Ep 1. What is a Pirate?

In the premiere of The Real History of Pirates, we delve into the question, "What is a Pirate?" Throughout history, there have been many different definitions of piracy and pirates themselves. This episode aims to uncover the true essence of piracy and what drives individuals to become pirates.

The episode starts by exploring the origins of piracy and how it emerged as a result of trade and transportation on the sea. We learn about how trade routes were established and how pirates took advantage of these routes to plunder valuable cargo. As piracy became more profitable, it became more widespread, and over time, it grew to be a major threat to maritime trade.

The episode also gives us a glimpse of the life of a pirate by sharing some of the stories of famous pirates like Blackbeard and Anne Bonny. We learn about how their actions impacted the lives of sailors and merchants, and the fear they struck in people's hearts when they saw the skull and crossbones flag flying high on a pirate ship.

Furthermore, the episode takes us through the legal framework of piracy, which changed dramatically over the years. Initially, pirates were deemed to be criminals and punishable by death. However, over time, piracy became more acceptable, and pirates were even given letters of marque by countries to conduct piracy on their behalf. This became a legal form of piracy, but as we see later in the episode, it caused many problems and often resulted in pirates turning against the very countries they were commissioned by.

Towards the end of the episode, we learn about the different types of pirates that existed throughout history. There were the buccaneers in the Caribbean, the corsairs in the Mediterranean, and the privateers that operated worldwide. We also learn about the motivations behind piracy, which were often driven by poverty, greed, or adventure.

Overall, the first episode of The Real History of Pirates provides a comprehensive overview of the world of piracy. From the origins of piracy to the legal framework and the different types of pirates, the episode covers all aspects of this fascinating subject. It's a great starting point for anyone interested in learning more about pirates and their impact on history.