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Golden Age of Piracy
This age immediately followed the English Renaissance and ran from the 1650's to the 1720's.
Focused mainly in the Caribbean, it began as nations vied for Spanish riches taken from South America.
Privateering commissions were issued allowing ships to attack vessels from other countries.
Once commissions were halted, many privateers, now unemployed, turned to freelance piracy.
For as long as ships have sailed, so have pirates. Ancient Greeks and Romans faced the menace of piracy on their waters, just as modern countries do today. While pirates have existed throughout most of recorded history, one period of marauding stands out above the rest: the "Golden Age of Piracy". The Golden Age of Piracy immediately followed the English Renaissance and ran from the 1650's to the 1720's. It is the period that has engaged, shocked, and romanced audiences for generations. Focused mainly in the Caribbean, it began as nations vied for Spanish riches taken from South America.
When gold was discovered in the Americas, South America in particular, the major European powers of the time began sending fleets to collect treasure and bring the wealth home. The countries soon discovered that it was far easier to take over a ship already full of gold and on its way home than it was to go all the way to South America and back, as well as pack your own ship. In support of this more efficient method of treasure-seeking, privateering commissions were issued allowing ships to attack vessels from other countries. Francis Drake is a prime example of a commissioned pirate, or privateer. Queen Elizabeth I of England gave Drake permission to loot foreign ships. He made a great deal of his fortune taking Spanish ships, and he and the Queen divided up the profits between them. Drake was knighted by Elizabeth for his great success on her behalf. Eventually commissions were halted, and many privateers, now unemployed, turned to freelance piracy.
Life on a ship was hard, no matter what one's trade. Compared to life of a poor, outranked merchant, piracy often seemed like a fast way to a happier life. Pirates had a high success rate, and spoils were divided equally among the crew, who governed the ship as a democracy behind their captain. When pirates attacked a merchant ship, they would fly a pirate flag to scare the crew into surrendering without a battle. Who wants a ship full of holes? Upon arrival, or after the battle if it occurred, the pirates would recruit men to their ranks from the ship, plunder whatever goods they could find, and often let everyone else go. Doctors and skilled craftsmen were especially pressured into joining the pirate crew. Not every case was a catch-and-release scenario, however. Sometimes more people were killed, or the ship was commandeered and made a part of the pirate fleet instead of being loosed. For the most part, it was in everyone's best interest to keep losses light, as that left more for the taking.
References: “A Brief History of Piracy,” Royal Naval Museum, accessed March 21, 2014 [Weblink is defunct]. Note: The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, formerly known as the Royal Naval Museum, is a museum of the history of the Royal Navy located in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.
The Rabbit Hole:
World History Encyclopedia: Golden Age of Piracy
Library of Congress: Golden Age of Piracy: A Resource Guide
Historic UK: The English Renaissance
Gold and Gunpowder: The Golden Age of Piracy: A Complete History [YouTube]
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