Jolly Roger

The origins of the flag are unclear. One theory is that pirates of the West Indies in the 1600s identified themselves with a red flag dipped in blood or paint. French sailors called this the "joli rouge," which the English corrupted into "Jolly Roger". The term was subsequently used for the black flag with skull and bones which appeared in use around 1700.

Another theory proposes that the leader of a group of Asian pirates was entitled Ali Raja, "king of sea", English pirates appropriated and corrupted the term.

A further theory is that the name may derive from the English word "roger", meaning a wandering vagabond: "Old Roger" was a term for the devil.

Contemporary submariners of the English and Australian navies use the flag, more as an indicator of bravado and stealth than lawlessness.