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Does anybody know what a femaie pirate would have worn pre 1600, I have just joined a pirate ship in the SCA and would like to do a period costume. Any help would be great?
Thanks, Arline
Thanks, Arline
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Sun, January 14, 2007 - 12:56 PMThere were a few female pirates (Anne Bonny,Granuaile O' Malley, Mary Read), but most dressed like men both for diguise and practicality (Google some images). It was considered bad luck to have a women on a ship, so owmen involved with pirates would have been prositutes or tavern wenches; I would suggest dressing as a travern wench, which would give you a of historical diversity and fun looks . . . -
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Sun, January 14, 2007 - 1:09 PMNo freakin' clue, however, I do have friends in odd places. This might be a place to ask for information:
www.piratebrethren.com/forum/
While their area of focus postdates the SCA, someone might be able to point you at some resources. -
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Sun, January 14, 2007 - 5:03 PMFrom what country? How far pre-1600? Officer or general crew? There would be no distinction between what a regular sailor would have worn and a pirate. The only period depictions of O'Malley that I've seen show her as a gentlewoman, which indeed she was. Captains tended to be gentlemen (in England, Drake, Hawkins, etc.) rather than lowlifes (how else do you afford a ship and get a Letter of Marque?) and crew members were simply hired sailor hands.
Unless somebody sets me straight with some primary sources (I invite it for my own education), I'll assume that having women on board ship as crew simply didn't happen. But, since we're fudging in favour of the concept, it was EXTREMELY rare for women to dress as men, though I could see making some modifications that would make the work of sailing a bit easier, yet retain an acceptable level of femininity. -
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 2:12 PMAt this time anytime pre 1600 is good for me, this is just a fun thing for me with the SCA, I believe our Captain has expressed an interest in the Barbary Coast or the Middle East as her kids are from Tunisia. I really appreciate all the help.
Thanks again, Arline -
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 6:21 PMI've recently been looking into historically pirate garb/gear for myself... As most of the best info is on the Golden Age of Piracy (GAoP for short), which is generally taken as 1680 to 1730, it is post period for the SCA... But I have come across a great number of references to pirates and piracy of earlier times...
For barely pre-1600, there is Sir Francis Drake and/or the Elizabethan Sea Dogs (google searches on these terms should give you a lot of info and references for more in depth info)...
If you go back further in time, as long as there has been boats there has been piracy as someone else said in this thread.. there is mention of pirates and piracy right back to ancient Rome and Greece... The Vikings of the 8th to 11th century were basically pirates.
As for women pirates... best suggestion is dress as a man who is a sailor of the appropriate period or just dress in appropriate female garb for whatever period/time/place you decide on.
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 6:24 PMOoops.. forgot one thing I meant to mention..
Most of the information you will likely find on Barbary Corsairs will be 19th century (1800s) as that is was the heydey of the Barbary Corsairs... they existed much before that (and after that time as well), but most of the readily and easily available information you will find will be for that period...
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Sat, March 3, 2007 - 5:04 AMRydell, here is some reference towards women dressing as men or cross-dressing during the Renaissance (brief summary):
Trintje Simon--Dutch. Spent her life masquerading as "Simon Poort" until killed in battle near Rees. Buried with full military honours.
Trijn Jurriaens--German. Cross-dressing swindler and con.
Isabella Geelvinck--German. Army vet; spent 10 years as a thief in Holland with a uniform fetish (cross-dress)
Aubigny de Mauphine--French. Spent life in drag as flamboyant cavalier, chasing and romancing women and beating knaves. FULL drag, facial hair and all. Popular pressure saved her from being executed for it.
All gotten from "Uppity Women of the Renaissance", Vicki Leon. 1999, Conari Press
Grace O'Malley:
Born 1530 in Connaught, Ireland's west coast to the local chieftain's family. The O'Malleys were an ancient ruling family of Ireland around Clew Bay--including two castles at Belclare and Clare Island, a fleet of ships used already in pirating. Her nickname of "Granuaille" means "bald" and was due to her cutting her hair short like the boys she sailed with. In 1546, age sixteen, she was married to Donal O'Flaherty and moved to his castle at Bunowen. Over the next 20 years she had three children and lost her husband after only a few years of mariage. She then returned to sea and took command of the O'Malley fleet. The most amazing detail about her is her personal meeting with Queen Elizabeth to free her son, who had been arrested for piracy. She succeeded.
Found in "Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates", David Cordingly. 1995, Harcourt Brace Press. Recently re-released.
If anyone wants more detailed information, you can ask me and I'll let you know what I have access to or such. Hope this helps.
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Sun, January 14, 2007 - 5:25 PMIn spite of Hollywood pirates in general dressed like any other sailor.
A good example of pre-1600 English sailor dress can be found here.
www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show...diaFile.2631
Prior to the golden age of piracy about 1690 to mid 18th century pirates and privateers were interchangeable. A pirate was someone working for the other side. IE to the English Drake was a privateer to the Spanish he was a pirate.
Grace (Granuaile) O'Malley is the only woman pirate I know of from pre-golden age.
I know of no contemporary portraits of Granuaile but if I had to guess when on the beach she would probably dress as was fitting for a woman born to Irish nobility. At sea she would most likely dress as any Irish captain of the period as it would be most practical to do so.
On thing to note the skull and bones ( Jolly Rodger) was not used until much later than 1600 and was never worn on a pirates person. Think about it - this would be equivalent to wearing a sign asking that someone please hang you.
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 8:02 AMJust as a general reminder - piracy was not limited to the Caribbean in the 1600's.
The Mediterranean was rife with them. (Remember Pompey's campaign to wipe them out?) Piracy in the Med continued (and continues) to this day.
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 2:13 PMI just wanted to thank everybody for all the wonderful help , and at least now I have some clue as to where to start looking...
Thanks again, Arline -
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Unsu...
Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Mon, January 15, 2007 - 4:48 PMANY time pre 1600s? Because the Greeks and Romans were making use of the pirates in their areas - and that was 300BC...
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Thu, August 7, 2008 - 12:34 AMI'm new and don't know how old this thread is, but I thought some things should be addressed.
A. Hundreds of women Pirates sailed during the Golden Age. Yes, they were originally cross-dressed.
B. Pirates wanted to live a good life, not a long one. The Jolly Rogers is a symbol borrowed from old captain logs; it was used to mark deaths. They were pretty proud people. Believe it or not, they actually viewed themselves as morally superior, which in many ways they were.
Now, if you're interested in a good source on piracy, there's this man. www.post-gazette.com/pg/0620...1-51.stm The article is short, but a good jump off point.
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Wed, August 13, 2008 - 7:02 PMHere's a list of Lady pirates going back to 600 BCE!
www.deadmentellnotales.com/onli...shtml
From what I can tell, they wore whatever pretty things they stole off the boats they ransacked (or the ladies therein. *wink*) -
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Re: Pirate costumes pre 1600
Tue, September 23, 2008 - 6:23 PMIs your ship taking Chinese? you could be Cheng I Sao! Or of close, obviously
But mostly look up sir Francis Drake or the Mary Rose. Sir francis Drake was QE I's patriotic pirate. The Mary Rose was just a regular English ship, ofttimes pirates didn't look much more than regular sailors, especially a woman trying to get by on such a ship.
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