Privateer: Difference between revisions
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To the target country, a privateer looked very much like a [[pirate]], and indeed this was the intention (and at times privateers would convert to piracy). The only difference was that pirates were considered [[outlaw]]s by all nations, while privateers had [[immunity (legal)|immunity]] from the country that commissioned them, and were considered as [[prisoners of war]] if caught by other countries. Privateers were sometimes known as "gentleman pirates". Sometimes, privateers would even be commissioned to hunt down other privateers, while some of the time, privateers would commit acts of piracy without being commissioned to do so if it fit the privateer's agenda. |
To the target country, a privateer looked very much like a [[pirate]], and indeed this was the intention (and at times privateers would convert to piracy). The only difference was that pirates were considered [[outlaw]]s by all nations, while privateers had [[immunity (legal)|immunity]] from the country that commissioned them, and were considered as [[prisoners of war]] if caught by other countries. Privateers were sometimes known as "gentleman pirates". Sometimes, privateers would even be commissioned to hunt down other privateers, while some of the time, privateers would commit acts of piracy without being commissioned to do so if it fit the privateer's agenda. |
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European powers renounced privateering in the 1856 [[Declaration of Paris]]. Other countries (including the [[United States]]) renounced it later under the [[Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907)|Hague Conventions]] (1899/1907). |
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== Privateers in American history == |
== Privateers in American history == |
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Revision as of 19:12, 13 December 2006
A privateer was a private ship (or its captain) authorized by a country's government to attack and seize cargo from another country's ships.
Overview
Prior to the development of international law among European nations, there was no legal recourse for minor grievances. Privateering was a form of covert operation used to resolve these matters without open warfare. The government of a country provided a letter of marque and reprisal to a shipowner that allowed him to arm his ship and attack other ships sailing under a particular flag. In return, he received a share of the seized cargo, while the rest went to the government as payment for the grievance.
To the target country, a privateer looked very much like a pirate, and indeed this was the intention (and at times privateers would convert to piracy). The only difference was that pirates were considered outlaws by all nations, while privateers had immunity from the country that commissioned them, and were considered as prisoners of war if caught by other countries. Privateers were sometimes known as "gentleman pirates". Sometimes, privateers would even be commissioned to hunt down other privateers, while some of the time, privateers would commit acts of piracy without being commissioned to do so if it fit the privateer's agenda.
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Privateers in American history
The United States Constitution authorized the U.S. Congress to grant letters of marque and reprisal; the Confederate Constitution likewise authorized the Confederate Congress. Robert Morris, the first American millionaire, partly became wealthy by privateering, and George Washington owned part of at least one privateer ship. The American government issued privateering licenses to merchant captains during the Revolutionary War due to the relatively small number of commissioned American naval vessels. The American privateers are thought to have seized 600-700 British ships, and their interruption to British commerce had much to do with the eventual acknowledgement of American independence. The Confederates used privateers during the American Civil War. Britain also used them against the U.S. after the American Revolutionary War.[1]
Privateers in British history
Privateering in the UK was formalized to the extent that most ships acting in the fashion were granted letters of marque and reprisal, which authorized them to do so. At the same time, British courts on a number of occasions would also prosecute those privateers who stepped outside the parameters of their operation, particularly if they attacked a neutral or friendly country's possessions or ships.
British privateers were quite effective because of the nature of their enemies, who had many outlying colonies (for example those of Spain) that may have been difficult to defend against unexpected attacks. Spain and France also had large merchant fleets that were often targets. In some cases, there was also a religious element, particularly in Sir Francis Drake's case, in the context of the 16th century and conflict between Catholics and Protestants. British Privateers focused mainly on French, Spanish and Dutch shipping and some US shipping during the Revolutionary War. Often forgotten is the privateering of the Spanish, French and Dutch upon British shipping as Britain increasingly assumed the role of the leading sea power and merchant in the eighteenth century. Notable in this regard was the French and especially the devastating Spanish depradations upon British shipping in the Caribbean and European waters during the wars of 1739-1748 and the extensive French privateering in the Caribbean during the Napoleonic wars.
Famous British Privateers
Probably the most famous British Privateer was Sir Francis Drake, particularly so in that he had such close contact with the sovereign. He was responsible for much damage to Spanish shipping, as well as attacks on Spanish settlements in the Americas in the 16th century. He also was instrumental in turning back the Spanish Armada from its attack on England.
Sir Henry Morgan was one of the most famous of all Privateers. Operating out of Jamaica, he carried on an audacious war against Spanish interests in the region, often using cunning tactics. His operation was prone to excessive cruelty of those he captured, including torture to gain information about booty, and in one case using priests as human shields. Despite reproaches for some of his excesses, he was generally protected by Sir Thomas Modyford, the governor of Jamaica. He is probably most famous for the enormous amount of booty he took, as well as landing his privateers ashore and attacking land fortifications, including the sack of the city of Panama with only 1,400 crew.
Other British Privateers of note include Fortunatus Wright, Edward Collier, Sir Johns Hawkins, Sir Michael Geare and Sir Christopher Myngs.
Famous privateers
- Barbarossa Hayreddin Pasha, Turkish, c. 1478-1546
- Oruç Reis (Barbarossa), Turkish, c. 1474-1518
- Turgut Reis (Dragut), Turkish, c. 1485-1565
- Kemal Reis, Turkish, c. 1451-1511
- Murat Reis the Older, Turkish, c. 1506-1609
- Jean Bart, French, 1651-1702
- Hipólito Bouchard, Argentina, 1783-1843
- George Colby, British, 18th century
- Alexander Dalzeel, Scotland, c. 1662-1715
- William Dampier, English, 1652-1715
- Sir Francis Drake, English, c. 1540-1596
- James Erisey, English, late 16th century
- René Duguay-Trouin. French, 1673-1736
- Kanhoji Angre, Maratha, ?–1729
- Alexander Godfrey, colonial United States, 1768-1803
- Jonathan Haraden, colonial United States, 1744-1803
- Bully Hayes, United States, c. 1829-1877
- Piet Hein, Dutch, 1577-1629
- William Kidd, English, 1645-1701
- Gödeke Michels (leader of the Likedeelers)
- Sir Henry Morgan, Welsh, 1635-1688
- Klaus Störtebeker (leader of the Likedeelers), Wismar, 1360-1401
- Ephraim Sturdivant, United States, 1782-1868
- Robert Surcouf, French, 1773–1827
- Edward Teach, or Blackbeard, English, c. 1680-1718
- Victual Brothers or Vitalians or Likedeelers
- Elicid Barrett of the Stan Rogers song "Barrett's Privateers"
Privateers in science fiction
Science fiction writer Poul Anderson, in his book The Star Fox, depicts a future where Letters of Marque are revived and space privateers fight across the light years.