logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2023
43m 27s

The Pirates' Code

History Hit
About this episode

How common was it for a pirates to walk the plank? Was there a lot of rum? And were relationships allowed on ships?


Kate is joined by Rebecca Simon, author of 'The Pirate's Code' to find out about the codes that pirates had to live by.


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Joseph Knight.


Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.


For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. 

Up next
Jul 8
The Power of Medieval Gossip
People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip' come from?Joining Kate today to gossip about all things medieval gossip is the wonderful Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister po ... Show More
34m 25s
Jul 4
Royal Sex: Queen Victoria
With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex) life?To examine Victoria's diaries, her passionate relationship and her society's attitude to sex, Kate is joined for this speci ... Show More
47m 34s
Jul 1
Why Were Ancient Dicks So Small?
Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us.From quarrying the stone to chipping away the final touches on your masterpiece - sculpting is a drawn out process. So why, after possibly years of work, did Ancient Greek artists ... Show More
35m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
The Real Pirates of the Caribbean
Throughout the late 17th and early 18th Century, the waters of the Caribbean were crawling with pirates. Stories about swash-buckling buccaneers, and insatiable treasure-seekers haunted the tropical islands, as navies tried in vain to put a stop to their reign of terror. But who ... Show More
59m 38s
Nov 2021
Introducing: Real Pirates
New Noiser Release. Starting today, unpack the epic dramas of history’s most infamous buccaneers. Real Pirates takes you right into the heart of the action with immersive storytelling and pulse-racing tales, charting the lives of the legendary men and women who roamed the oceans. ... Show More
48m 23s
Jun 2024
Women Pirates of the Caribbean
Anne Bonny and Mary Read were pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the early 18th century. For both of them, piracy offered a chance at a freedom otherwise disallowed to women. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb learns more about Bonny and Read fro ... Show More
46m 30s
Dec 2022
Pirates 13: Dead Men’s Tales
Hollywood adores the loveable rogue. Pirates are often depicted as wisecracking, kind-hearted individuals who set out for treasure but inevitably do the right thing. In the end, he usually gets the girl and the treasure. Pirates. The word itself hints at a story. And in our final ... Show More
27m 35s
Feb 2023
Cracking the code
This week, let's add a chapter to our history books because this episode of Thick & Thin is dedicated to Elizebeth Smith Friedman –– America's first female cryptanalyst. As a literal codebreaker, she busted drug smugglers and helped derail Nazi spies but never got the recognition ... Show More
54m 38s
Aug 2021
Blackbeard the Pirate
In the early 18th century, one man makes his name as the most notorious pirate of all time. The legend of Edward Thatch has spawned television shows, novels, and major motion pictures. Stories abound of his wild eyes striking fear into enemy hearts, of the six pistols strapped to ... Show More
59m 36s
Jul 2022
Pirates 1: A Pirate’s Life
From sailing the high seas and buried treasure to swilling rum, pirates represent a lot about the human spirit. Through the centuries, we’ve fallen in love with adventure, danger, and exploration. In season 2 of Grim & Mild Presents, we take a swashbuckling, narrative journey int ... Show More
29m 9s
Mar 2022
Queens of the High Seas
Yo-ho, a pirate’s life for she! Legends of Blackbeard and movie buccaneers like Captain Jack Sparrow give us the impression that piracy was a man’s world. But historians and the Nat Geo book Pirate Queens: Dauntless Women Who Dared to Rule the High Seas are righting the ship. Joi ... Show More
30m 11s
Jan 2023
Short Stuff: Women Pirates
The Golden Age of Pirates didn’t have just men floating on the high seas. Some women became very successful pirates and today you’ll learn about two of them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
16m 11s