Which historical era is depicted in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag?

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag depicts the Golden Age of Piracy.

The game is set primarily in the Caribbean during the early eighteenth century, when pirates, privateers, colonial powers, and merchant fleets competed across Atlantic trade routes. Its principal historical setting is commonly associated with the Golden Age of Piracy.

Players control Edward Kenway, a Welsh privateer who becomes involved with the Assassins and Templars. The open world includes Havana, Nassau, Kingston, and many islands and coastal areas. Naval travel and ship combat are major parts of the game rather than occasional side activities.

Black Flag is sometimes described simply as a pirate game, but its historical setting also connects to the wider Assassin's Creed storyline. Famous historical figures including Blackbeard, Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read appear in the narrative.