About
About the Pirate Codex
A reference site for people who want to know what the historical record actually says about pirates — their careers, ships, raids, treasures, and the people they sailed with.
Why this exists
Most public material on pirates falls into two camps: cinematic romance written for entertainment, or breathless treasure-hunting that treats every rumour as a verified holding. Neither is much use to a reader who wants to understand who these people actually were, where and when they operated, what's documented and what's legend.
The Pirate Codex is written for that third reader. Each entry treats its subject as a person who lived in identifiable places at identifiable times, with a documented career that can be sourced and a body of legend that can be acknowledged without being asserted as fact.
Editorial stance
- Sourced. Claims are backed by primary documents, scholarly work, or contemporary accounts wherever possible.
- Structurally consistent. Every pirate entry follows the same outline so readers can compare across them.
- Documented vs. rumoured. Treasures known to have been taken are listed separately from those only rumoured; the same applies to careers, fates, and associations.
- Speculation is labelled. Where the historical record is contested, that is stated rather than papered over.
Modern research
Where ongoing scholarship or fieldwork bears directly on an entry, that work is summarised under a "Modern research" section. The Lafitte entry currently carries notes from continuing archeological and archival work in the Gulf region.
Corrections
If something on the site is wrong or out of date, send a note with the source. Corrections are welcomed and credited where appropriate.