The Code of the Underworld

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Pirates may look like the ultimate outsiders. Lawless, dangerous and answerable to nobody. But a pirate ship could not survive without rules. There had to be agreement over food, pay, discipline and what happened when someone was injured. In a world beyond the reach of government, trust was what kept the crew together. In this episode, Mary-Ann Ochota explores the hidden codes that hold criminal worlds together. Pirate historian Rebecca Simon reveals that the real pirate “code” was not a Hollywood fantasy, but a set of articles that governed life on board. They set out how spoils were shared, how decisions were made and what happened when someone broke the rules. Even Blackbeard, one of…