Black and bloody flags

The original pirate flags: a black ensign and a red ensign.

The first pirate flags had nothing to do with piracy at all.

Flags are an important part of shipping and sailing, especially before the time of Morse code. Flags, ensigns, banners and pendants spelled out the name of the vessel, its country of origin, its purpose, if it was in distress, if there was sickness and/or death on board. Even today, in the day of modern ships and luxury yachts, flags are still used and are an important part of seafaring life.

In the age of sail, flags were the sole form of communication between ships. They could be seen from long distances and helped identify friend or foe. They also warned of danger, and could be used as trickery. For all of these reasons, pirates adopted first the plain flag, then emblazoned symbols on them later.

Traditionally, the blood red ensign is a sign of infectious illness on board a vessel. Close quarters on ships and incredibly unsanitary conditions allowed such diseases as dysentery and typhus to spread rapidly.

Upon the death of a sailor, a black ensign was raised. This told passing vessels there was death aboard. The body was usually dumped overboard soon after.

It is unclear who, what, when, and why the buccaneers and later the pirates adopted these flags. One tale is a pirate, sailing around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, came upon three British naval ships anchored, each with a red flag flying at the top of the mast. The commander of the ships, seeing an opportunity to press healthy men into service, lured the pirate on board. The pirate managed to escape, and began using the red flag to lure other vessels in close for provisions, then attacking them and either taking the ship or sinking it.

Another idea is the French buccaneers of Tortuga used the red flag as a warning to passing Spanish vessels that they should surrender immediately. If the Spanish fought, they would then raise a black flag to signal that no quarter would be given; any survivors would be killed without mercy.

The main use of pirate flags was to intimidate and instill fear in their potential targets. Pirates didn't want to fight; they wanted the goods to be given up easily. They could not afford the loss of men or damage to their vessel; however if necessary they would unleash fury. You knew you were in trouble when a black flag was raised, and you fought until you died or wished that the pirates would give you some mercy.