Although they were known to eat boiled leather when really hungry, pirates of the Caribbean also dined on local cuisine, including fish, fruits and plenty chillies.
Over the centuries shipbuilding evolved and by the 18th century shipbuilders succeeded in building faster smalling vessels to serve both navy and mercantile needs.
Queen Elizabeth I of England and Sir Francis Drake had help from an unexpected source when the Spanish Armada was wrecked by the Protestant Wind in 1588.