“You look familiar to me. Have I threatened you before?»… Is that a scary statement to you? Well, it’s one of the most epic. jack sparrow quotes. The truth is that it is surprising that the famous Captain Jack Sparrow of The pirates of the caribbean Not only is it based on a real pirate, but this is also one of those feared and fierce Barbary pirates. Specifically, an English pirate, John or Jack Ward, who ended up converting to Islam and sailing through the waters of the Mediterranean raiding Christian ships. In his time he was a mysterious character and popularly considered a kind of Robin Hood. But who was Jack Ward “Birdy”, the famous real Jack Sparrow? Today in Supercurious we tell you his story.
Who was Jack Ward, the real Jack Sparrow?
In the universe of piracy, there are many names that have managed to shake us. Blackbeard or Francis Drake are some of them. And there has also been a good place for women. For famous pirates like Anne Bonny, Mary Read or Jeanne de Clisson. But among all of them, special mention deserves Jack Ward. If you have been delighted with the films of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, surely you will have admired the performance of Johnny Depp. Well, this brilliant actor took inspiration from the life of a real life pirate. One who spent a large part of his life whipping the seas and especially the Christian ships. His name was Jack Ward.
The real Jack Sparrow was born in Kent around the year 1553 and it is assumed that, like many young people in that area, he would be employed in fishing and navigation from an early age. Coming from an impoverished family, historians who have immersed themselves in his story narrate that he was a young drink lover, who always complained about his misfortunes, his mediocre fate and also his good fortune. of other men.
The first stroke of luck in Jack Ward’s life would come after the failure of the Spanish Armada in 1588. It was then that he began his career as a privateer. His first steps in the world of navigation would be at the service of Queen Elizabeth I of England. In those times he dedicated himself to harassing and assaulting all the Spanish ships that he found in his path.
But things would begin to change, taking other nuances. The English privateers saw their business curtailed from 1603, lacking the royal license and resorting to looting and enter into illegality. The industry changed completely and his patents were no longer valid. But the reality was that they knew no other way of life. For a while Jack Ward made an effort to lead a regular life. He then returned to the fisheries at Plymouth, eventually enlisting in a Royal Navy fleet operating in the English Channel.
But Jack Ward’s nature was different. The routine overwhelmed him and he just couldn’t stand that lifestyle. The consequences were felt very soon. The real Jack Sparrow deserted, accompanied by thirty other men. Together with this newly armed crew, he stole a small boat and set out on an escape course towards the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
As expected, the real Jack Sparrow was chosen as captain by the rest of the group of defectors. They then began to dedicate themselves to piracy, while they sailed towards Mediterranean waters. In addition, the group was capturing better ships and treasure that made Jack Ward a feared leader. He dedicated himself for years to operating in the Tunisian area. Over the years, as happened with other pirates and corsairs, he ended up converting to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Reis.
His name became a legend for different reasons. His violence and also his leadership skills drew attention among his own. Furthermore, in more specific matters, He is credited with the introduction among the Barbary pirates of the square-sailed ships, typical of northern Europe.
Jack Ward died in 1622 during an epidemic of plague.. Legend has it that during his stay in Tunisia, Jack was obsessed with birds and people ended up nicknamed him Jack Asfour, that is, Jack Sparrow in English or Jack Sparrow, translated into Spanish. It may be that this is where the origin of the famous character comes from, who has become so endearing to many in our era.
What was Johnny Depp’s inspiration to create Jack Sparrow?
Jack Ward is a character that had already appeared in Hollywood pirate movies and is supposed to have inspired Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. According to Johnny Depp, his real inspiration for creating the pirate Jack Sparrow was a painting by artist Paul Karslake. A work in which Keith Richards, guitarist for the Rolling Stones, is portrayed, dressed as a privateer. Depp, who was not sure what image to give Sparrow, was inspired when, while having dinner at Richards’ house, he saw that painting and decided to give him the imposing appearance of the guitarist dressed as a pirate. The pirate who inspired Paul Karslake to portray Richards was Henry Morgan, a Welsh pirate, just like the legendary guitarist, and owner of the ship “The Satisfaction”, almost the same title as one of the greatest Rolling Stones hits.
So, as you will see, probably the relationship between the real Jack Sparrow and the character characterized by Johnny Deep, is not too much. And you, Did you know the story of Jack Ward, the real Jack Sparrow? What do you think of his robbery of a boat? And of his subsequent conversion to Islam? Go ahead and leave us all your opinions in a comment. We will be happy to read you!
And if you liked this article, you may also be interested in knowing which were the most feared pirates in history. Now, if what you want is to navigate in your imagination and feel like you too for a moment, a corsair of the wildest seas, then We invite you to be inspired by this great selection of the best pirate phrases. We are in a next super curious article!