They were known as Privateers.
Privateer
Privateer
privateers
That would be a privateer.
A privateer. Technically a privateer was not a pirate, as they were still under orders from a specific nation, and could only attack ships which flew a flag for which they had a letter or marque. However, many privateers did eventually turn to piracy.
A privateer. Technically a privateer was not a pirate, as they were still under orders from a specific nation, and could only attack ships which flew a flag for which they had a letter or marque. However, many privateers did eventually turn to piracy.
A privateer was given a letter of marque which aurthorized him and his crew to commit raids and seizures of enemy ships. Privateers cannot technically be called pirates because "piracy" denotes that the raids and robberies are unlawful.
Ships which carried such a license were technically not pirates at all; they were called "privateers". The license was known as a "letter of marque". Several nations historically issued these (including the United States, in a time period after the movies; it is one of the rights of a sovereign nation asserted in the Declaration of Independence and was used in the two wars against Great Britain); they authorized the ship to prey upon ONLY the ships of enemy nations during time of war. Historically, many "pirates" started as "privateers", but either overstepped their authority by preying upon neutral ships, OR failed to stop their activities when the nation that had licensed them ended the war(s).
Acquisitions are often carried out by buying a majority of stock in a company. Sometimes, the acquisition is hostile meaning that the stockholders do not want the buyer or buyers to have a majority interest in the company.
A privateer. Technically a privateer was not a pirate, as they were still under orders from a specific nation, and could only attack ships which flew a flag for which they had a letter or marque. However, many privateers did eventually turn to piracy.
There would be no prescriptive claims in any case: licensed use is not hostile and a recorded easement presumes fair consideration.
hostile