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What did it mean when pirates flew black flags?

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The black flag and the various menacing devices that accompanied it were a simple, brutal warning: surrender or die. read more

The black flag and the various menacing devices that accompanied it were a simple, brutal warning: surrender or die. Some pirate prisoners reported that, if a targeted vessel resisted or failed to surrender promptly, the pirates would haul down their black flag and raise a red one instead, meaning no mercy. read more

Other pirates chose to fly a black flag. Black, of course, has long been associated with death, and black flags were often flown at the time by ships containing plague victims, as a warning to stay away. read more

Red and black have two different meanings. A French flag book from 1721, containing colored engravings of both black and red pirate flags, labeled the red flag as “flag called no quarter.” Captain Richard Hawkins confirmed this meaning in 1724. His pirate ship flew the black Jolly Roger when he was willing to give quarter and the red banner when he wasn’t. read more

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Further Research

Famous Pirate Flags
owlcation.com

The Pirate Empire: Pirate Flags
thepirateempire.blogspot.com

The Ultimate Pirate Branding Symbol
www.ancient-origins.net