Black Sails X Oceans Brawl By Cœur De Pirate

I've been wondering about Urca de Lima's true story for a bit, and after reading some pirate history I thought it was the Hampton Court.

I'm greatful for this explanation, it's very interesting to me to know all these details about those magnificent ships they used to have (also, I'm not very skilled in history, so...if someone else offers their researches it's way better lol).

thank you!

The Man O'War

One of the mysteries of Black Sails is where the Spanish man o’war captured in season 1 vanishes to after Captain Flint and his crew return to Walrus…but another mystery is exactly WHAT is this ship. I’ve seen her referred to as a frigate, but now that I’ve captured a good screenshot (season 2, episode 4), that this is definitely no frigate.

The man o’war has three full gun decks. Counting gun ports, it looks like each has approximately fifteen guns, plus a short gun deck back aft near the main deck. This averages to 45-49 guns per broadside, which makes this grand bitch not just a ship of the line, but a first rate ship of the line. That's the age of sail equivalent of a battleship! Take a look at the gif below of the man o’war savaging Walrus and Ranger.

(Frankly, if she was a frigate, I don't think Flint would've worried much; Walrus has the throw weight of a sixth rate frigate and would've stood a good chance; with Ranger along, they would've been just fine and no one should've panicked.)

So, what ship is this? The Urca de Lima was a real ship, though Urca was only a nickname for Santissima Trinidad, and she was part of a combination of two flotillas that made up the 1715 Treasure Fleet. This fleet consisted of eleven ships, of which at least two were ships of the line.

The first was ex-Hampton Court, a British built third rate ship of the line of 70 guns that was captured by the French then sold to the Spanish. Sources say that she was renamed Nuestra Señora del Carmen, but contemporary sources such as the governor of Jamacia, Archibald Hamilton indicate that this was a separate ship and the flagship of the second part of the fleet. (More on that in a moment.)

The second confirmed ship of the line was the French Griffon, which was the one and only survivor. (Cool fact: the captain of this ship was also likely the informant who gave Hamilton his information).

The third ship is the mystery ship that brought up the rear of the formation. This ship is harder to place, and was either a different "massive war galleon" or Nuestra Señora del Rosario, a third ship of the line. This may have been a third rate or fourth rate ship of the line, but sources make it very hard to tell. Given that the wrecks that have been found have never been positively identified, it's even harder to determine which ship was which.

Back to Black Sails. Historical evidence says that there wasn't a first rate ship of the line in the 1715 Treasure Fleet, but the show does also indicate that the Urca was traveling alone, so a bit of dramatic license says that we've got a first rater along for the ride. It's far from outside the realm of possibility, given the contemporary evidence that the Spanish definitely did use ships of the line as escorts for treasure ships.

I think it's safe to say that the ship isn't Hampton Court, however. An ex-British officer like James Flint would 100% recognize Hampton Court, who would've been captured (1707) after he left England but was a distinctly British design. Additionally, the characters continuously refer to her as a Spanish man o'war, which indicates she's Spanish-built.

Spanish-built ships of the line with three decks have 94 guns or greater. Until 1700ish, they frequently were referred to as galleons, a term that faded out of use and was replaced by navíos. If I'm going to be a real history nerd, Spain didn't really have a three deck ship of the line in this era; they'd scrapped the only one they had in 1705, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción y las Animas. But prior to scrapping, this ship was sent to the colonies to harass settlers around Panama, so she was on the right side of the world in the early 18th century.

Historically speaking, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción y las Animas (Our Lady of the Conception and of Souls) is the best candidate for the Man O'War in Black Sails.

In-universe speaking, that big bitch is a three deck, first rate ship of the line of somewhere between 94-100 guns, just based on the number of gun ports and the mincemeat she makes of two ships at the same time. Why did she vanish? Probably because it'd be hard as hell for anyone to beat Flint if you let him keep that ship, and Woodes Rodgers would've had a much harder time taking Nassau when she was protected by a ship of the line.

Have you seen this post before? Probably a close cousin of it. Dimwit me deleted my tumblr and had to remake it.

Additional sources:

1715 Treasure Fleet Information

Ship resting places, armament, and educated guesswork

Archibald Hamilton's information

I was on pinterest and this detail (first image) of a bigger painting (second image) named 'The Jolly Boat' by Albert Lynch caught my eyes, 'cause it reminded me so much of that scene (third and fourth images) with Flint and Miranda on the run from London.

Now seeing the whole painting I can see the man is not looking behind but to the ship they are going towards (in the detail it wasn't so clear since there is also some land visible in the background), but still there's something in the facial expression of the two which definitely make me think about them. Something in the way the man looks haunted and the woman looks emptied, and they still are so close to one another...

It's so beautiful. Just like Flint and Miranda's relationship is to me.

Swan Queen Spring Break Week 2021 Master List:

The compiled works of Swan Queen Spring Break Week 2021:

DAY 1: Sunset/Sunrise

deathnotelu

Art – “Operation Cobra”

https://deathnotelu.tumblr.com/post/646328347472871424/morning-at-grannys-prompt-sunrise-for-swan-queen

Defying_Expectations

“Please Don’t Take My Sunshine Away”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30284415

Italymystery

Art – Inspired by the movie Ladyhawke

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30180240

KizuRai

“Sunset”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74346711

LZClotho (LZielinsky)

“We Meet Between Sunset and Sunrise”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30180042

misseliza23

“Dungeons and Dates”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30184044

MissSwen108

“The Sunset Date”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30177729

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13845207/1/SQ-The-Sunset-Date

Noname_Kat

“in love with the sunrise”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30184857

Theirseyes

“Once Upon A Spring”

English https://archiveofourown.org/works/30178944/chapters/74355135

Italian https://efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3969015&i=1

Art https://twitter.com/theirseyes/status/1373730296361840641?s=21

Waknatious

“Sunrise: A Swan Queen Scene”

https://waknatiouswrites.tumblr.com/post/646283699488473088/sunrise

WickedHeadache

“You’ll Be the Evil Witch and I’ll be the Princess”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30183639/chapters/74368491

DAY 2: Bloom/Gloom

KizuRai

“Bloom”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74346861

LZClotho (LZielinsky)

“Gloom and Bloom”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30191931

misseliza23

“Or Forever Hold Your Peace”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30206202

MissSwen108

“A Blooming Romance”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30201009

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13845991/1/A-Blooming-Romance

Noname_Kat

“gloom on the grave”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30200940

Theirseyes

“Once Upon A Spring” (Part 2)

English https://archiveofourown.org/works/30178944/chapters/74405184

Italian https://efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3969181

-------

DAY 3: Party/Picnic

Italymystery

“Picnic Enchanted Forest Style”

Art https://archiveofourown.org/works/30221265

KizuRai

“Picnic”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74482308

LZClotho (LZielinsky)

“The boss’s girlfriend”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30199827

MissSwen108

“SQ Royal Matchmaking Party”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30219555

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13846610/1/SQ-Prompt-Royal-Matchmaking-Party

Theirseyes

“Once Upon A Spring” (Part 3)

English https://archiveofourown.org/works/30178944/chapters/74461059

Italian https://efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3969403

------

DAY 4: Working/Relaxation

Italymystery

“Duty First and...Pleasure”

Art https://archiveofourown.org/works/30241959

KizuRai

“Relaxation”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74532072

LZClotho (LZielinsky)

“Leaping Leprechauns”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30244362

misssliza23

“Let me help you (out)”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30245514

MissSwen108

“First Comes Duties Then Comes Relaxation”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30247542

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13847492/1/SQ-One-shot-First-Comes-Duties-Then-Comes-Relaxation

Theirseyes

“Once Upon A Spring” (Part 4)

English https://archiveofourown.org/works/30178944/chapters/74525907

Italian https://efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3969629

---

DAY 5: Rainbow/Rainy Day

Aponi_Aquene

“A Rainbow after the Storm”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30312183

Italymystery

“Open Day”

Art https://archiveofourown.org/works/30261840?view_adult=true

KizuRai

“Rainy Day”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74593629

MissSwen108

“A Rainbow Day”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30271167

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13848230/1/A-Rainbow-Day

----

DAY 6: Breakfast/Late-night snack

Aponi_Aquene

“Strawberries and Cream”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30324741

Italymystery

“Unexpected late night visit”

Art https://archiveofourown.org/works/30284085

KizuRai

“Late-night Snack”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74642040

Theregalunicorn

“Foraging”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30264744

-----

DAY 7: First Date/Anniversary

Italymystery

“Happy Anniversary My Love”

Art https://archiveofourown.org/works/30301788

KizuRai

“Anniversary”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30176154/chapters/74695683

LZClotho (LZielinsky)

“A Year to Know We Want More”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30319065

queststar

“A date of anniversaries”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30259233

SPECIAL EDITION: DAY 1-7

DelicatePoem

“a kiss caught in the rain (this is how it goes)”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30312318

😏😏

I completely agree. It may seem sudden and it surely is unexpected, at least it was for me, but once you know it you finally can put all the pieces into place and that's just wonderful. I love this show for this thing they do of leaving nails all around and then giving wire to connect them all.

And yeah, that episode is not only a great work speaking about directory and scenes and all, but is also what definitely caught me in the Black Sails' web. Sure, the show has a lot of interesting point and themes that keep you into it, but making the main character bisexual in a pirate show and making of his lost love the cause of his whole fight and rage? Well, let's just say that their braveness was definitely rewarded. Absolute geniouses.

one time I looked up the ratings of each episode of black sails. I expected to see s2e5 near the top, but I wasn’t exactly surprised when it was actually at the bottom (free us from the clutches of homophobia man). I read some of the comments and they were saying that the reveal felt out of nowhere. Okay, so actually you just have no media literacy skills. For me, the revelation made so much sense that I experienced something akin to ascension. I felt I had unlocked all of the knowledge there was to unlock. My whole engagement with the show changed. That thing that had been bubbling under the whole time, in every interaction between Miranda and flint, in every mention of Thomas, in every display of rage from flint, in each one of his desperate schemes.

I just find it so hilarious that people thought it was out of nowhere? Louise Barnes and Toby Stephens were actually the only two cast members aware of the backstory from the beginning of the show, and you can see it so much in the way they act their characters. So much unspoken, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there. Season 1 ep 7 — that whole altercation they have where he refuses to apologise to England, the way she says ‘if he were here he’d agree with me’, the tension of it all. The note Thomas wrote in the front of their copy of meditations? It’s so obviously not out of the blue, it’s set up so brilliantly so as to evade perception but also to lodge itself in your brain before you even know what *it* is.

Tom Hopper (Billy) said it was the best episode of television he’s ever seen. Literally years later, in a promotional interview for the umbrella academy. I agree wholeheartedly.

saying that it was out of nowhere is just wrong. It’s either a) just a guise for your homophobia or b) a betrayal of your evidently terrible media literacy and critical analysis skills.

When I saw the episode so many things from season 1 finally clicked in to place inside my head. The enigma of Flint, for the first time, began to slightly unravel.

Like, this artist created dolls for all of my favourite characters and I'm discovering them only now. Help!

My Adora and Catra dolls all done<3

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BUT IN SUMMARY: LESBIAN YEARNING!!!

agatha looks at her with so much hurt and restraint.

rio looks at her with so much adoration and yearning.

agatha and rio looks at each other with so much familiarity that with just one look, you could count the centuries they have loved each other.

aubrey and kathryn both played their characters so well *chef’s kiss*

(and don’t forget the music for this edit. pure lesbianism. at its core.)

How true their relationship was. An honest alliance and, as strange as it may feel to define it like this, a disinterested one.

Jack struggle to avenge Charles is really touching to me. Like...for people living like they lived, a loyalty (and a friendship) such as that really is the most precious treasure.

VIII | XIX | XXI | XXII | XXVI | XXVII | XXIX | XXXV

and that… that can make you do unspeakable things

10 YEARS OF BLACK SAILS (2014–2017) – Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine