Sunken Pirate Ship - Whydah

You hear so much about pirates in the age of sail, but rarely do we hear about pirate shipwrecks. The pirate ship Whydah is the exception. From the expeditions website:

"The Whydah was the first pirate shipwreck to be positively identified, and, nearly a quarter of a century later, remains the only pirate shipwreck whose identity is unquestionably authenticated."

The Whydah lies off the coast of Cape Cod and is still providing treasures 25 years after its discovery.

Russian Court: To Be Seen and Learned...

In continuation with the Russian Monarchy theme, comes the news of the reopening of Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and is now home to the exposition “At the Russian Court: Palace and Protocol in the 19th Century.”

The article mentions "The grand exhibition offers visitors an impression of the 19th century Russian Court and a varied display of more than 1,800 treasures, including court dresses, paintings, jewelry, chessboards, and royal shoes.

The treasures, all from the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, display the elaborate social hierarchy and richly layered traditions of the Tsarist court.

The exhibit is divided into two sections. A left wing is devoted to the 19th century court—a period that spanned the reigns of tsars from the little-known Paul I, son of Catherine the Great, to the tragic Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. The other wing focuses on the parties and themed balls hosted by the tsars."

Sunk Treasure Ship and the $495 Million Question

In 2007 the Spanish treasure ship was re-discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration. The Spanish government argues that the galleon "Mercedes" belongs to Spanish government and was sunk by a British warship in 1804. Meaning, the lost treasure of $495 million belongs to the Spanish government under sovereign immunity rules. Odyssey argues that the treasure ship was a commercial vessel and falls under the Salvage Law and the Law of the Sea Convention, allowing for them to keep the treasure. Add in a claim by the descendants of the crew of the Mercedes and the Peruvian government, this is a legal nightmare that won't be coming to end anytime soon...