Last Updated on 02/18/2024

So here’s the deal: what most Hollywood directors in charge of popular pirate movies don’t tell you is that they didn’t really make people walk the plank back in the days of Blackbeard, Avery or Black Sam – famous pirates that have actually sailed the seven seas. While, on rare occasion, this form of execution was practiced in some forms, it wasn’t until the early 1700s that the phrase was actually used for the first time.

It turns out that pirates considered the idea of making people walk the plank entirely inconvenient, and most never even thought of employing it as a method of executing mutineers or enemies. In most cases, when they wanted to throw someone overboard, they simply did so without much fanfare, and if they also wanted to humiliate their victims or torture them, they had other means as well. Flogging and marooning were some of the main punishments given by pirates to mutineers, while harsher methods, such as “kneehauling,” were also employed in extreme cases, when they really wanted to set an example. In most cases, however, prisoners were kept alive, sold as slaves or held for ransom – a good example of the latter is the case when Julius Caesar himself fell in the hands of pirates during his reign.

So they didn’t really make people walk the plank, just like the pirates in popular stories and movies aren’t actually real, in most cases, or at least not as they’re depicted. But where did the myth arise, and what was its basis? The phrase first appeared in A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, published by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. The book claims that the practice had its roots during ancient times and has since evolved to the form commonly known today. Most primary accounts of people walking the plank are considered to be unreliable, and since the phrase has taken off as a popular concept used by later authors of fiction such as Howard Pyle and Robert Louis Stevenson, many historians consider it likely that pirates later started picking up the practice as a result of its gained popularity, not as the source of it.

A possible root of the practice may have been found during the times of Ancient Rome, when pirates would make their prisoners walk a ladder suspended off the side of the ship. Mentioned by Johnson in his extensive publication, this practice was confirmed by some experts as having been factual, stating that Mediterranean swashbucklers would tell Roman prisoners to consider themselves as “honored guests,” inviting them to walk the ladder and “go free” – as long as they were willing to swim a few hundred miles.

There were some historical accounts of people actually walking the plank, despite their rarity or limited believability. Mutineer George Wood confirmed in 1769 that he and his fellow mutineers had made officers walk the plank, while the pirates who have captured the Vhan Fredericka in 1829 between the Virgin Islands are said to have executed most of the ship’s crew by making them walk the plank with cannonballs tied to their feet.

The Intricate Rituals of Pirate Lore: The Act of Walking the Plank

Throughout the annals of maritime history, few practices have captured the imagination quite like the chilling act of making a hapless soul “walk the plank.” But how did this seemingly barbaric ritual come to be? How prevalent was it really among pirates? And what truths can we uncover from the myths and legends that surround it? Join us as we set sail into the turbulent waters of pirate lore.

The Genesis of “Walking the Plank”

The origins of “walking the plank” remain shrouded in mystery. While pirates are often associated with this ritual, it’s essential to discern fact from fiction.

Historical Records: Contrary to popular belief, very few historical records validate the act’s frequency. The scant documentation often stems from sailors’ tales and accounts that flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Cultural Influence: The vivid depictions in literature and later in cinema magnified the concept. Renowned works, such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, played pivotal roles in cementing the act in the public’s consciousness.

The Mechanics Behind the Act

Let’s dissect the procedure that would typically unfold:

1. Preparation: A wooden plank, often a ship’s board or a spare piece of timber, was extended over the side of the ship.
2. Intimidation: The condemned, frequently bound, would be forced to tread on the plank, usually at sword or gunpoint.
3. The Final Push: Once they reached the plank’s end, either they’d jump or be pushed into the water below.

The Reality Behind the Ritual

There are several considerations that shed light on the actual prevalence and significance of this act:

• Impracticality: Pirates, in essence, were outlaws. They often preferred quicker methods of dealing with enemies or mutineers. Making someone walk the plank was, arguably, a drawn-out process that wasn’t always pragmatic.
• Alternative Punishments: Marooning—abandoning a person on a deserted island with minimal supplies—was a more documented and favored method of punishment.
• Psychological Warfare: The few instances where “walking the plank” did occur might have been driven by the desire to instill fear and establish dominance, rather than a routine form of punishment.

Modern Perception and Pop Culture

This act’s portrayal in movies, literature, and even theme park rides has significantly shaped its modern perception. It serves as a potent reminder of the perilous, unpredictable nature of pirate life and the treacherous waters they navigated—both literally and metaphorically.

The Bigger Picture: Life Aboard a Pirate Ship

Walking the plank, though intriguing, is but a small fragment of the complex tapestry of pirate life. To genuinely understand their world, one must delve deeper into their day-to-day activities, codes of conduct, and the societal structures that governed their roguish existence.

Daily Operations

The life of a pirate was not all about treasure hunts and swashbuckling adventures. The majority of their time was spent maintaining the ship, planning raids, and ensuring their crew’s wellbeing.

Pirate Code of Conduct

Contrary to the unruly image often portrayed, pirates adhered to a set of rules and a hierarchical structure. This “pirate code” covered aspects ranging from the division of loot to dispute resolution methods.

Camaraderie and Betrayal

Life on the high seas was fraught with challenges. Trust and loyalty were commodities more valuable than gold. Yet, betrayals and mutinies were not uncommon, revealing the fragile balance of power and ambition aboard a pirate ship.