What is the brethren of the coast?

The Brethren of the Coast were a loose organization of Caribbean pirates and privateers who operated between the 17th and 18th centuries. They were also known as the Brotherhood of the Coast, Buccaneers, and Pirate Republic. The Brethren originated from the French, Dutch, and British colonial territories in the Caribbean, and they plundered Spanish ships and settlements during the era of piracy, which lasted from the mid-1650s to the early 1720s.

The Brethren were known for their democratic organization and codes of conduct. They adopted a system of equal distribution of loot and democratic leadership, where captains were elected by a pirate crew and could be replaced if they did not perform effectively. They were also known for harassing slavers and freeing slaves.

The Brethren had both male and female members, and some of the famous Brethren pirates were Anne Bonny, Mary Read, Calico Jack and Bartholomew Roberts. However, by the mid-1700s, the era of piracy came to an end as nations increased their naval power to protect trade and maritime commerce.

Today, the Brethren of the Coast are remembered as an iconic part of Caribbean history and their legacy lives on through literature and film.