Brethren Court

"I convene this, the fourth Brethren Court!"

- Hector Barbossa

The Brethren Court, also known as the Pirate Conclave or Pirate Council, was the formal organization of the nine Pirate Lords and their followers, intended to serve as a ruling council for pirates across the world in matters of emergency.

Structure
"There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime." "And I owe them all money."

- Hector Barbossa and Jack Sparrow

The Brethren Court was led by the Pirate King, chosen by popular vote by the nine Pirate Lords, each lord hailing from a different region spread across the Four Corners of the Earth. This system of election was known to be flawed, as the pirates would commonly vote for themselves, making a decision difficult. The title was non-gender specific, though Elizabeth Swann was believed to be the first female Pirate King.

"''Thats not pieces-of-eights. Thats pieces-of-junk!" "When the Brethren Court was born the lords was flat broke. and pieces-of-eight sound much better than pieces-of-anything-we-happen-to carry."

- ''-Hector Barbossa and Pintel during the fourth brethren court.

Pirate Lords were required to each carry a piece of eight, signifying their status as a member of the Brethren Court. It was initially suggested that the Pirate Lords carry actual silver coins, though the pirates, finding themselves short on money, opted for holding various items and trinkets that would be instantly recognisable and linked to the individual Lord.

Meetings of the Brethren Court were convened by means of a "call" intended to draw all nine Lords to a single location. This call took the form of a sea shanty, Hoist the Colours, known to all pirates.

History
"Advise your Brethren. You can fight, and all of you will die. Or you can not fight, in which case only most of you will die."

- Cutler Beckett

The first Brethren Court was founded around the time of the creation of the Pirata Codex, compiling the Pirate code of the Brethren. The first Brethren bound the sea goddess Calypso in her human form, on the instruction of Davy Jones. The Brethren would convene a further three times before her eventual release.

The fourth Brethren Court was called when the song was sung by convicted pirates and pirate associates at Fort Charles, initially sent forth by Hector Barbossa. The majority of the Brethren assembled in the Pirate Hall on Shipwreck Island, joined later by the recently-resurrected Jack Sparrow and Barbossa, and Elizabeth Swann, who replaced Sao Feng. Barbossa chaired the meeting, noting that the Brethren had not gathered in either his or Sparrow's lifetime.

The Brethren assembled to discuss their course of action against Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company, finally decided following the election of Elizabeth Swann to the position of Pirate King. She elected to go to war, upon which the Pirate Lords agreed. Their nine pieces of eight were burned as part of a ritual that saw the release of Calypso, and the ultimate defeat of Lord Beckett.

Pirate fleet
The fleet of the Brethren Court numbered less than the three hundred ships Cutler Beckett marshalled against it, but it brought together pirate vessels from around the world. The armada that witnessed Calypso's maelstrom included ships as diverse as galleons, ketches, sloops, schooners, galleys and junks. Ching commanded a vast fleet of pirate junks, while Sao Feng's Empress made an appearance, helmed by Tai Huang.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End