Piracy has been an iconic event since the beginning of time. Romans suffered attacks from pirates whenthey traveled by sea. The Vikings were some of the most fierce pirates that ever sailed the seas. They looted Europe with wreckless abandon in their powerful sailers. One of the most renown pirates was a looter of the American seas and shore.
His favorite haunt was the waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. His name was Gaspar and he was a native of Spain. He was one of the most successful pirates; Gaspar is credited with capturing over 400 ships from 1789 to 1821. Adopting the nickname Gasparilla, he buried treasure in numerous places throughout the west coast of Florida.
Known as the “Last Buccaneer”, Gasparilla was planning on retiring from a life of piracy. Ironically, on the day he was dividing his treasure among his crew. he spied a fat British merchant ship passing offshore. Gaspar couldn’t resist one last plunder and gave chase. Unfortunately, the merchant ship was really the disguised USS Enterprise - a U.S. Navy warship on a pirate-hunting mission.
Jose Gaspar pulled in close to the ship before realizing, too late, that it was a trap. A spirited battle between pirate and pirate-hunter ensued. Gaspar’s ship caught fire and was about to be boarded. Rather than give up and be hanged for piracy, Gasparilla wrapped a heavy chain around his waist and jumped off the bow of his ship.
While Gaspar disappeared beneath the waves, he was not forgotten, nor was his treasure. Gaspar had left it on shore with some of his trusted crew as he went to attack what he thought was the merchant ship.
After the battle, the crew that remained onshore took the treasure inland and buried it in different places along the coast. None of Jose Gaspar’s treasure has ever been recovered.
For over one hundred years, Tampa Bay has celebrated the memory of Jose Gaspar with a massive parade and festival called the Gasparilla Pirate Fest or Gasparillafest. Over half a million people attend annually. The world’s only fully-rigged pirate ship, the “Jose Gasparilla“, sails up into Tampa Bay accompanied by hundred of small boats. The ship is loaded with pirates, firing cannons, intent on capturing the city.
Each year, the city surrenders and the pirates take to the streets and lead a huge parade with over 120 krewes and their floats winding through downtown Tampa.
Now a reincarnation of Jose Gaspar and his crew have returned and continue to hide more treasure in the Tampa Bay area. Finally, you have the opportunity to find some of his treasure for yourself…
Enjoy a unique family vacation by attending the Gasparilla Festival. It is an exciting and colorful event. Dress as a pirate and enjoy the party. It occurs during the month of January. We appreciate the many Gaspar sites which contributed to this post.
One of the most storied and legendary civilizations in recorded history is that of ancient Rome. Although it was started as a monarchy, the political structure shifted to an oligarchic republic during its span. During a time when empires rarely lasted for than a few generations, the Roman Empire thrived for over a thousand years in various incarnations.
Although there are a myriad of facets that make up the complexion of the society, the military is one of the most important. While Ancient Roman swords and armor would obviously be rudimentary by today’s standards, they were inline with their contemporaries. Along with Ancient Greece—who had a considerable influence on Rome—the two makeup what is now referred to as the “classical period.”
Today children and adults alike are resistant to learning history, and TV and film are often the only ways that they are exposed to the events of the past. The film 300 documents the legend of a particular group of Spartan warriors. The Spartans defended their country, and their people, against the stronger and more numerous Persians. The movie proved that the Davids can beat the Goliaths through sheer determination, skill and bravery.
While many people had heard of the Spartans before the movie, the film rekindled an appreciation for the warriors in their Spartan war helmet and armor. Spartan attire has come to symbolize heroism and courage at its finest. Every kid, or kid at heart, wants to own their own set of armor and wanted to be a Spartan warrior, even if it was just in their imagination.
The term Samurai was first noted in writings of the Eighth Century. The first Samurai were servants. The word, “Samurai,”means retainer. As precarious circumstances developed around the inhabitants of the castle, the Samurai were asked to perform military duties.
They first fought with bows and arrows. As the battles became more fierce, fewer of the archers were seen, because very few possessed the skill to ride and manage to hit their human target. A more accurate weapon was the spear (yari) which was ideal for stabbing a foe to death as well as throwing from the back of a horse.
Confucianism and Zen Buddhism were very strong intellectual influences on the Samurai. The most important ethical demands made by Confuscianism were filial piety and loyalty, both of which were fundamental to the beliefs of the Samurai.
When the famous Samurai sword became the most important weapon of the Samurai, it was not a simple matter of just the mastery of the sword. Confuscianism which was part of the core of the Samurai’s belief, stressed the prowess with the sword combined with the need to serve the master. The sword was to be more than a simple weaspon, it had to be an answer to life’s questions.
In this blog we have written about swords that possess souls, have names, and are an extension of their human bearer. The Samurai sword is perhaps the most soulful weapon of any, and we will explore all the facets of the Samurai and his weapons in weeks to come.
If you know someone who is a history buff, medieval décor would be a great gift for them. If you look online, you can find great selections of medieval inspired art and figurines. From Norse warriors to dragons, there are several resources that have several pieces to choose from.
While some time periods are clearly defined, medieval is a broad term that is used the Middle Ages, which spans over 1,000 years. Because of this, there are literally thousands of distinct accessories that you can use to when outfitting a home to achieve a medieval ambiance. The next time you’re searching for a gift for someone who has their nose buried in the history books, go with something that you’re certain they would enjoy.
A high quality hunting knife is a must-have when you’re out in the wilderness communing with nature. Having one with you will make it infinitely easier to tackle and clean your catch, whether it’s a freshwater fish, a rabbit, or other, larger creatures. But with so many hunting knives out there, how will you know which one works best for you?
Here are a few pointers from hunting experts on choosing a good hunting knife:
1. Ask yourself the reason why you need a hunting knife and what you’re going to use it for.
2. Select one with a handle that provides an excellent grip such as a wood hunting knife. Hunting knife handles are usually made of synthetic, bone or wood.
3. Fixed blade hunting knives generally have stronger blades than the folding type.
4. A hunting knife blade should be 4 to 5 inches long and should be razor-sharp, besides being made of top quality steel.
5. The Clip point, the Drop point, the Gut hook, and the Skinning blades are the four blade types found on most hunting knives. Each has its own advantages and shortcomings.
Exotic and historical items intrigue certain people. They comb shops big and small and near and far to find unique mementos from the past or simply extraordinary pieces. There are those who collect war relics and memorabilia such as soldier hats, dog tags, uniforms, boots and personal accounts of past battles. Others are into medieval weapons and armor. Some have a fascination for glass figurines with their smooth sparkle and see-through simplicity. The privileged few who have the resources—and the means to do so—acquire and restore antique works of art and ornate furniture.
The Internet is a great place to find one-of-a-kind items. Shops with their matching merchandise are plentiful, and can be accessed at your convenience, anytime of the day. The fun lies in the hunt. Get started by typing in the item you covet in the search box, press enter, and presto! A list of sites greets you right away and invites you to explore.
Imaginations have been stimulated for years by the Arthurian legend—a young boy who removed a beautiful sword from a stone and became a magical king. Numerous novels and poetry have been penned about this exciting story. Some of the most well know writings are LeMorte de Arthur, The Once and Future King, and The Idyls of the King.
In the present day many movies have been presented about the legend. Some of the most recent are First Knight, The Mists of Avalon and perhaps the most well known movie of all, Camelot. There are many more movies based on this legend spanning back many years.
What is so inspirational about this early myth? Is it perhaps the belief that there is something bigger and better than our present situation? Or does the myth continue to inspire because the story is magical for everyone? The history includes an honorable leader, a beautiful queen, a magical right hand man and a cabinet of fearless knights.
Merlin, Arthur’s advisor, mentor and Vice President coached him so well that he was so advanced that he could pull a magical sword from a heavy stone. Merlin naturally became King Arthur’s major advisor because the magician made Arthur the King. As his closest advisor, Merlin was capable of turning anyone who disagreed with his King into a frog or even worse–a slimy snake. With Excalibur, Merlin and his band of mighty knights or generals, Arthur could defeat any enemy.
Eventually all good things come to an end. Camelot fell due to corruption from within. Arthur was defeated and the kingdom disintegrated. Although Arthur died and the perfect nation was no more, lore instills the hope that Arthur will someday return.
I certainly would like to live under Arthur’s leadership. If I hear of an individual that pulls a sword from a stone, it would get my attention. I do not think that will ever happen, but if I became aware of any leader who put his nation’s interest above his own political ambitions that act alone will be about as close to Arhur’s leadership as we will ever get.
Like most kids from Generation Y, my conception of medieval and fantasy themes is derived from my video gaming experiences. Growing up there were two distinct sects when it came to the realm of video games; Nintendo kids and Playstation kids. Depending on which side of the divide you fell on, you were probably either a fan of the Zelda series or the Final Fantasy series.
My loyalties were always with Nintendo, and as such I was a devout Zelda fan. I can vividly recall playing the Ocarina of Time video game for the first time and earning the first of the medieval fantasy swords in the game, the Kokiri Sword. While these reminiscences may seem trivial to many, video games are a fond memory for most of Generation Y.
Does your child hate history and think that its study is a waste of time? Most young children cannot understand the reasoning behind studying something that occurred many years ago.
All children seem to love a particular movie or game that has a historical significance, such as The Lord of the Rings, Excalibur, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, or whatever holds your child’s attention. My first venture into attempting to teach my child the value of history was the story of King Arthur and his great sword, Excalibur.
Although this is an allegory and a legend that owes its birth to a poet who wrote the story for Eleanor of Aquitaine, an early Queen of England, it certainly has relevance in this day and time. The magic of an ordinary young boy, Arthur, possessing the power to pull a beautiful jeweled sword from a stone, and in doing so, becoming the King of his country will hold a young child’s attention.
To make the story more entertaining, I bought a replica Excalibur sword. It was made of a material that was safe for a child. The name of the maker of this sword type of sword is Denix. Now latex swords, shields and even helmets are available for purchase.
There are many lessons that a child can take from the story of Camelot. However, there are some lessons that are too mature for a youngster. I read to my son selected stories from Sir Thomas Malory’s edition of Le Morte D’Arthur. There are now many volumes that are directed toward a child.