Inside the Brethren Court

"Inside the Brethren Court"
Publication information
Format	Featurette
Release date	December 4, 2007
Run time	00:10:26:00

Inside the Brethren Court is a bonus feature for home video releases for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, originally released on December 4, 2007, that overviews the Brethren Court as well as each of the Pirate Lords of the Fourth Brethren Court.

Official description

This was the brief description of "Inside the Brethren Court" when the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End DVD/Blu-ray release was initially announced:

Inside the Brethren Court - a closer look at the legendary Pirate Lords and their costume designs, origins and unique personalities

In a description found in the Blu-ray menu for At World's End:

Sure, you know Captain Jack and Hector Barbossa, but what do you really know about the rest of the Pirate Lords who assembled at Shipwreck Cove? Get more in-sight on each of the Pirate Lords in these exclusive profiles.

Sections

Introduction

Made up of the great Pirate Lords, the Brethren Court is what you might call the governing body of pirates. The Pirate Lords' titles are based on the seas on which they hailed. These rogues and scoundrels were the best of the best, or the worst of the worst, depending on who you might ask. The Pirate Lords, hailing from around the world, have all been smart, lucky and ruthless enough to survive and thrive. Entry to this club requires possession of one of the Nine Pieces of Eight. Each captain holds this item close at all times, since it provides entry to this mighty exclusive group.

Ammand the Corsair

Ammand.

Ammand the Corsair, Lord of the Black Sea, was one of the Barbary pirates who flourished during the golden age of piracy. The wealthy caliphs of North Africa, heirs to to throne of Muhammad himself, had vast fleets of well-outfitted pirates, such as Ammand, who would rob bountiful trade from wayward Christian infidels. Many Barbary pirates were one time prisoners and galley slaves who advanced to the upper decks. A pirate who combined his forces with the Ottoman Empire to control the region from Morocco to Turkey and beyond. His Piece of Eight is pewter brandy goblet used by outcast sisters in a Spanish monastery. They was outcast for a reason, and that reason was Ammand the Corsair.

Hector Barbossa

Hector Barbossa.

Hector Barbossa, Lord of the Caspian Sea was first mate on the Black Pearl when Jack Sparrow was captain. Information's his treasure, a bedeviling schemer and horse trader. He tends to honor the Pirate Code only when it suits him. No, he's not one to be trusted. He was the one led mutiny against Jack, and eventually became a Pirate Lord himself. Barbossa's Lord of the largest enclosed body of water on Earth, sometimes called the world's largest lake, known as the Caspian Sea. It borders Russia and Iran, among others. The northern portion freezes in the winter, but during the summer it's hot as blazes. It's also a rich source of caviar, a favorite delicacy of Barbossa. Hector's Piece of Eight? It's kept in a safe place by his crewman, Ragetti. It's the sailor's wooden eye.

Capitaine Chevalle

Chevalle.

From Marseilles, the trading capital of France, the good Capitaine Chevalle, Lord of the Mediterranean Sea, spent years picking off the weak and wealthy trade ships of Europe. Chevalle spent a good bit of his time between the Old World and the French Caribbean colonies. Having crossed paths with Villanueva of Spain, he also plundered the bountiful Spanish treasure fleets returning from Mexico and points due South. His Piece of Eight is the Queen of Spades. The Queen of Spades trumps all others.

Mistress Ching

Mistress Ching.

'Tis true, piracy along the China coast has a long and profitable tradition. Shanghai was the maritime capital and Mistress Ching, Lord of the Pacific, made a comfortable living there. She had hundreds of vessels at her disposal, and ruled with bloody terror up and down the coast of China. Incredible to say, but she was completely without her sense of sight. Her men were notoriously nasty to their victims. They would behead them, just as soon as look at them. Powerful to the end, she was one of the few pirate captains to retire proper. She set herself up in Canton, a wealthy lady. Her Piece of Eight? A pair of spectacles.

Sao Feng

Sao Feng.

The Pirate Lord of South China Sea's mantle was passed down to him from his father. The fierce and battle scarred Sao Feng's name means "romantic warrior". The only man he ever risked his life for was Jack Sparrow. 'Course, Jack repaid him by stealing the hearts of his twin companions. All those loyal to Sao Feng are required to wear the tattoo of the dragon. The dragon's considered to be benevolent and good luck. Even the name of his ship, the Hai Peng, means "flying dragon". With hundreds of ships and thousands of men, the docks and bathhouses of Singapore, he truly is a sleeping giant. The government of China was always real strict about who they allowed their merchants to trade with, and so they made all their traders settle in certain areas, such as Macao. This made it mighty easy to plunder them on their way in and out of port. He holds one of the great keys to a true pirate mystery, the chart that shows the way to World's End. His Piece of Eight was made of silk from the famous silk road, which Marco Polo traveled. And jade, a traditional Asian gem. It's the jade captain's knot.

Gentleman Jocard

Gentleman Jocard.

The little we know of Gentleman Jocard, Lord of the Atlantic Ocean, is that he was an escaped slave who took on the name of his former master. Quite the ladies' man he is. His charming presence clearly masks a sharp and brilliant mind. His home is New Orleans, a port known for its charitable and practical leanings towards piracy. His Piece of Eight is a tobacco cutter stolen from the plantation on which he was enslaved. Some say he took a particular revenge using this very item.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Jack Sparrow.

Captain Jack Sparrow, Lord of the Caribbean. Aye, crazy like a fox he is. Of all the Pirate Lords, he's the quickest to seize the moment and make it his own. Whether by cause or accident is a matter of debate. But the results are the same and always different. Confused? That's just the way old Jack likes it. 'Tis common knowledge he's got the mark of the sparrow on his wrist. The symbol testifies that he sailed in all the oceans of the world many times over. But, he's got another mark, an ancient poem, the Desiderata, it's called. It's tattooed on his arms, chest, and back. His Piece of Eight? He acquired the Moroccan beads from a French lady of questionable reputation. And the coin? An ancient coin from Siam, one of the first two bits he ever pirated. The second bit? Well, he bought his hat with that one.

Sri Sumbhajee

Sri Sumbhajee.

Trading between the Arab world and India goes back thousands of years and has always been fruitful. Pirates sailed these waters and preyed on amply laden merchants. The rich ships of the East India Trading Company also ran through these waters, filled to the brim with booty from the Spice Islands and the Orient. Easy prey for pirates. This is where the Pirate Lord, Sri Sumbhajee, Lord of the Indian Ocean, ruled. Sri Sumbhajee surely had his hands in a number of pots, being both a priest and a Pirate Lord. He had a man to speak for him, an interpreter, not because he couldn't speak many languages, but to mask his naturally delicate and ladylike voice. His Piece of Eight is a snuff box made from calf horn.

Elizabeth Swann

Elizabeth Swann.

There truly is more to Pirate Lord and King Elizabeth Swann than meets the eye. And as the Chinese pirate Sao Feng said, "The eye does not go wanting". She was born a governor's daughter, but she always has been a pirate at heart. When Sao Feng passed on, he handed her his Piece of Eight. It was then she rose to the rank of ship's captain. Doing the title proud, she attended the meeting of the Pirate Lords, and, as you know, was elected king. There be three qualities to becoming the Pirate King. You must be captain of a ship, you must swear by the Code, and you must have killed a man. 'Course, as the newest addition to the Brethren Court, many of her legends have yet to be written and to be told. Miss Swann's Piece of Eight is the jade captain's knot.

Villanueva

Villanueva.

Villanueva of Spain, Lord of the Adriatic Sea, was a privateer who crossed swords with the Barbary Corsairs and purloined trade from European ships from the Canary Islands. His partnering with the Spanish government allowed him a fine retirement of nobility among the European aristocracy. It's clear he crossed paths and swords with Capitaine Chevalle. As they shared an animosity as heated as the one between their countries, Spain and France. His Piece of Eight is the neck of a broken bottle which helped him win a legendary and life-threatening bar fight.

Continuity

"Inside the Brethren Court" is a bonus feature that covers information about the Brethren Court, specifically the Pirate Lords of the Fourth Brethren Court, as of the 2007 film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. However, in subsequent materials following the release of At World's End, some of the information featured in "Inside the Brethren Court" had run into continuity errors or was retconned:

• Sao Feng was said to inherited the title of Pirate Lord of Singapore and the South China Sea from his father. However, in the 2008 book Legends of the Brethren Court: Rising in the East by Rob Kidd, Sao Feng took the title from his older brother Liang Dao.
• Mistress Ching was said to have hundreds of vessels at her disposal, which was originally detailed in the official website, However, Ching had a fleet of thousands of junks in Rising in the East. While unconfirmed, this may not be a continuity error so much as Ching losing ships over the years, due to Rising in the East and At World's End taking place within 10 years.
• Hector Barbossa was said to have led the mutiny against Captain Jack Sparrow as his first mate before becoming the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea, a detail also hinted "at some point in the past" in the "Pirate Secrets Revealed" leaflet. However, this conflicts with other information suggesting that Barbossa was already holding the title of Pirate Lord prior to the mutiny. According to screenwriter Terry Rossio, who previously answered one fan question following the release of At World's End, Barbossa being a Pirate Lord and Jack's first mate was a non-issue, using Long John Silver in Treasure Island as an example. The idea that Barbossa was already a Pirate Lord was further implied in 2009 book Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters, which took place before the mutiny. In the 2011 novel The Price of Freedom by A. C. Crispin, which predates Legends of the Brethren Court, Barbossa was also given one of the Nine Piece of Eight by Boris "Borya" Palachnik.