Pirate
Armed groups who attack ships at sea to seize goods without state authorization, and the act itself. Their Caribbean and Atlantic activity in the 17th and 18th centuries is the best-known period.
During the Age of Discovery, pirates likely kept parrots on board not as pets but as merchandise. With their vivid colors rare in Europe and ability to mimic human speech, parrots could be sold for high prices.
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Pirate earrings were practical, not decorative. Precious metal earrings covered funeral costs upon death and were engraved with home port names to return the body. During cannon fire, wax attached to earrings was used as earplugs to protect hearing.
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Pirates may have worn eye patches for more than just injuries. Since they had to fight while quickly moving between the bright deck and the dark below, they may have used eye patches to keep one eye pre-adapted to darkness.
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After her husband's execution, French noblewoman Jeanne de Clisson became a pirate, naming her flagship "My Revenge." She attacked French ships, killing most crew but sparing a few to carry her message to the king—earning the title "Lioness of Brittany."
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After her husband's death, Zheng Yi Sao of the Qing dynasty commanded a pirate fleet of ~400 ships and 40,000–70,000 crew—dwarfing Blackbeard's 4 ships and ~300 men. She negotiated full amnesty and retired, perhaps the most successful exit in pirate history.
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