Sailors, Pirates, and PiracyBy: Jerra Miller, Samantha Homan, Alaina Concha, Cris Esparza

Period 2nd

Introduction: sailors Tale • Fabliau • Consisting of a cuckhold(husband of an

adulteress), wife, and a lover • Merchant, wife, and the monk • Deceptive women and profane speaking • As well as questioning the role of marriage, love,

and the church • Believing that marriage was a business deal about

personal gain, rather than a unity of true love

Introduction: Sailors tale • Loyalty upon marriage and brotherhood • The commitment, vows, and oaths are questioned when

the unity of a marriage comes to play • The difference between a true friend and a convenient

friend • How far will an individual go when he/she needs

something in their favor? • When one doesn’t get enough attention, emotionally or

financially, they tend to lie in order to get what they desire • Greed, deception, lies, and no sense of conscience • Piracy- the act of attacking shipping without the sanction

of the government

Life of a pirate • Pirates have been around since 2000 B.C • Most common pirates were the Vikings• They were usually looking for a better life at sea • Some were from the lower classes and were forced

to go by press gangs and pushed into the navy • The press men would revolt and run away, then

find themselves outlaws • They turned piracy for military gold and wealth • They often turned to piracy to survive, in search of

riches or to just experience adventures • It was not like the movies, they lived a miserable

life, they were often drunk and argued all the time

life of a pirate • They usually died of diseases or injuries, shot or

left at sea. Others were captured and sentenced to death

• The quarter master was the most powerful person on board: • He divided the stolen goods among the crew • Was in charge of punishing those who didn’t obey • Was elected by the crew

• They had very strict rules • Modern day pirates are very different from those

of today

Times during pirates • During the medieval times nations did not exist,

people would switch from group to group • Royalty would often travel by ship and pirates

would attack the ships leaving them nowhere to escape

• Since pirates would take over these ships, pirates “ruled”

• It wasn’t until 1228, England tried to execute a pirate

• During the 13th century ships started carrying armed men to fight off pirates

• King John of England enlisted pirates to raid French ships, but then the pirates not only raided the French but the English as well

Times during pirates • King John then went after the pirates’ leader, Eustace the

Monk, but he fled to France and became a mercenary for King Philip II

• Merchants had to pay fees to Eustace or he would attack their ships

• England had a civil war in which Eustace supported the rebels, but the English admiral caught and executed Eustace

• Teutonic Knights, Queen Margaret I of Denmark, and Mecklenberg made pirates sign a treat where they couldn’t be on certain lands. Once treated was signed, merchant ships were raided

• Konrad von Jungingen, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, gathered groups of men to fight the pirates, and majority of the ones who were not killed, had no business afterwards

Role of a pirate • Piracy played a huge role • Reason was due to medieval monarchs not having

the resources to support a standing army or navy • Most of the famous pirates were the Vikings • Pirates acted as resistance to expanding empires

threatening their homeland • These groups were however unorganized, they

were more interested in plundering the ships than supplying the settlers

Role of a pirate • Many of the European ships mainly targeted Spanish

ships, bringing gold from the new world • Government would hire pirates to perform piracy task,

then known as privateers, acting under the sanction of the government

• During the time of peace however, thousands of pirates were left jobless due to the lack of needing to attack opposing empires/ships

• Piracy used to supply Hispaniola (Dominican republic) for resources, the island was mixed with French, Spanish, and English after a treaty was signed to cooperate

• Majority of the pirates only participated in piracy to provide for an honest living

Conclusion• Over all Chaucer didn’t characterize an actual pirate in the Canterbury Tales, instead he just explained and demonstrated personality, traits, and characteristics of the idea of a pirate and demonstrate the struggles of life that they faced during the medieval times.

Works cited • "Analysis of the Tale." The Canterbury Tales: The Sailor's

Tale. N.p., 7 Nov. 2011. Web. 24 Sept. 2013. www.theboredhamiltonproject.blogspot.com

• Wiggins, Grant P. Prentice Hall Literature: Texas : the British Tradition. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson, 2011. Print.

• Bacon, Friar T. Barony of Vativia. A.S. XXXII issue of the Dragonflyre, May 1997. Web. 24 Sept. 2013. www.baronyofvatavia.org/articles/hisfig/pirates.com

• Museum of Unnatural Mystery. N.p., 1998. Web. 24 Sept. 2013. www.unmuseum.org/pirate.htm

• Vallar, Cindy. “The History of Maritime Piracy.” Pirates and Privateers. N.p., 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2013. www.cindyvallar.com/medieval.com