The Brethren Court, also known as the Order of the Brethren, Pirate Conclave or Pirate Council, was the formal organization of the Pirate Lords and their followers, intended to serve as a ruling council for pirates across the galaxy in matters of emergency.
Structure[]
There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime."
"And I owe them all money.
—Nicole Kroger and Jack Sparrow
The Brethren Court was led by the Pirate King, chosen by popular vote by the Pirate Lords, each lord hailing from a different region spread across the "Four Corners of the Galaxy". This system of election was known to be flawed, as the pirates would commonly vote for themselves, making a decision difficult. The title was non-gender specific, though Leia Organa was believed to be the first female Pirate Queen in over 400 years.
Pirate Lords were required to each carry a piece of eight, signifying their status as a member of the Brethren Court. It was initially suggested that the Pirate Lords carry actual silver coins, though the pirates, finding themselves short on money, opted for holding various items and trinkets that would be instantly recognizable and linked to the individual Lord. Eventually, as the Brethren Court became loosely aligned with the Galactic Confederate Systems, the Pirate Lords were able to acquire actual Pieces of Eight.
Meetings of the Brethren Court were convened by means of a "call" intended to draw all of the Lords to a single location. This call took the form of a sea shanty, Hoist the Colors, known to all pirates. The Force was used to convene Force-sensitives.
Pirate King/Queen[]
The Pirate King, also referred to as King of the Brethren Court, was the elective monarch and leader of the Brethren Court. The Pirate King or Queen was to be holder of great amount of power, he/she would lead the pirates around the galaxy. To be elected Pirate King or Queen, the plurality of the Pirate Lords were required to vote on a single candidate. This process was fraught with difficulty as it was common for each Pirate Lord to vote for themselves.
The Pirate King was given authority not available to Pirate Lords, such as the ability to declare war and parley with adversaries, as stated in the Pirate Code. Leia Organa Solo was declared Pirate King during the twentieth meeting of the Brethren, after Han Solo resigned and Jack Sparrow and Nicole Kroger seconded Leia's own vote, while the remaining Lords voted for themselves. Leia was the first Pirate monarch to be elected since the thirteenth Brethren Court. The Pirate King was shown to have far more power than the Pirate Lords.