke out along the way. With the last of their strength, struggling with the elements, the already wounded team did everything possible to save their beloved ship. Realizing that all efforts were in vain, the captain ordered: - Everyone in the boats! Leave the ship! - The team rushed to fulfill the order, and soon the boat with the surviving sailors began to move away from the sinking corvette. And only after moving a certain distance, the sailors suddenly noticed that the captain was not with them. And the captain, standing on the bridge, looked at the sea and, together with the ship, plunged into the water. Soon the sea completely swallowed the ship.
- A real captain never leaves his ship - said the boatswain. - But we must survive.
They managed to get to the land and for a long time in the taverns the surviving sailors retold this story and swore that when the last klotik disappeared through the water, they saw an angel in the sky.

Longboat "Daring and Beautiful". The captain of this ship considers himself the most daring pirate of the Caribbean, and his longboat - the most beautiful ship of all times and peoples. I thought ... Until one day I ran into the open sea with the Golden Fleet of Spain. The pirate was daring. The boat was beautiful.

Manowar "Leviathan". This masterpiece was built by the British at the shipyard of the city of Portsmouth. The best shipbuilders of the state participated in its creation. A huge amount of money has been invested. The construction of the ship was very difficult and slow. And the result ... fully justified itself. And Leviathan was born. A vessel of unprecedented power and beauty. Manowar was sent to the Caribbean to reinforce the British naval forces. And soon became the strongest ship in these waters. It's not even a ship, it's a force of nature that degrades a person. Sea monster. Leviathan.

Corvette "Shaving Water". This ship belongs to one of the most dangerous pirates in the Caribbean. A man called Raven. No one knows the true history of this ship, except for the captain himself. It is known that the Shaving Water is the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Not one ship can match it in speed. When people see how a corvette plows the sea, it seems that the ship is shaving the water. Like a sharp razor it cuts through the waves.

Frigate "Beloved". The captain of this ship, Nicholas, was a privateer in the service of France. He honestly and devotedly served his power, carrying out the most difficult assignments of the governor of island N. At one of the audiences with the governor, he met his daughter, charming Jacqueline. Soon the girl was kidnapped. But Nakolas found and snatched Jacqueline from the clutches of scoundrels. Nicholas and Jacqueline fell in love and wanted to get married. But Jacqueline's strict father forbade the wedding until Nicholas became rich and famous. Nicholas accepted these terms. And thanks to his determination and courage, he soon received the title of baron and the rank of admiral of the French fleet. And the governor had no choice but to marry his only daughter to a privateer. And there was a wedding. No one in the Caribbean has ever seen or heard such a wedding. Even the famous Versailles faded. And in honor of this event, the governor gave his son-in-law a magnificent frigate. Without thinking twice, Nicholas named it "Beloved" in honor of his beloved wife.

Caravel "Circle of Life". Lions are predators. They eat antelope. Antelopes are herbivores, they eat grass. The lions die and grass grows in that place. The antelope eats this grass. And this means that all life is closed in a circle. Circle of life. Back in the 17th century, this was noticed by one scientist and researcher who studied nature South Africa. And on the same day, he named his caravel "Circle of Life".

"Pandora" Possessing the divine flame stolen by Prometheus, people stopped obeying the celestials, learned different sciences, and got out of their miserable state. A little more - and they would have won complete happiness ...
Then Zeus decided to send punishment on them. The blacksmith god Hephaestus fashioned the beautiful woman Pandora from earth and water. The rest of the gods gave her: some - cunning, some - courage, some - extraordinary beauty. Then, handing her a mysterious box, Zeus sent her to earth, forbidding her to remove the lid from the box. Curious Pandora, barely having come into the world, slightly opened the lid. Immediately all human disasters flew out of there and scattered throughout the universe.

So the appearance of my "Pandora" on the horizon promised only grief and disaster to careless merchants

Corvette "Black Scorpio" (Black Scorpion)
Powerful and swift, he appears from nowhere and disappears into nowhere, like a scorpion, he hunts down his victims and attacks like a ghost, leaving them no chance. When they realize what is happening, it is already too late - their fate is sealed...
This ship and its captain appeared in the Caribbean Sea to avenge... To avenge a beautiful girl whose life ended so quickly in the dungeons of the Holy Inquisition. The unquenchable thirst for revenge enveloped the soul of the young captain so much and enslaved his mind that he stopped seeing the world in any other colors than black and killed ... He killed without looking back, and indiscriminately, killed in order to kill. His ship, a magnificent corvette - swift as a panther, powerful as a lion and dangerous as a scorpion... Black Scorpion...

Schooner" Weightlessness"
At that time, weightlessness was not known, ships did not fly into space, but there were magnificent sailboats, an endless ocean and endless love, the fire of which swelled even more under the fresh sea breeze. Two people, two halves of one heart were now in the same captain's cabin, and their ship, as if on wings, as if weightless, raced into the sea, towards infinity ...

Frigate " dead water"
A terrible pirate ship that seems to have gathered on board the most notorious thugs from all over the Caribbean archipelago. The captain of the ship, devoid of any compassion, and his heart must have long ago turned into a hard, cold as marble, stone. At the sight of this ship on the horizon, sailors preferred to jump into the sea before meeting it face to face.
After themselves, these pirates do not leave a single living soul, and dump all the bodies into the sea... The water in these places will remain dead for a long time...

Manowar "Judas"
It was a huge manowar, which was part of the Spanish punitive expedition in the New World. He brought many troubles to the enemies of the Spanish crown. This powerful ship has become a terrible weapon in the hands of the Holy Inquisition.
But once, sailing away to carry out another assignment to Bermuda, "Judas" never returned ... What happened to him, no one knows to this day ...

Frigate " transcendentis" ("Overflowing") lat.

The ship lived up to its name, instilling confidence in its crew and terror in the opposing team.

Corvette" Grin"- a huge wolf's head with a terrible grin was made on the bow of the ship.
Only her appearance terrified cowardly merchants and made even experienced warriors tremble.
In combination with excellent performance and a team shifted to the full head, led by the captain, for a long time sowed terror throughout the archipelago.

Frigate " black revenge", the horror of all sailors, huge guns and a bunch of skeleton pirates who survived their lives. Both lugger and battleship fear him. He takes a speed of 19 knots in seconds, 2 hundred guns of 48 caliber, well, how not to be afraid of him? .. "