With features on particular pirates such as Blackbeard and William Kidd, the three different pirate codes used in the Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries, and how the pirate code evolved into today's merchant shipping contracts, The Pirate Code illuminates the broader historical and geographical scope of piracy and provides a fascinating introduction to the reality of life on board a buccaneer ship. The book explores the reality of 'honor among thieves' in the context of piracy throughout history, from the pirates of the ancient world, right up to the pirates of today's cargo ships or luxury yachts in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, where organized crime gangs enforce a similar form of sworn loyalty and 'omerta.' The Pirate Code also examines the actions and pirate 'ethics' of less famous pirates and their eras, such as the Japanese Wokou pirates of the 13th-16th centuries and Zheng Yi and his wife's pirate alliance in 19th century China.