A flute.
- "Instead of sending that flute we'll be boarding today to the sea bottom, I could merely capture her, and give her to you, mon ami, to captain for me. Admittedly, she's a bit unwieldy and slow, but one must start somewhere. What say you, Jacques?"
- ―Christophe-Julien de Rapièr to Jack Sparrow
A flute, also known as fluyt and fleut, was a type of Dutch sailing vessel originally designed as a dedicated cargo vessel. Originating from the Netherlands in the 16th century, the vessel was designed to facilitate transoceanic delivery with the maximum of space and crew efficiency. The inexpensive ship — which could be built in large numbers — usually carried 12 to 15 cannons, but was still an easy target for pirates. Nonetheless, the flute was a significant factor in the 17th century rise of the Dutch seaborne empire.
History[]
- "I took a very nice schooner that was carrying fabric bound for Charleston, and then a flute loaded with tea and spices."
- ―Esmeralda to Jack Sparrow
By the early 1710s, flutes were common ships in the Caribbean waters. When the rogue pirate Christophe-Julien de Rapièr escaped from Shipwreck Island, he and his crew attacked and captured a Dutch flute. When the pirates looted her, they slaughtered the crew and left the ship to sink.[1] Five years later, the Pirate Lord Esmeralda captured a flute loaded with tea and spices in the waters of the Bahamas.[2] After the battle of Calypso's maelstrom, some pirates used flutes in their continued war against the East India Trading Company.[3]
Notable flutes[]
Behind the scenes[]
Flutes first appeared in the 2003 video game Pirates of the Caribbean.[citation needed]
The look of the Flying Dutchman was partially inspired by old Dutch "fluyts"—17th-century vessels which resembled galleons—and more specifically, the Vasa, a massive Swedish warship which sank in Stockholm's harbor upon its maiden voyage in 1628 (the ship was salvaged in 1961 and housed in a special museum in the Swedish capital). With its high, heavily ornamented stern, the ship provided a rich foundation for Rick Heinrichs' wilder and more fantastical designs.[4][5]
Appearances[]
- Pirates of the Caribbean (2003 video game) (First appearance)
- The Price of Freedom (First identified as flute)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War
External links[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Price of Freedom, Chapter Eleven: Pirates and Rogues
- ↑ The Price of Freedom, Chapter Fourteen: Hard Bargains
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 IGN: Pirates 2 Exclusive: Davy's Sinister Ship
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 POTC2 Presskit