Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, is the star of Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, which tells of daring (and sometimes magical) adventures on the high seas. Jack has encountered every imaginable foe, from naval officers to the undead, making his iconic machete the most important part of his adventuring gear.
That said, cutlasses and sabers weren’t the only weapons pirates used during the Golden Age of Piracy. Pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries used primitive grenades and firearms, and sometimes even bombarded opposing ships with heavy artillery.
Jack Sparrow’s weapons from Pirates of the Caribbean
Jack Sparrow began his life aboard Captain Edward Teague’s ship, a man he was unsure if he was his father, but who was a father figure to him regardless. It was on this ship that Jack, along with the other pirates, first learned how to use bladed weapons and how to shoot a firearm.
At the time, guns were powerful but unreliable as they required a slow reloading process and were not particularly accurate, lacking the sights and stabilization features of modern guns.
Jack picks up several weapons during his adventures, most of which are swords.
Light Sword
Jack Sparrow’s rapier is a lightweight weapon with a long, thin blade. Rapiers were heavier at the time than they are today, as they still bear a strong resemblance to a machete, but it was easier for the young Jack Sparrow to wield than a standard pirate’s machete. The sword appears in stories from Jack’s youth, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Rise of the Storm, but is described as rusty in more recent stories.
Bowen’s Machete
As you might have guessed from the name, the sword didn’t originally belong to Jack Sparrow, but to Bowen, a pirate aboard the Bad Girl, which happened to be one of the first ships Jack was given command of after being delegated duties by Captain Morgan. Bowen gave his cutlass to young Jack as a tribute, to show respect for him as a captain despite his youth.
Machete
This unnamed pirate’s cutlass was the first knife that Jack actually owned as an adult. He used it during his service aboard the Mean Girl. Little is known about it other than its appearances in battle in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Hanging Sword
The rapier is a weapon derived from the standard cutlass. This blade is thinner than the standard cutlass, but can withstand more force than the slender rapier because it can still cut. They are mainly used as self-defense weapons, which is why pirates rarely use them on the high seas, but naval officers will often carry them.
Sword of Cortez
The Sword of Cortez is said to be a cursed saber owned by conquistador Hernán Cortez, who is famous for colonizing the Aztecs in real life. Jack Sparrow joins the crew of the Barnacle in their quest to find it due to its ability to alter objects.
Other Weapons Used by Pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy
Swords were not the only weapons used by pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries, as pirates also relied on weapons that could bridge the distance between ships. They were also used to assist them in attacking enemy ships.
Muskets and Pistols
Muskets and pistols existed during the Age of Exploration, but were mostly secondary weapons due to their unreliable accuracy and the maintenance they required. Muskets were shoulder-fired firearms similar to today’s rifles, only less powerful. They had to be loaded from the front of the barrel, which made them slow to use.
Pistols, on the other hand, are also muzzle-loading, so when they are used as personal protection weapons, you really only have a one-shot chance.
Boarding Axe
A boarding axe is a tool designed for cutting through a ship as a counter-boarding measure against an enemy ship. They are also effective at cutting nets and cables, allowing an attacker to effectively breach and board another ship.
Cannon
Cannons were used in both naval and land warfare. Like small firearms, these heavy guns could only fire one shell at a time, but they could be more effective at scale because they were used to shoot at large targets, which made the slow reload worthwhile and made up for their inaccuracy by hitting large targets.
Original Grenade
The concept of hand grenades has been around for centuries, originating from the Greek story of the Great Fire. Centuries later, during the Viking Age, they evolved into explosives contained in glass bottles or pottery. By the 18th century, Napoleonic grenades began to be made of metal and shaped into a sphere with a fuse for ignition.
