Pirates had relationships with other male pirates for protection and companionship. They called it “matelotage,” which comes from the French word for “sailor” or “seaman.” It’s where “mate” (as in “Ahoy, matey!”) also comes from. Pirates enmeshed in matelotage shared everything from affection and other sexual partners to possessions. This included inheritance: When one-half of the couple died, the other got his mate’s possessions and plunder.